Today's guest is Emily May. Emily also posts at The Book Geek.
How did you discover Goodreads?
I'd been aware of goodreads for quite some time before I joined in 2010 and I'd seen people talking about it on various forums. I've always loved reading but failed to see how a huge catalog of books could benefit me anymore than my library's online services could. However, my love affair with goodreads began when I decided to use it as a way to keep track of my thoughts on a reading experience - like a book diary, of sorts. I never had any intention of gathering a following and expanding to blogging; I'd never even heard of an ARC when I began. If you read some of my (embarrassing) early reviews, it's obvious that I never expected anyone but me to read them.
What have been your most memorable Goodreads experiences?
"Memorable" is an interesting word because I suppose it can include the good and the bad. Crazy author behaviour and trolls have made up the not so good side. But, thankfully, there's been plenty of good memories for me on goodreads: having inside jokes with people on the other side of the world, the first time I showed up in the GR rankings, getting mentioned in Forbes(!), teaming up with other GR members to send gifts to one another... it's been a fantastic ride so far.
Name one reviewer not in the Forbes 25 that people should be aware of.
Damn. The problem isn't thinking of one but trying to narrow it down from about fifty. Literally. I can't possibly do less than three, I just can't, and that's really difficult. Firstly, I'll say Blythe who always writes detailed and thoughtful reviews and has a great blog. Same goes for Keertana (blog), I will read anything either of these ladies write. Now for someone a bit different - s.penkevich. He often reads very different books from what I would choose but I always read his insightful and beautifully-written reviews anyway. Okay, and just one more mention for my co-blogger - Brandi.
What was your initial reaction to Amazon buying Goodreads?
My initial reaction was "people are not going to like this". I knew there would be drama surrounding it but, personally, I didn't care too much that it had happened. The people running Amazon are business-minded, smart and they bought goodreads because of its success doing what it currently does - I can't imagine them changing goodreads that much when it evidently works well the way it is. Or, at least, I see no reason to panic just yet.
How many books do you own?
Hundreds. And if you count ebooks - thousands.
Who is your favorite author?
I could write an essay on this and include many different authors but I'm going to pick Margaret Atwood. Though there may be certain books I've enjoyed more than Atwood's work, her writing is consistently good. Whether it be novels, short stories or poetry, I know I can always count on her to deliver something effective and memorable.
What is your favorite book of all time?
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. I actually wrote a lengthy description here of why I love it so much but, in short, it's such a wonderfully atmospheric novel about an unlikable set of characters who somehow capture my sympathy nevertheless. It's a powerful tale of social class, cycles of violence and second chances; no other has ever really come close to overtaking it, for me.
What are your thoughts on ebooks?
They're convenient and I read many of them but I think the prices of some are outrageous. I can't fathom why anyone would pay more for an electronic copy than a hard copy.
What are your thoughts on self-publishing?
I think it's great, in theory. The literary world has long been ruled by the "Big Six" publishing houses and now, with the internet, others outside of what the "Big Six" deem desirable are able to get their books out into the world. It's also good for books that cross multiple genres and are not favoured by big publishing companies because of their difficult marketability. Problems arise when it comes to professionalism - many self-pub authors don't have experts behind them advising them what they should and shouldn't do. I've seen these authors attacking reviewers on GR and this is the fastest route to having your books blacklisted.
Any literary aspirations?
I think most people - book lover or not - would like to one day put their name to a fictional masterpiece. I definitely would. But I don't think I'm ready right now; my ideas need to mature and develop and I need to become more patient, disciplined and less critical of myself. One day, though, I would love to write a clever, twisty murder mystery. Or an epic fantasy with unicorns. Or a sci-fi set in a far off galaxy. Or something else. But definitely one of those.
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