Here we go, welcome Gabby Lily:
1. What got you started as a reviewer?
I have always enjoyed reading and this was another way to do so.
2. How many books do you read simply for pleasure?
Erm, all of them really. *cheeky grin*
3. Are you also an author? If so, could you tell us where you’ve been published?
I have ghost written a few articles and written up a paper that was presented at an Army Historians Conference in 2002. I am in the process of writing a story that will be (hopefully) be published under Gabby Raines.
4. If someone gave you one wish, would you give it away? Who to and why?
I would use it, but it would be to wish that all of my friends and family could have what they would wish for and/or need.
5. Besides reading, what are your favorite hobbies?
Cross-stitching, drawing, singing quite badly, crossword puzzles, research, listening to music and watching the odd program or three on TV. Oh, yes, I also enjoy cooking and baking.
6. What is your favorite genre to read? Your least favorite?
I enjoy reading quite a few different genres, although my overall favorite is fantasy. Least favorite is a tough one because the one I care for the least is split about 50/50 between authors I have read and liked (and re-read on occasion) and the tossers.
7. As a reviewer, do you get to choose the books you read for review?
Yes, either directly (like at Night Owl and NetGalley) or indirectly (like at LibraryThing and GoodReads). I’ve also been fortunate to receive a few books when I saw via a couple newsletters I subscribe that either the publisher or author has copies available to review.
8. Have you ever met any of the authors you’ve reviewed? If yes, could you tell us about it?
I haven’t been fortunate enough to meet any of the authors I have reviewed as yet, but when I was working as a technical secretary, Sherrilyn Kenyon was at a B&N down the road from my work place so I (and a few other people) went to see her.
9. What clothing makes you feel sexy?
I’ll take the fifth on this. *G*
10. What clothing on a man attracts you?
Let’s see…… In the more formal category, well-fitted suit. In the informal category, jeans, boots, slightly rumpled dress shirt.
11. From a reviewer’s point of view, do you have any advice for authors?
Keep writing. *G*
12. If you could invite a famous person to dinner, who would it be and what would you serve them?
There are four I can think of, although one has passed on: Dame Maggie Thatcher, Dame Helen Mirren, Clive Owen, and Pope John Paul II and I would serve a good, home-cooked Polish meal (soup to nuts). This is assuming that this is a wish – knowing myself (and the fact I am an introvert), I can just see the disaster this would turn out to be – from cooking chaos to the fact that I would wind up being too flustered (as I am shy and introverted) to do much talking.
13. What’s your favorite comfort food?
Chocolate.
14 So you receive any special training to review?
Not really, it has been fun, on the job training.
15. Are you a dreamer? Why yes or no?
Yes. Overactive imagination and a bucket/wish list that changes as time goes on and/or things get crossed off. I also have a tendency to wish for how things could be. This is sprinkled with a liberal dose of “won’t happen until at least ten generations on if ever”.
16. Is there one book you remember and would read again in a heartbeat?
I have one or two authors within most of the genres that I do re-read every so often when in need of a pick-me-up.
17. Winter or Summer?
Winter
18. Where can your reviews be found?
I have done some reviews for Harper Kids (not all of them used on the company Website) under my RL name. When Harper switched from having books available for choice on their Website to Goodreads (Gabby-Lily Raines), I signed up there and also at LibraryThing (strogan). I have also done some reviews for Bitten by Books as Gabby before switching over to Night Owl Reviews. I liked reviewing at Bitten and they have a wonderful group of people there, but the setup at Night Owl suits my personality a little bit better.
And, of course, late last year, I also started my own review blog which can be found at: http://lilysreviews.xanga.com Those reviews cross-posted to my Facebook account.
If an author would like to have the review(s) posted elsewhere (like at Amazon, B&N, or elsewhere), I am more than willing to do so.
19. Anything else you’d like to share with us?
I also co-own two writing groups: Shadowlands http://z10.invisionfree.com/JPShadowlands
And another that, at this time, is still being worked on. Well, so is Shadowlands, but it has open stories.
Gabby Lily's bio:
While I would like to say I'm glamorous - I'm just your average gal next door (if you excuse the blue air when things get in a very briny pickle (*blushes* I do try to keep this to a minimum), the fact that I'm an introvert and prefer one-on-one to groups, and that my idea of a perfect place to live is somewhere where only the mailman and UPS guy can find me so long as I have internet access and books). Even though I am an introvert, I do warm up once I get to know someone and have an odd sense of humor (way I like to put it – about a lot of things – is that I don’t follow the beat of a different drummer, I follow the saxophone player).
I majored in Legal Studies, then worked for almost ten years as a technical secretary for an engineering firm. For the past five years I have been freelancing and work as a ghostwriter, editor (this was mostly for a now defunct monthly newspaper at which I also wrote up several articles) and proofreader.
When not keeping my nose in a book, I like to do different types of things like cooking. I like to travel and have been lucky enough to have spent time in Poland and Italy and "cruised" down to Guatemala and Belize and to Alaska.
I majored in Legal Studies, then worked for almost ten years as a technical secretary for an engineering firm. For the past five years I have been freelancing and work as a ghostwriter, editor (this was mostly for a now defunct monthly newspaper at which I also wrote up several articles) and proofreader.
When not keeping my nose in a book, I like to do different types of things like cooking. I like to travel and have been lucky enough to have spent time in Poland and Italy and "cruised" down to Guatemala and Belize and to Alaska.
Gabby Lily Raines can be found at the following links:
Night Owl Reviews as Lilyraines
Librarything: strogan
Goodreads: Gabby-Lily Raines
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4 comments:
Thank you for having me, it was a pleasure.
Hi Gabby!
An awesome interview and very interesting from the point of view of an author. Thank you so much for joining us here.
Hugs
Hi Gabby!
It's nice to see how the other half works! Best of luck with your story. Fingers crossed it'll be snapped up and published really soon:-)
Maggie
Hello Maggie!
Thank you. :)
Gabby
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