Sunday Serenade: Zibilee from Raging Biblomania

I had the good fortune of meeting Heather at the SIBA Trade Show this past fall and she humbled me with her kindness, generosity and friendship.  Many of you may know her as "Zibilee" across the blogs as she frequents many daily.  And if you have not had the pleasure of reading one of her reviews, well, what are you waiting for? Jump right on over to Raging Bibliomania (after reading her Serenade!) and check out her latest review! She is thorough yet concise and deep - oh my goodness, does she dive into the depths of a book and pulls the meat of the pages apart.  Heather - you are a blogger to be a serenaded!

What do you do when you're not blogging or reading?
 
I actually love to cook and bake and find myself in the kitchen a lot of the time baking goodies for my family and friends. I have a habit of using my kitchen as a test area where I modify recipes and try new flavor combinations. I recently came up with a recipe for coffee toffee cupcakes with coffee frosting that were to die for, but they were gone rather quickly! During the holiday season, my kitchen is in overdrive and I am baking like a fool with my daughter.

Describe your favorite place to read and why you love it so much.

I love to read in my love seat because it is the single most comfortable place in the house. It's close to the light, and I can see out both windows. It's not right under the air conditioner vent, so I don't get too cold, and it's a rather soft couch and fluffy couch, so I can sink in and get really comfortable for hours on end.

What is something we don't know about you and haven't been able to read in your "About Me" section?

I am really actively involved with my church and teach a Sunday School class that consists of quite a few 4 year-olds. You will always find me up to my neck in glue and cotton balls and crayons on a Sunday morning, helping the kids with crafts and learning the stories of the bible.

Heather and Emma Donoghue

If you could invite 3 authors over to your home (ANY authors) for a luscious beverage and the most divine cheese and yummy chocolates, who would you invite?

I would definitely invite Ian McEwan, because I find his books oh so savory and amazing. I would also invite Diana Gabaldon over so that she can tell me just when she plans to end her Jaime and Claire series. But my guest of honor would have to be Emma Donoghue. I got the chance to meet her, and take a photo with her, and she is not only very personable, but I bet she could regale me with stories for hours! We would all have tea and eat pepperidge farms cookies and discuss the nuances of literature. Then we would go out and play with my dogs.

If your bookshelves caught on fire what 5 books would you save?

Oh no! This question makes me nervous! I would go crazy if my house were on fire and try to grab everything! In fact, I think I will go right now and stack a few empty boxes by the door, just in case! But if I had to choose only five they would be: Room by Emma Donoghue, Atonement by Ian McEwan, Vurt by Jeff Noone, The Third Policeman by Flan O'Brien, and Possession by A.S. Byatt

Name 3 songs on your playlist right now. Do you listen to music while you read?

No listening to music while I read. I need a lot of silence to fully digest what I am reading, but everything else I do requires music. I sometimes like to drive around just so I can blast my music. Three songs on my playlist right now are There's No Secrets This Year by The Silversun Pickups, Frankly Mr. Shankley by The Smiths, and anything by Guns and Roses. Specifically the Appetite for Destruction album. Great question!!

Name a quality you admire in others and a quality you admire in yourself.

I admire honesty and bluntness in my friends, and I have one friend who embodies that beautifully. She is a great person and will always tell it like it is. That is very valuable to me. The quality I admire most in myself is my loyalty. I will go all the way with you, and never turn tail and run, no matter what we come up against!

Name 3 things on your bucket list. (things to accomplish in your lifetime)

I'd like to go to England, and to India and I would also like to learn how to knit properly!! 

I hate to admit I have not read Room yet.  But I have read Possession! Does that count? And oh, how I can agree that I would love to learn how to knit properly! Heather, I am so glad I was able to meet you at SIBA and look forward to many more to come!