It's been awhile since I've interviewed a reviewer. So I'm very excited today to share a Get to Know You Interview with Martha Eskuchen, of Reviews by Martha's Bookshelf! By the way, Martha is celebrating her 2nd Blogoversary over on Martha's Bookshelf, so hop over there to catch some great giveaways!
JDP: Welcome, Martha. Did your mother read to you as a child?
Martha: I don’t recall that she did. But I was a pretty happy reader from early years... at least by age five or six.
JDP: Do you remember a favorite book from your childhood?
Martha: Yes - Smoky, a Cowhorse, by Will James, and Black Beauty, by Anna Sewell - I was horse crazy. As a pre/early teen I loved Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boy Mysteries and The Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling.
JDP: Black Beauty, the Hardy Boys, and The Just So Stories were favorites at our house, too! Name a favorite author as an adult.
Martha: I have so many favorites it is hard to pick only one! I’m not even sure I could settle on ONE per genre. So I will name as ‘a’ favorite one out of the dozen or so authors whose books I collect and who writes historical romance, romantic suspense and paranormal: Christina Dodd.
JDP: Share a book you’ve read multiple times (not the scriptures).
Martha: Oh - The scriptures would have been the easiest answer.
JDP: I know, that’s why I added the qualification. Almost everyone would answer “the scriptures” if I gave them a chance! LOL! But I want to go a bit beyond that.
Martha: I rarely read a book multiple times although I have some in mind that I listened to on Audible and want to buy the book - the Study trilogy by Maria V. Snyder. There are soooo many good books and I have been keeping a reading list since 2001 so that I wouldn’t inadvertently re-read a book. Sometimes a blurb sounded good and I would get started on a book only to realize I had read it before. I will say I have re-read several Mary Stewart books because I first read them in my teens and remembered loving them: Airs Above the Ground, My Brother Michael and The Crystal Cave are three I know I read more than once.
JDP: LOVE The Crystal Cave! That’s a repeat read of mine, too. Now, very important question: Kindle, Nook, or good old hard copy?
Martha: As much as I love a paperback, these days I actually read a lot on my Kindle because they move quicker... I can listen while I put on make up or fold laundry. I also listen to one or two Audio books (tapes, CDs or Audible) a week.
JDP: What’s your favorite place to read?
Martha: Anywhere, everywhere. I always have a book with me: one on Kindle, one on Audible, maybe one in the car, one paperback I move from room to room and one I keep in my private “resting room.”
JDP: What are your three favorite reading genres?
Martha: This is hard too because I read such a variety. It used to be easy: 1) Historical Romance and 2) Romantic Suspense. Those are still favorites but it is hard to pin down the third favorite from among: Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Sci Fi Romance, Sweet Romance. Right now I am on a Dystopia and Steampunk kick... not a binge because of all the other genres are mixed in my reading time.
JDP: What’s the last book you read?
Martha: Just finished on Audio Cassette: A Morning for Flamingos by James Lee Burke
Print: Mary of Carisbrooke by Margaret Campbell Barnes
Kindle: Illuminations of the Heart by Joyce DiPastena (JDP: THANKS, MARTHA! J )
Audible: The Devil Who Tamed Her by Johanna Lindsey
JDP: What are you reading now?
(Martha's actual bookshelf! And I'll bet this is only one of them!)
Print: The Soldier by Grace Burrowes
Kindle: Taming Rowan by Suzanne Bartlett
Audible: Soulless by Gail Carriger
JDP: What’s next on your reading list?
Martha: I have a full review list for June and the next three books I plan to read are:
Print: Virgin by Cheryl Brooks
Print: From Mason to Minister: Through the Lattice by Neil Cullan McKinlay
Kindle: Beg For Mercy by Jami Alden
JDP: Wow! No wonder you run a review site to share your reading passion! What you would like to read more of? (author, genre, etc)
Martha: Authors: Pauline Baird Jones (Sci Fi Romance) and Maria V. Snyder (Fantasy/YA);
and, if only I had the time, my large TBR collections for Mary Balogh, Catherine Coulter, Christina Dodd, Julie Garwood, Johanna Lindsey, Merline Lovelace, and Mary Jo Putney to name only a few.
Genres: Sci Fi Romance, Dystopia, Steampunk
JDP: Share a favorite book that you’ve read in the last 12 months.
Martha: I have really enjoyed Pauline Baird Jones Sci Fi Romances: The Key and Girl Gone Nova. I am planning to post reviews soon with a spotlight with Pauline in early July.
More about Martha! : I love to read and review books. I am married, my DH is retired and we live with two great dogs and a sweet cat. Now I own eTreasures Publishing so I get to read more.
Places to find out more about Martha! :
Twitter: @MSEREADS
Networked Blogs: http://networkedblogs.com/blog/reviews_by_marthas_bookshelf/
9 comments:
Ah, love learning more about Martha! She's one of my favorite reviewers, right up there with Val Pearson. Martha is quick, honest, and never gives away a plot!
I also loved Mary Stewart and thought the books listed were really some of her best, but what about The Ivy Tree or Eye of the Cat (think that's correct on the last one). Mary, along with Victoria Holt and Phyllis A. Whitney, drew me into romantic suspense, and I still love it today!
Joyce, thanks so much for having Martha today. What a treat! :)
Hi Joyce and Martha,
What a nice interview and a great opportunity to learn more about Martha. Like Martha, I just like to read and enjoy many genres. I was shocked once when someone told me she only read historical fiction. But we're all different. Makes life interesting.
I wish Martha many happy hours reading.
Martha is one of my favorite reviewers and I'd enjoyed watching her site and following grow. What an amazing collection of books and a great reviewer!
Martha,
you really pack a lot of reading into the day. I couldn't keep three stories straight.
Joyce, thank you for hosting Martha.
Like Miss Mae, I read Victoria Holt and Phyllis Whitney. But I'd like to find the author of a series of mystery books I read as a child. I don't recall the name, but think it was a woman.
In these books a group of children (pre-teens) solved mysteries in their town, catching criminals redhanded. I remember one story was about a cave they thought was haunted.
Pssst! I await your review of "Journey To Forgiveness." Don't forget me. LOL
Sorry to be stopping by late for my own interview. The bane of getting to bogged with the blog. :-)
Thanks Joyce for the fun interview and thanks to friends with nice comments. I linked it at my blog now.
Laurean - I haven't forgotten! Journey to Forgiveness is now out of the box and in the queue list so it is moving up. I am looking forward to reading it!
I have read Pauline Bird books and are funny and very hot with out the sex. Love them all. Hardy boys are the I learn english with. I still have the collection. Great interview, Joyce.
Anna del C. Dye
Author of "The Silent Warrior Trilogy"
http://www.annadelc.com
I loved horse books when I was girl too! And Nancy Drew! I still have my Nancy Drew books and some of my horse chapter books...thanks to my mom.
I can't believe what a prolific reader you are! You must read fast. I am such a slow reader. I hate it because I really love to read so much.
Great interview, Martha. I loved learning more about you. =O)
Wonderful interview ladies! Martha is a great reviewer with an awesome blog she has worked hard on. I wish her many more years of success with it and her publishing company.
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