Armchair BEA: Belated Blogger Interview

Blogger interviews were suppose be done on Wednesday. Yup I am a little behind but wanted to post anyway. I am very happy to introduce you to the lovely Kristi who runs the Peetswea blog. I hope you enjoy getting to know Kristi as much as I have.

1) Tell us a little about yourself.


I am a wife of 10 years to a wonderful man, and a mom to a beautiful little girl who is almost six years old. I work full time as a project manager in IT. In my free time, I love to read, cook and even sew a little bit when I have a few spare hours. Our family moved last summer from Central Florida to Northern Virginia, so I'm adjusting to all the life changes that come with a big move.


2) How did you come up with the name peetswea?

My husband gave me the nickname when we were dating - it's a mixed up version of sweet pea. I thought that it summed me up pretty well!


3) What do you love most about book blogging?

I love writing about the books that I've read and being able to share my thoughts with other people. My blog started as a random collection of thoughts, but has evolved over the past year to focus primarily on books.


4) What is your favorite genre to read?

My favorite is historical fiction. I was a Political Science major in college, so I enjoy tapping into my history-loving brain. I also like mainstream fiction and dabble a bit with memoirs and non-fiction.


5) Do you prefer print books or ebooks?

I like both. This past year I have been using my Kindle more frequently, because it's easier to pack lots of books when I travel for work. Nothing will ever replace print books though - there is something about the smell and feel that is heavenly to me!


6) What is the best book you have read this year?

Right now it's a tie between The Four Ms. Bradwells by Meg Waite Clayton and Exit the Actress by Priya Parmar.


7) What author would you most love to meet?

I would love to meet Ken Follett. His novel The Pillars of the Earth has been my favorite for years. I saw him speak in September at the National Book Festival in Washington, D.C. and would love to get some insight into what he has coming up.


8) You mention on your blog that you love to cook and like cookbooks. Do you have a favorite cookbook or recipe?

My favorite cookbook, by far, is the Cooks Illustrated Magazine's The New Best Recipe Cookbook. The chefs test recipes over and over until they get the right formula. I've yet to find a recipe in that cookbook that I didn't love.


9) You are a loving wife, mommy, blogger AND career woman! I always marvel at the unique balance book bloggers have between life and blogging. How do you find time to get everything done and read too?

That's funny - most of the time I feel like I'm not getting everything done! Reading has become an escape for me. When I find that I am getting stressed about work or home, I dive into a book. Blogging is very similar in that way. You'll always be able to tell when I am having a hard time balancing too many things - unfortunately, my posting frequency goes way down!


10) What is your favorite thing to read on other blogs? (reviews, personal info, memes)

I get most of my book recommendations by reading reviews on other blogs, but I also enjoy stories that book bloggers share about their lives or their interaction with books.


11) What have you enjoyed most about armchair BEA?

On the first day of BEA I asked commenter's to tell me about their favorite book in 2011 - I have loved seeing the recommendations. I know that everyone says this, but I think that Armchair BEA has been a great way for me to meet new book bloggers. It's always fun to find new and interesting perspectives.


12) Do you plan on attending BEA or is the Armchair perfect for you?

I think that this year, Armchair BEA was perfect for me, but I would love to have the opportunity to attend BEA in person one year in the future. I hope that it works out!
 
Thank you Kristi for letting me interview you!