FOLLOW ME FRIDAY & BOOK
BLOGGER HOP!
This week's featured blogger is Ashley from
And now for Follow Me Friday fun!
This week's question is...WHO ARE YOU, THE BOY/GIRL, INSTEAD OF THE BLOGGER?
What an interesting question! Well, here's a little about me, the girl who is the blogger. I'm a 28-year-old, small town girl from Louisiana who just happens to love reading Paranormal Romance & Urban Fantasy books. I guess that the most appropriate term for my profession is unemployed high school teacher, lol. After graduating from the University of New Orleans, I taught high school/middle school Spanish, Psychology, & History for 4 years, but I'm taking some time off because my heart failed in July of last year, so no stressful work for me until my health is up to par. I know, a 28-year-old suffering from heart failure?!? Trust me, I was just as shocked! Anyway, it was a viral cardiomyopathy (viral heart failure) and could have happened to anyone, but instead, it happened to me. It's been a rough couple of months, but I got through it with the help of my family, friends, and future husband (who I met only days after my heart started failing). Each day it gets a little easier.
Since my heart failed, I picked up a few hobbies to keep myself occupied. I started reading again, scrapbooking, researching my family tree, redecorated my house (and am in the process of adding on another living area), dabbling in photography and writing, and finally, blogging. I'm currently looking into online marketing and freelance photography and writing - I've got to keep myself occupied and make a living somehow, so why not try to do something I enjoy?
Oh, I almost forgot, I loveeeeeee animals. At the moment, I have 9 pets - Lady (a chiweenie), Armani (maltese), Niña (chow-lab mix), Maximus Desimus Meridius (lab-pit mix), and 5 cats, Socks, Victor, Emmett, Jasper, & Aro. Yeah, I'm a little crazy, but I don't have any kids (yet), so my pets are like my children. Let's see, I also love music just as much as I love books. I listen to a lot of alternative and hard rock music, but I'm a fan of the motown classics (the Temptations, Sly and the Family Stone, etc.) and a lot of the southern rappers (Lil Wayne, Lil Boosie, Mystikal, B.G., etc.).
And last but not least, I'm a tattooaholic. Currently I have 7 that are complete, and I'm working on a sleeve on my left arm. Hopefully I can get started on the color after my heart is back to normal. I'll try to find a good picture of it so I can share the love that is body art, lol.
This week's question comes from Ellie who blogs at Musings of a Bookshop Girl.
IF I GAVE YOU $80 AND SENT YOU INTO A BOOKSHOP RIGHT NOW, WHAT WOULD BE IN YOUR BASKET WHEN YOU FINALLY STAGGERED TO THE TILL?Great question! Let's see...I'm totally loving Some Girls Bite (Chicagoland Vampires #1) by Chloe Neil, so I'd probably pick up as many books in the Chicagoland Vampires series that I could buy with $80. Oh, and every time I go to a bookstore I buy a new notebook, so maybe I would invest in a nice leather cover since I'm a bit destructive and always end up spilling something on my notebooks, lol.
What an interesting question! Well, here's a little about me, the girl who is the blogger. I'm a 28-year-old, small town girl from Louisiana who just happens to love reading Paranormal Romance & Urban Fantasy books. I guess that the most appropriate term for my profession is unemployed high school teacher, lol. After graduating from the University of New Orleans, I taught high school/middle school Spanish, Psychology, & History for 4 years, but I'm taking some time off because my heart failed in July of last year, so no stressful work for me until my health is up to par. I know, a 28-year-old suffering from heart failure?!? Trust me, I was just as shocked! Anyway, it was a viral cardiomyopathy (viral heart failure) and could have happened to anyone, but instead, it happened to me. It's been a rough couple of months, but I got through it with the help of my family, friends, and future husband (who I met only days after my heart started failing). Each day it gets a little easier.
27 comments:
Hi Mandy. Have you found anything interesting in researching your family tree?
My Hop
Hi, Mandy. Nice leaning some about you. I'm also a UF/PNR fan. Btw, I'm also a new follower. Hope to chat some wit you soon 8)
Mystifying Paranormal Reviews
Now that I know you're from LA, I have to ask: are there really any vampires down there?
Actually, what I wanted to say was, now that I know you're from the bayou state, I have to recommend this book: http://authorsbyauthors.blogspot.com/2011/02/erin-oriordan-reviews-poisoned-kiss-by.html?zx=50c41d055241dc08
Alison - I found tons of interesting information! I actually trace the Luminais family back to the 1500s in France. I found a cousin of mine who currently lives in Portugal but lived in France, Germany, and a few other European countries, and he gave me lots of information. I highly recommend that everyone trace his or her family tree - it was a blast!
Mariya - thanks for following! I look at your blog at least twice a week :) You always have something great to say!
Erin - thanks for the recommendation. I'll definitely take a look in a few. And yes, there are vampires here. I'm really not joking - when I used to bartend in the French Quarter, I met this guy named Chaz. He did cemetery tours and claimed he was a vampire. He looked like one, but I was a bit skeptical about the whole thing. Well, we became very good friends and when I stopped by his apartment one night, I noticed there was a death certificate with his name on it hanging on the wall. He told me that he could really prove he was dead. So, he put my hand on his heart, and I could feel it beating. Then he took in a deep breath and made this weird, throaty noise, and to my surprise, his heart stopped beating. I checked his pulse in his wrist and it wasn't there either! So there are definitely vamps here, or people who can do a very good imitation of one.
Wow you have such an interesting story! I love history and studied it in college and it makes me so excited when people start researching their ancestry. I haven't heard of the Some Girls Bite but I am definitely going to check it out!
Here's mine!
Hiya!
I'm a new follower, and a new-by to the FF. I love knowing all these little details about people!
I've been meaning to look into my family history... It's cool you found so much!
Hmm... vampires in LA... so cool! ;)
And I love your pets' names! They're totally brilliant!
Meg @ The Book Addicted Girl
Hey Mandy!
Nice to know we have so much in common...unfortunately the degree I'm pursuing is in Criminal Justice but it could have easily been Psychology! LOL You're story is quite inspiring, thanks for sharing. Anyway I'm just showing the love back on the Friday Follow! Have a great weekend!
Lori @ Romancing the Darkside
Ooh, I always love a new notebook!!
I have 9 pets, too! I just love those furry babies! Mine are 7 cats and 2 dogs. :)
I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Chicagoland Vampire series. Great choice to buy. I'm a new follower.
My Follow Friday
Crystal - If you like vamps, you have to read the Chicagoland Vampires series. I can’t believe I haven’t finished Some Girls Bite yet, but I’m reading River Marked too and have had a super busy week. Otherwise, I would have flown through it in a day. The leading character is a super strong, opinionated, stubborn girl named Merit (my favorite type of character) and it’s full of sexy vampires and other paranormal beings. You will love it!
Megan - Megan is my sister’s name, lol. Thanks for stopping by and following! So glad you enjoyed my pets’ names, haha. I’m going to check out your blog in just a few.
Lori - thanks! Criminal justice is definitely something I could see myself doing as well, haha.
Delphyne - and I thought I was the only one crazy enough to have this many pets! I just can’t help myself. All of mine were either abused, neglected, or rescued. My little black cat, Aro, was trapped under a truck and dragged by his neck for 10 miles. He was burned very badly, and at one point, the side of his face fell off! I know, pretty gross. I almost brought him to the shelter to have them put him to sleep, but I figured I’d try one more thing and used some antibiotic spray the vet gave me, and in a few days he was on his way back to recovering. His head is misshapen and he only has half an ear, but I love him anyway. Thanks for stopping by!
Jen - thanks! stopping by your blog in a few
Wow! What a great question this week. I always peek at other people's book piles at the checkout link at B&N. That doesn't make me a voyeur, does it?
The exhibitionist in me has posted my own bookstore shopping list -- and it's not as predictable as you may think!
Hop on over to my blog for all the suspense and chills of my TBR list - http://www.howardsherman.net
Happy Hop Friday!
Howard Sherman
http://www.howardsherman.net
You are totally adorable. I love that picture of you!
Hi! new follower via Follow Friday, Great story! and your blog is gorgeous! :) I have Some Girls Bite on my TBR - so I should read it soon, huh? :)
Mandy (nice name!! ;)) @ Reality Bites
www.mpyff.blogspot.com
Howard - thanks for stopping by! And no, I don't think that peaking at other people's goodies (well, book goodies that is) makes you a voyeur, lol. I will definitely take a look at your TBR list :)
Sara - thanks!My future husband and I (hate saying boyfriend because he is soooo much more than that) took that pic on Mardi Gras day while we were on the parade float.
Mandy - thanks! and yes, you have an awesome name! Not that many of us out there. And of course you should start reading Some Girls Bite as soon as you possibly can! If you like hot, sexy vampires and steamy interaction between them, then you are going to loveeeeeee this book.
Really nice to meet you hon!!! THank you for sharing so much about yourself and I am glad to hear that you are doing alright! I'm a new follower! Thank you for stopping by!
Thanks for returning the follow! Have a great weekend!
Hi, again!
It'd be cool to have a fellow book-slash-crime-drama addict to watch Criminal Minds and Law and Order SVU with! No one I know is as obsessed as I am!
Thanks for hopping by my blog, and have a great rest-of-weekend!
I haven't read that series yet but heard a lot of good things about it. :)
It's absolutely amazing!
Thanks for visiting my site (www.addictedtobookcrack.blogspot.com). I, too, believe in embracing your oddities. This world would be a very boring place without variety.
BTW, I put your button on my website.
ROCK THE WIERD!
I really enjoyed reading about you and all of your wonderful animals (I'm a huge animal lover, too, although I haven't got quite as many as you do just yet)! I hope you're doing better after all of the heart stuff, dear. You're one tough girl! I'm following you now, by the way. I'd really love it if you could check out my blog, too! You can see my blog hop post over here if you're interested. Looking forward to getting to know you and your reads better in the future :)
Wow, I feel like I learned tons about you in just a short amount of time. I'm so sorry about your heart, and hope that you recover soon! And you're right about trying to find something you enjoy. It's only fitting ;)
9 PETS??! Whoa. Gotta love cats, though. I do love dogs, myself, but currently I have two cats, Sam and Josh. So, I see no need to have dogs right now... And I've heard some mixed things about Chicagoland. I wonder if it's any good...?
Thanks for stopping by earlier!
Asher K.
P.S. I evened out your follower count to a 65 ;)
Jennifer, Lilly, and A - thanks for stopping by and following! I would love to learn more about all of you, so if you have time, check out my FUN ON SUNDAY post and answer the questions.
Have a great Sunday!
Hi Mandy! Thanks for stopping by my blog. Ooh I totally forgot about Chicagoland Vampires. If I'd remembered, they would have been on my list. Great post.
Just hopping by.
Very cool!
I like your blogs style too =)
Thanks for hopping by my blog. I've heard good things about Neil's series, but haven't yet checked it out. A fancy notebook also sounds great, but I'd probably only doodle in it - writing longhand hurts more than typing for me.
Hope you had a great weekend!
Nice post, Thanks for your very useful Information, I will bookmark for next reference
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