BLOG SPOTLIGHT: Abandoned Marionette

Good morning venturers! Forgive me for having not posted five days after the last interview. I'm just busy with summer school and I haven't got to editing this next interview but I was up early this morning to finish it and finally have the pleasure of giving you Badz and her interview. I was actually excited to have her this morning because *squeals* it's a small world, we went to the same school during high school! How cool is that right? We've been sort of book friends on Tumblr and it's just yesterday that we both discovered Statefields School is a link that we shared apart from the books that is our haven.

Okay, forgive me for being bubbly this morning, let me introduce Bernadette Grace, the blogger behind the blog, abandonedmarionette (call her Badz, it's her nickname). Her blog is full of book photographs and a lot of fangirling stuff and a whole lot of books that could make you swoon because, wow, she owns A LOT of books and based on what I've seen in her blog so far, she's a very strong and opinionated woman who stands for what she believes in. Check out the interview below to know more.

When did you start book blogging?

Whenever people ask me when I started blogging, I tend to feel so old. You see, I started my Tumblr blog in December 2009, but it was only during 2011 that I made my blog more book-centered. And that is almost four years ago. But, one thing that only a few people knew (those who are very close to me) is that I was already blogging 2 years before I made my Tumblr blog. Back then, I was in my junior year in high school (2007) and the platform I used was Multiply. It actually made me sad that Multiply doesn't exist anymore because I was not able to archive all of my posts from the blog I used to have. Though I'd probably embarrass myself with my earlier content, I think it would still be nice to be able to look back on how my brain functioned when I was younger.

How did you start your blog? Did it occur to you that you are already a book blogger or your love for books just can't be contained that you incorporated it almost everyday in your post?

It was actually my younger sister who introduced me to the world of Tumblr blogging. I didn't consider my blog as a book blog when I started. It was more personal and was an online diary of sorts. My blog was peppered with more reblogs than my own content. I was just enjoying the newness of the site/platform and I following all sorts of blog that interested me.

It was only two years later(2011) that I started making my blog more book-centered. I figured that if there's one thing I could keep up with constantly, it was reading. So, might as well share it with the world and find people who has the same love for books like I do. Originally, I just wanted to broaden my spectrum with the types of books I'm reading but I found several amazing book bloggers that inspired me to post my own thoughts about reading. And that was how I started looking up more book/reading-related blogs, sharing my own passion for books, posting my own book reviews, interacting with a lot of other bookworms, etc.

How often do you post on your blog?

It varies from time to time. When I was still in college, I was very limited since I had a lot of other priorities to focus on. During my earlier years (freshman and sophomore), I was able to visit my blog and post my own content daily, usually multiple times a day. But during the later years (junior to 5th year/internship) it went down to a couple of time a week to even just once every two week(especially during clinical internship). When I graduated, I got back on track and try to post at least once a day.

I usually find it easier to frequently post book-related photos, book quotes, and reading updates. For full book reviews, I usually post once or twice a week, depending on my mood and whether or not a book is worth reviewing. I also do book haul posts(usually during the first week or after I bought the books) and reading wrap-ups(last day of the month or first week of the following month).

Do you always go on book signing events? How do you feel whenever you meet that person behind our treasured books?

Book signing events in the Philippines is not a very common event. It happens a few times a year, and usually, the authors who come visit the country doesn't interest me. Sure, for some, I like their books. But not really on a scale that I'd kill to go on the book signing.

The only ones I went to were Lang Leav's and Marie Lu's. And it was a very surreal experience equivalent to being starstruck whenever I meet famous celebrities. It's very humbling to be in their presence. It's a different thing reading the story they wrote and actually interacting with the person behind the awesome book.

Oh and I am still waiting for my most favorite authors to visit us. *ehem*JK Rowling, Markus Zusak, Sarah J. Maas *ehem*

Top 3 favorite Filipino book bloggers

The top one and the very first one I met and worship is probably Airiz (http://cinderellainrubbershoes.tumblr.com/)
And then I met Jen, who is one of the first Filipino bookworm friend I have on Tumblr (http://abitlovely.tumblr.com/)
And finally, Leys, my awesome friend and rant-buddy book blogger (http://khaleysi-14.tumblr.com/)

Top 3 favorite International book bloggers

Manda (http://bookmad.tumblr.com/) --my first ever foreign bookworm friend, the queen of sass, and the one responsible for the sudden surge of my international followers. Because of her, I have more American readers that Filipinos. :P
Sarah (http://treesofreverie.com/) --another very dear friend I met online from Australia who host crazy fun readathons!
Candi (http://tokillabookworm.tumblr.com/) --my newest friend who I fangirl over books, manga, anime, and korean dramas with.

Best buddy in the book blogging community

Probably Jen from http://abitlovely.tumblr.com/ because we also became friends on Facebook and constantly talk about books and other obsessions. I also saw her in person once, but I was too shy to walk up and say hi. Haha.

Top 3 fandoms?

Are you a serious fangirl?

The thing with being a fangirl, is that it's never just a thing. You're either serious or you're not. So, I guess what I'm saying here is.. YES. I AM A FREAKING CRAZY SERIOUS FANGIRL. Oh and it kills me to select just three, but anway:

Harry Potter (any HP related stuff.. books, movies, fanfiction, fanart, musical, spin-off, actors, etc.)
Anything written by Sarah J. Maas (Throne of Glass series, A Court of Thorns and Roses, and future published books I'm sure)
Graceling Realm(I need to meet more people who are crazy about this okay..

Runner up.. because I cannot just leave it unmentioned:

Books by Victoria Schwab (especially Vicious and A Darker Shade of Magic)

Top 3 fictional boyfriends?

(Which actor would you see them in real life?)

James Carstairs from The Infernal Devices trilogy (uh-huh that's right! NOT Will Herondale)
Kenji Kishimoto from Shatter Me trilogy (best supporting male character in a book ever)
Prince Po aka Greening Grandamelion from Graceling (THIS MAN, THO. His respect for Katsa's choices is just unparalleled by any other male lead characters)
aaaaaand..
Fred and George Weasley from the Harry Potter series (do not fight me. They will always be included. TOGETHER.)

Oh and I fictional girlfriends as well:

Katsa from Graceling (ultimate bae of all)
Celaena Sardothien from Throne of Glass series
Professor Minerva McGonagall from the Harry Potter series

Any message?

To everyone, book blogger (new or old) and other bloggers as well. Be true to yourself. Blog because you love doing so and not because you want to impress people. Ignite your passion for whatever thing, be it reading or something else. Respect yourself and respect other people in the blogging community. And lastly, never ever be ashamed of what you love. Be proud and own it. :D