Sunday, June 23, 2013

The Forbes 25 Reviewers - #3 Katrina Passick Lumsden

Today's guest is Katrina Passick Lumsden.  She also posts at http://shutterbird13.tumblr.com/.

How did you discover Goodreads?
I'm pretty sure it was a Google search. I can't remember the exact circumstances as I joined over four years ago, but I do believe I just sort of stumbled upon it.

What have been your most memorable Goodreads experiences?
When my review of Fifty Shades of Grey blew up. It sounds egotistical, but I'm not meaning to be self-centered. It was just completely unexpected and flattering, and I'm still trying to adjust to it.

Name one reviewer not in the Forbes 25 that people should be aware of.

What was your initial reaction to Amazon buying Goodreads?
Well, since this is news to me, my initial reaction was, "Amazon bought Goodreads?!" 

How many books do you own?
Hundreds. Perhaps thousands if you count digital books. My printed book collection is difficult to count, as some are in storage. 

Who is your favorite author?
This is a really tough question to answer. I want to say someone classic like Charlotte Bronte (I do love her work) or George Orwell (another favorite)...but I think I have to go with something more contemporary. Female: Susanna Kearsley. Male: Jonathan Carroll. But that will change in another day or two. Probably.

What is your favorite book of all time?
Jane Eyre. How typical and cliche and feminine, right? So I'll give it a companion; 1984.

What are your thoughts on ebooks?
I love them. I do worry sometimes that the versions I purchase will one day cease to be relevant and I will have wasted money on them, but you can't really beat ebooks for convenience. I can carry hundreds of books with me anywhere (not real feasible with printed books), and I don't have to make any special trips to pick up a new book and begin reading. That being said, there will always be a place in my heart for printed books. The feel of a nice leatherbound, the smell of old books, the sound of pages turning. These are things that can't be replaced by ebooks. Plus I enjoy collecting old books, and that's not something you can do on an ereader.

What are your thoughts on self-publishing?
It's both a blessing and a curse. I shudder to think of the money I've wasted on self-published works from people who don't even appear to understand English, much less know how to tell a story. But one can't discount the positive aspects of self-publishing. I've read some truly well-written books that never would have seen the light of day if not for self-publishing. For every 10-15 bad self-published books, there is one good one. Is that ratio worth it? I think so.

Any literary aspirations? 
I'd like to write a book, but a propensity for manic, obsessive periods of interest tends to keep me from accomplishing it. Plus, I'm never happy with how anything turns out. I suppose it doesn't help that I'm also lazy.

No comments:

Post a Comment