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Welcome to My First Armchair BEA

I’ve been to Book Expo America in the past, but this year, I had to opt out and spend time with my newborn daughter, “Wiggles.”  So . . . this is my first Armchair BEA!

I’m taking my experience with this event slowly.  I’ve got an intro post (see this post) and an interview later in the week with another participant, who’s been a lurker of my own blog!  I finally get to find out who one of my lurkers is!  That makes me smile.  I’m hoping more lurkers will start saying hi!

Ok, so me?!  I’m a new mother to a baby girl, “Wiggles,” and I’ve been blogging at Savvy Verse & Wit for nearly 4 years (the blogiversary is next month).  What genres do I read?  Everything!  Ok, not everything . . . no westerns . . . no cheesy romance  . . . no self-help . . . you get the idea.  What’s one of my favorite genres?  POETRY!  If you don’t believe me, check out some of my recent reviews and the Fearless Poetry Reading Challenge I’m hosting this year. Oh, and I’m heading up the voting committee for the Indie Lit Awards in Poetry! (Please submit any 2011 titles for consideration in September, and if you want to add them to my suggestion list, please do.)

Please do feel free to poke around the blog, there’s a handy navigation bar at the top with guest posts, interviews, challenges, memes, etc.  And an easy to use search engine, and of course, the necessary places to link up to the blog or me on social networking and book sites.

What I’m most looking forward to?  The interviews of course.  I just love those, but I’m just taking it one day at a time and poking around.  Maybe I’ll start lurking on some of your blogs.  Better watch out because I’m looking at you! 🙂

Comments

  1. Hi Serena! Stopping by to say hi, even though we talked already. 😉 See, no longer a lurker! Your baby girl is gorgeous. How are you liking motherhood so far? It can be hard, but it sure is darn worth it in the long run. I wouldn’t change it.

    I’ll be stopping in again throughout the week. 🙂

  2. Alexis @ Reflections of a Bookaholic says

    I want to experience BEA one day but for now, Armchair BEA it is 🙂

    • Alexis, BEA is a one-of-a-kind experience that will make you giddy and exhausted at the same time. But ArmChair BEA is a good substitute.

  3. I’m sort of sad I’m not going to BEA this year, but then again I don’t have someone like Wiggles to take my mind off things! 🙂 She is adorable btw.

  4. Such a beautiful family!

    Enjoy doing the Armchair BEA! I just wish I was going — someday! 🙂

  5. I had fun coming up with interview questions for this week as well as answering those that were sent to me. 🙂 I now follow both my interviewee and interviewer. Happy ArmchairBEA and I hope you enjoy the activities planned this week.

  6. Congrats on the new little one! I can see why you’d want to stay home 🙂

  7. Your picture is PRECIOUS! Yes, I do like poetry. I don’t love it, but now that I’m out of school and don’t have to rip it apart I bet I would enjoy it more. :o)

    Thanks for stopping by my blog today! Happy BEA!

  8. Wiggles is such a lovely little thing and that’s a beautiful family portrait! I’m glad you’re joining us for Armchair BEA, this year. I thought I was going to be a goof and not participate but I’ve been visiting people all day (and still have only managed to hit a fraction of those participating). Hope you have a fabulous week! Wiggles is worth staying home for.

    • I thought about not participating at all, but then I decided to do it in a more relaxed fashion…when I find time.

  9. Michelle says

    What a wonderful reason to stay home this year. 🙂 Enjoy Armchair BEA.

  10. Poetry, huh? I think I can count on one hand the number of poetry books I’ve read. I did just read Orchards by Holly Thompson, a book in verse, and thought it was fantastic!

    I hope you have a fun Armchair BEA!

  11. Gwen@Chew&DigestBooks says

    He he, I couldn’t go to BEA because I’ve got wiggles! Best reason not to go ever!

    I am really bad about reading contemporary poetry.

    • Gwen, how true is that. Just keep watching the blog and I’ll point out some new contemporary poets for you to try!

  12. Aw, Wiggles!! Another reader for us to talk to when she gets older. Have a great week!

  13. Hey! I’m hopping over from armchair BEA, it’s great to meet you. Congrats on your sweet baby girl!
    BookSavvyBabe

  14. Congratulations on your baby girl!!

    🙂 Heidi

  15. Congratulations on your daughter! I am looking forward to all the new bloggers to meet this week. Thanks for stopping by my blog and saying hello.

  16. Well I’d say I’m more of a stalker than a lurker. lolol. Really though that is such a beautiful photo of the three of you! Who’d want to leave that gorgeous little girl to go to BEA anyhow? I wouldn’t.

    • Yeah, Dar, you are a stalker. That’s ok, I don’t mind. I’d like to take her to BEA! But I think I’ll wait until she’s older.

  17. Oh, no, no, no…I had to come to your blog and now find another, yet another challenge, in which to participate. It doesn’t help you make it so easy too: only one book. *Sigh*

    Otherwise, nice to make your acquaintance :P.

    • Another challenge to participate in?! I wonder which one you are speaking of. I co-host one and am hosting another. Though, I’m gathering from the 1 book requirement, you mean the poetry challenge. I hope you’ll join and share your review with us.

  18. Well if you have to opt on for something, I think you’ve picked the best thing there is! I am so antsy for my own new little one that will be arriving in 6 months 🙂 Good luck with your baby and have a blast!

    -Kate the Book Buff
    The Book Buff: Book Reviews for Regular People

  19. Hi Serena!

    Your daughter is beautiful! Congratulations to you and your husband. Welcome to the world sweet, adorable Wiggles :o)

    I confess that I’m a lurker frequently although I’m trying to comment more often. So far I’ve had limited success! I love your post about poetry. I’ve always found it a little intimidating but I go through periods where I read quite a bit of it and then I get distracted away from it… I’ve been reading it the last couple of weeks, encouraged by your recent posts about poetry. Thank you!

    I stay away from the same genres as you. Classic literature and general fiction are my most read genres but I like variety. I hope you have a good week!

    • Amy: Thanks for stopping by and for reading poetry even if you do get distracted away from it sometimes. I’m glad that the recent posts have inspired you to pick up poetry again and to continue reading it and that we have similar reading tastes. I’m going pop on over and check out your blog.

      Happy ArmChair BEA!

  20. You all look so sweet! She looks perfect. *big smile*

    Arm Chair BEA worked for me last year…. one day I will make it to the actual event.

    • Shellie: if you do make it to the event be prepared for the pain in your feet and shoulders from all the walking and books…but also be prepared for happy exhaustion as you meet everyone in person and have such a great time.

      I’m looking forward to this more low-key version.

  21. reading rendezvous reviewz says

    first, that is a beautiful profile picture. secondly, i too love poetry. there is a sunday bog hop for bloggers that love poetry. i will send you link. i will also let the person knows that does the meme know of your blog too. happy reading .

    • thanks. i look forward to receiving the link. I hope you’ll stop by the Virtual Poetry Circle I host on Saturdays. It’s fun to see what everyone thinks of the poem I post. Do you review poetry too?

  22. Oh how wonderful a newborn is such fun and the more they grow the more fun they are. Hope you enjoy this BEA as much as the one in New York.

  23. Jess (The Cozy Reader) says

    Congrats on the little girl! I’m doing the same too, staying home with my 4 week old baby boy Riley and instead participating in Armchair BEA, which I forgot was an option until today! 🙂

  24. What a sweet family picture! Congrats on the little one and try to enjoy every minute as a new mom! I miss the little gurgles and baby chuckles.

  25. Serena — What a beautiful picture!! Congrats on four years blogging — that’s really quite an achievement. I’ve always admired your blog for the quality of your content and the really unique focus. So selfishly, I’m glad you’re staying here with us to armchair it — really looking forward to your interview!

    • Thanks for the “selfishness.” Glad to know that you would miss me if I were in NYC and not blogging this week. LOL I’m glad that you enjoy the focus of the blog and hope that I continue to keep everyone’s attention, at least partly.

      I can’t even believe it has been 4 years…

  26. NotNessie says

    What a beautiful baby girl! Congratulations!

    I hope you enjoy the rest of ArmchairBEA.

  27. Hi Serena, what a beautiful family photo! I don’t think I’m a lurker as I’ve commented a few times ( you’re in my reader). Anyway, enjoy doing BEA the relaxing way 🙂

  28. You’re silly! 😛 I’m kind of glad not to be going to BEA this year because it was so exhausting. Have fun participating in Armchair BEA.

    • Who you calling silly?! LOL I really enjoy the exhaustion, and there are so many other things I want to see in NYC as well. Maybe next year. I think with Wiggles, my participation in Armchair BEA will be light, but it will be fun.