#BookTrailAdvent – Day 10
This Weekend, sees a bit of a blogger take over to be honest or as I like to call them book elves. These are the people I get a lot of book recommendations from, as well as book chat and book love and bookish information of all kinds. Today there’s the Charlie’s Angels – two bloggers who do have the loveliest hair and who read and recommend some kick- ass fiction. They mean business these two so…..
Are you ready for a Cater Christmas and a Pottell party? I am the third and honorary member of the group today but I don’t have nice hair like these two! (Nina I might need your help…)
What a time to celebrate with you girls! Let’s crack open the champagne and the mince pies…
So then, both book bloggers who work by day and who moonlight as crime fighters in crime fiction by night?
Nina is a hairdresser first and foremost and works in a very busy London salon four days a week (why I need you to take a look at mine 😉 Anne has a book blog ‘Random Things Through My Letterbox‘ which is almost six years old. “I’m considerably older than my blog” says Anne. Haha! You do make me laugh!
Bookish mantras:
Nina: I have always loved reading and books and after starting a Twitter account found this whole book loving community. I will always shout about the books I’m crazy about, and really enjoy the interaction with authors, publishers and readers. I was thrilled to be recommended by both Fanny Blake and Cathy Rentzenbrink to the Books Editor of Prima magazine. I am on my third books editor page. I’m having to read quite far in advance and am about to start on March publications for the February issue.
Anne: I post reviews of books that I’ve enjoyed and would recommend, and also do an author feature called My Life In Books, where authors tell us about the books that are important to them and have left a lasting impression on them. I live in Lincolnshire with my husband Martin and our two cats; Costa and Nero. I’m a doting Aunt to my nephew Dylan. I’ve worked for various charities for the past fifteen years or so and am currently working at our local Hospice. I’m also the Clerk to the local Parish Council and have just started to do a little bit of freelance work for a couple of independent publishers. I love Greece, and eating!
So girls…Festive reads? Festive cheer or festive fear?
Nina: No Christmas themed books for me!
Anne: I’m beginning to sound like a Bah Humbug, but I’m not a huge fan of themed fiction, and rarely read Christmas novels. Although I did enjoy John Grisham’s Skipping Christmas ….. for obvious reasons!
What is Christmas day like for a book worm?
Nina: I spend Christmas with my lovely baby sis, brother-in-law and two nieces. We spend five days constantly laughing that I leave with face ache.
Anne: I have a love/hate relationship with Christmas. I love the day and the roast dinner, and spending time with my family, but I detest the run up to it all. I hate tinsel and tack.
For a few years, we spent a week in December over in France and I loved how they do Christmas, it all felt so much more traditional, less tacky and much more enjoyable.
We will spend the day with Mum and Dad, we will eat too much and probably spend too much!
Any favourite traditions?
Nina: Christmas has become less traditional as I’ve grown up and I suppose I’m not very Christmassy. This time of year is completely bonkers busy for me as a hairdresser and whilst some people are having constant Christmas lunches and parties, I’m working extra long days so clients can get their colours done. By Christmas Eve I don’t want to see a head of hair for a while. There is never any pressure at my sister’s to do anything so it’s perfect.
The only traditions that happen for us as a family are, red cabbage with Christmas dinner. My Grandmother is German and this has filtered down from her.
Booze free trifle covered with Dream Topping and a Cadburys Flake sprinkled on top of it. (Makes note to immediately head over to Nina’s house for dinner)
Anne: When we go to Mum and Dad’s we all open our presents in age order – youngest first, with everyone watching. We’ve always done that and I know that people think it’s a bit odd. We’ve recently started to go to Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve and I’d like that to become our tradition. I’m not religious, but I really enjoy the atmosphere and the singing.
I love the Roast Turkey Dinner!! (except for the parsnips!) I love the crunchy roast potatoes and the pigs in blankets and loads of gravy.
I leave these two salvating for a moment before returning the conversation back to books. Which books will you be buying? Reading?
Nina: My family tend not to buy me books for Christmas as they always worry I’ll have read it already. I on the other hand gift a book to every member of my family.
Anne: Oh goodness, I really don’t know yet. I don’t really plan very well. If I have promised some reviews, then I will read those, but I’m really hoping to catch up on some that I’ve missed over this year.
Book recommendations:
Nina: This year I’ve made a little pile of books that I’d like to read over the festive period, they include:
The Good Immigrant Nikesh Shukla
Take Me To Your Heart Again Marius Gabriel
Anne: The Bird Tribunal by Agnes Ravatn took me to the Fjords of Norway. It’s an absolutely remarkable book, I loved it. For a book set in Lincolnshire – the most famous of all has to be The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot. She wrote it whilst staying here and St Oggs is based on the village of Morton, where I now work at the Hospice. Oh and for a book from my childhood, I still have two box sets that my Nana bought for me many many years ago. The Chronicles of Narnia – I guess I’d have been about 10 when I got that one, and A Woman of Substance series by Barbara Taylor-Bradford – oh, I loved that series so much!
Thanks Nina and Anne! Anne is now going to chat to me about books whilst Nina does my hair, so see you all back here for the BooktrailAdvent tomorrow! More bloggers abound…
