Love-a-Thon 2016: Questionnaire & Answers

The Love-a-Thon is a blogging event to spread the love among other bloggers! It is hosted by the wonderful Alexa at AlexaLovesBooks, Cee at TheNovelHermit, Hazel at StayBookish, and Mel at TheDailyProphecy. 

The first event is a Q&A for the bloggers to introduce themselves, their blogs, and all the awesome tidbits about themselves. Let's begin!

Question 1: What is your name?

I'm Amber...the Blonde Writer. We can move on to the second question.

Question 2: Where in the world are you blogging from?

I'm currently blogging from the DFW Metroplex in Texas, but sometimes it's from El Paso. 

Question 3: How did you get into blogging in the first place?

My great friend Eric started his blog in March 2014 and I wanted to beat him. I started mine in September 2014 and had surpassed his view count in about three months time. Mama don't play around. But I still do it because I like it, so everything worked out. 

Question 4: How did you come up with your blog name?

My blog has had two names: Dystopian Wonders and Amber, the Blonde Writer. The first was because I was wonderstruck (Taylor Swift reference!) by dystopian novels and always have been. However, as I read more genres and included a ton of my writing escapades, I realized it should expand to reflect that. 

Also, @TheBlondeWriter wasn't already taken on Twitter, so I took it.

Question 5: What genre do you read and review the most on your blog?

I only review YA novels. If I read anything else (fiction, non-fiction, writing craft books), I will mention them in a post, but they don't get a review on my blog. I reserve those smaller reviews for Goodreads only. 

Within YA, I tend to review the genres of fantasy, science fiction, SFF, and fairy tale retellings. Other genres come up, but I don't get attached to contemporary, romance bores me, and horror/thriller/supernatural tend to scare the crap out of me. 

Question 6: What other types of posts do you do on your blog, besides reviews?

I have a segment called #WritersLife where I talk about my latest revisions, finished manuscripts/stories, my writing career, and my super awesome job as a lit agency reader for the best literary agent in the world. 

The other posts I do often are blog memes: IMWAYR, Waiting on Wednesday, and Stacking the Shelves are my favorites. 

Question 7: Best blogging experience so far?

Being able to chat with authors on Twitter. Whenever I post a review, 9 times out of 10 (or less, math isn't my strong suit), the author will favorite, retweet, or reply to it. A.G. Howard and Sara Raasch almost made me die when they first replied to me. I didn't think this was real life anymore. 

Question 8: Favorite thing about the blogging community?

The lack of competition. Whether everyone is vying for that ARC, trying to be published, or securing tickets to an event, everyone is so happy for whoever succeeds. We'd rather hear a story of someone achieving what we've always dreamed of than hearing that no one we know got anything. It's a very loving, kind community, and it's always been so welcoming. 

Question 9: Name the 5 books you're most excited about for 2016!

Stars Above - Marissa Meyer (released this month!!)

Heartless - Marissa Meyer

Untamed - A.G. Howard (released in January!!)

The Beauty of Darkness - Mary E. Pearson

FROST LIKE NIGHT - Sara Raasch

This was obviously in no particular order or anything.

Question 10: Name the top 5 books you want to read in 2016 you couldn't get to in other years!

Dorothy Must Die - Danielle Page

Zen in the Art of Writing - Ray Bradbury

Tracked - Jenny Martin

The Young Elites - Marie Lu

Never Fade & Into the Afterlight - Alexandra Bracken

Question 11: What's an underrated book or series you think everyone should love?

I fell in love with the Stravaganza series by Mary Hoffman when I was in junior high. It started as a trilogy and then a second trilogy joined it. While I feel like some of the story had gotten complicated toward the end (there were now 6 story lines and protagonists to follow!), the origin of the story is still wonderful. I can never get enough of Nicholas Duke!

Question 12: What book boy or girl would be your BFF?

This is so hard because I want to pick someone who isn't just great, but has been with me for a while. I'm leaning toward Lucien from Stravaganza mainly because he's such a fun, loving person but he knows how to get serious when the need arises. Plus, he travels through eras. How awesome is that?? Double plus, while he's away studying and stopping the Italian mob, I can spend the day with his best friend, the Duchess!

Question 13: Which book boy or girl would be your book boyfriend/girlfriend?

Horace of the Ranger's Apprentice series. It's not even a contest.

Question 14: SKIPPING (still haven't recovered from my 2014 dystopian obsession :P)

Question 15: Apart from reading, what are your other hobbies or interests?

Aside from reading and writing, I am super into Dodge Challengers. If you need someone to listen to you go on and on about engines, speeds, horsepower, etc., I will listen. I don't always know a lot, but I can listen to you talk about cars and racing all day. I have a weak spot for muscle cars. Anything else isn't even on my radar (except for souped up Civics, Mazdas, and the like. My brother ensures I like those).

If you've been on my Pinterest, you've probably seen my large Pokemon board. I love Pokemon. I also recently discovered the brand new Digimon Adventure tri series on Crunchy Roll featuring the cast of the original Digi-Destined and it's FANTASTIC! All the Takari shipping is coming back to me!

I can't stop watching Jackseptieye on YouTube. I love him. He makes me so happy. 

Question 16: Apart from book shopping, what else do you like shopping for?

I'm not a huge fan of shopping anyway (I'm guilty of frequenting my public library more than book stores), but I love food. Most of my money goes to my grocery store. Whether I'm cooking or buying specialty items, I'm throwing my money at edible products. 

Question 17: At a party, the DJ starts playing a song--and it's your song. What would be playing?

I love this question because my super awesome boyfriend (who I affectionately refer to as #BooThang on Twitter) is a DJ. He plays progressive house, or for anyone who is still learning the ropes like me, electronic dance music. As long as you're in that group, you're not in left field (baseball references, too, because he's a baseball fanatic).

I always called Everybody Loves Me by One Republic my song because I think it fits me. It's not even so much about having everyone adoring me, but also learning not to care if they do or not. I appreciate its bluntness. 

But our DJ song is actually Redefined by tyDi, so I'll say both.

Question 18: Pick a book you want turned into a TV show/movie, or a TV show/movie you want turned into a book.

This is so hard. I want to fall back on my crutch of Ranger's Apprentice because I think it would be awesome. Or even Stravaganza because it's so underrated. Yeah, either one of these into films.

Question 19: What would your dream library look like?

Like a lot of shelves with books on it... I'm terrible at interior design. We'll leave it at that.

Question 20: Author you want to meet and sit down to tea with?

I just met Marissa Meyer and A.G. Howard, so those dreams were accomplished. I would love to chat with Sara Raasch. Or Mary Hoffman, Jean Craighead George, either would be fantastic. 

I'm also terrible at being decisive. Can you tell?

Thank you so much for visiting, and I hope you all enjoy the Love-a-Thon!