Tuesday, February 20, 2018

All About Me

This is a follow-up to my recent post about Clockwork Bibliotheca turning one year old, which you can see here. Thanks so much to everyone who sent me questions - I really appreciate them all! Apparently some people are having problems posting anonymous comments, so if you have noticed that issue I recommend trying out another browser (specifically try Chrome perhaps) and see if that helps. I have taken a look at things on my end and it says that they should be allowed, so fingers crossed. Otherwise, the comment form on the right side of the page doesn't seem to be having any problems.

Now that all of the business stuff is out of the way, on to the questions!



Blog Questions

What made you think of starting this blog?
The library that I work at once had a series of blogs regarding different topics, and I was hoping to be able to become a writer for those. They ended up shutting them down (for a variety of reasons), but I still had the desire to blog. So eventually I just took it upon myself to start the Clockwork Bibliotheca.

Where did the name Clockwork Bibliotheca come from?
Well, there are a few reasons for it. First off, I really like Latin, so that was definitely a big influence for me. I also really enjoy the Steampunk aesthetic, and gears and clocks and that sort of thing. So, not only was I able to combine these elements together, but I also wanted something that to me really exemplified the feeling of a library, which is this multitude of little pieces that work together to make something function quite beautifully. There were a few other little influences here and there, but essentially, that was it.

How often do you spend working on the blog?
It definitely varies from day to day, but I spend at least a few minutes on here at minimum every day just to check comments and such. Usually every few days I spend an hour or so on here either starting a new post, or slowly plugging away at posts I am stuck on. I also spend time on Goodreads and looking up posts from bloggers that I follow at least once a week.

How long do you think you'll keep at blogging?
I'm hoping for a few years at least! I don't entirely know what direction this blog will take, or what the frequency of posts will be like, but I do hope to maintain it. As I am making my work in libraries into my career, it should be something not too difficult for me to keep up with for several years...fingers crossed.


What is it that you like the most about blogging?
I like having an opportunity to blab about what I actually like and dislike. There might be a book or a movie that I absolutely can't stand, but I don't want to discourage someone from checking it out. This gives me the opportunity to say what I really feel and connect with people with similar and different tastes in a way that doesn't make people feel embarrassed about what they like.

What is your favorite post so far?

I don't know if I could pick an exact favourite, but one I really enjoyed doing is 10 Amazing Period Dramas You Might Have Missed. Period dramas are one of my favourite types of media and I love any chance to recommend or talk about a new one.

What is your preferred type of post (ttt, blog along, book reviews, miniseries reviews)?
I happen to be an obsessive list maker, so I definitely love anything I can turn into a list, however I think my absolute favourite posts are probably my blog-alongs. Unfortunately it can mean there isn't the best flow to whatever I am watching (because I have to pause it sometimes, if possible), but I think they are super fun and I get the chance to make jokes and be sarcastic.

Any memorable incidents that happened during your time in the blogosphere so far?
Well, not exactly with my blog, but it's related. I recently reviewed a book on Goodreads, and the author "liked" my review. I thought that was pretty special (I'll pretend I wasn't screaming a little).




Personal Questions

You've mentioned you work in a library. What do you do?
I'm a Clerk in a children and teen department, working in a combination role of circulation and information. I'm also a part-time student at the moment.

What made you decide to work in a library?
Well, this one's complicated...essentially I was working in a library in my teens and enjoyed it, but it was always supposed to be a temporary thing while I went to university, etc. I completed my schooling, but had a lot of roadblocks with continuing on that pathway. Eventually I realized that the thought of not continuing in that career choice was less upsetting than leaving my library job...which was a heck of a shocker. So, although some days are still difficult, and I miss my "old life," I am happy to be where I am.

Do you have any unusual interests (whether in personal life or what you enjoy in stories that may be unorthodox)?
I don't know if I can exactly say that I "enjoy" this, but more that I find it a satisfying element in stories...and that is when there is a story with a lot of fighting and dangerous situations and several developed characters are killed off. I really find it weird and unbelievable when no one of importance dies, or they all only die in the final book/battle of a series. Yes, I know I'm reading fantasy, or something of that sort, but it still has to have enough believable elements!

What are your top five favourite genres to read?
In no particular order, I really enjoy: soft science fiction, low fantasy, dystopian fiction, literary classics (generally romances or tragedies), and gothic fiction.




Opinion Questions

Any books/movies you have read/watched that you wish you had not?
That's definitely a difficult question for me. For the most part, even if I hated a book I am glad that I read it because it gives me the opportunity to have a legitimate opinion about it, and a unique experience. There are some exceptions to this however, where something was either scarring or was just so painful to read that I didn't want to finish it.
One book that I can think of might surprise a lot of people, and that would be The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood. I am a HUGE fan of the 1938 movie The Adventures of Robin Hood with Errol Flynn, and have always loved tales of him and his Merry Men. This book however was extremely repetitive, and I didn't really enjoy it. I found myself so disappointed by it, that I wish I hadn't read it. I will likely pick it back up at some point though to see if it improves upon a second reading.
In terms of movies, the only one that automatically comes to mind is The Green Mile. It's not that it's a bad movie, but some of it was really scarring for me at the time, and I wish that I hadn't had to experience that.

What are some books/movies you felt had a good message but were poorly executed/ had a
poor message but were well executed?

Well, this is deep - thank you! I'm not sure if I can answer this question exactly, so I am going to go with books/movies that had a good premise but were executed poorly, because for that I can give you a several titles.
Books: the Maximum Ride series (James Patterson), Mockingjay (Suzanne Collins), Dear Fahrenheit 451 (Annie Spence), Wuthering Heights (Emily Brontё), The Bell Jar (Sylvia Plath)
Movies: The Last Five Years, Star Wars Episodes II and III

What are some books you don’t think ever needed to be published?
Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger), That's Why We Don't Eat Animals (Ruby Roth; at least, for this age group), and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (Seth Grahame-Smith, and the rest of the books like this).

What is your favourite play, favourite novel and favourite movie, and why?
My favourite play is The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams because it is beautiful, simple, and devastating all at once.
My favourite novel would probably be Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë because of the strength, independence and moral character of Jane.
My favourite movie is likely the hardest out of these to pick because it varies so much with my mood. The one that I traditionally say is my favourite is Dead Poets Society (1989), so I will use it again here. It's inspiring and heartbreaking and honest, and I endlessly love it (although I can't watch it too often).

5 comments:

  1. I'm always hearing how great Dead Poets Society is but I've never watched it! Maybe I should get on that...
    Great post!
    xx

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  2. Oh, I was looking forward to this post! I wanted to ask you what inspired your blog's name too, but somehow forgot. I think that's a super interesting backstory, and it's cool that you work at the library! Given the chance, I would too! I'm glad you're enjoying what you're doing and have books in your life all the time ahaha. I hope you feel like continuing blogging for a long, long time- you're really good at this!

    And yes, I felt Mockingjay was poorly executed too! A pity, really. And YES Jane Eyre's one of most favourites too! <33

    I remember when an author first "noticed" me on Twitter, and I tell you, the excitement is real! Sadly none ever noticed me on Goodreads so far though haha.

    PS: I use Chrome and I have no problem with the commenting!

    Ruzaika @ The Regal Critiques

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Ruzaika, I'm glad you think I'm doing a good job! Working in a library is great for blogging - constant access to all of the books and movies that I could ever want (and I often get to touch them before the public does!).
      It's lovely to have another person who loves Jane Eyre as much as I do. My best friend finally read it last year and it was such a relief to have someone who understood my adoration.
      I'm glad you've been able to experience an author "noticing" you as well. Hopefully one will catch you on Goodreads in the future! And great that you aren't having any problems commenting.
      Thanks for checking out my post!
      - Shayna

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  3. Quote: "I find it a satisfying element in stories...[...] when there is a story with a lot of fighting and dangerous situations and several developed characters are killed off. I really find it weird and unbelievable when no one of importance dies, or they all only die in the final book/battle of a series. Yes, I know I'm reading fantasy, or something of that sort, but it still has to have enough believable elements!

    Haha! First off, I've been redirected here via your second blogoversary post. I hadn't met you yet a year ago, it seems. So, you're bloodthirsty 😂. Joking - I understand what you mean. Even fantasy/supernatural/sci-fi has to be anchored to certain logical rules. Also, I was curious about your blog's name, so I've quenched my curiosity now!

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    1. (Pretending I'm not a teensy bit bloodthirsty...) Haha, but that's exactly what I mean. It needs to feel like it could at least be plausible, even if not probable. I don't enjoy characters dying, but when not even the secondary ones die? Ugh!
      And thanks for checking it out! I figured it might be a good way to link newer readers to some of my past posts. If you have any other questions, I'm happy to do another post like this one - just send them to me!

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