Miss Bates is Sharing the Shallows

September 30, 2017September 30, 2017shallowreader 4 Comments

The Shallows are back! Having taken a slightly longer hiatus than I planned, I am splashing back into the shallows with a post that I have anticipated for a long time – today, Miss Bates Reads Romance is answering my questions. I first met Miss Bates over on Twitter in 2013 and I am going to be effusive. The two of us clicked immediately. We both love romance fiction. Neither of us are fans of smexxy books. We both love Patrick Leigh Fermor. We are both Greek but with that cynicism and deep love of our heritage that makes it a sensitive area to navigate. We are both Orthodox, and Miss Bates has rekindled my long dormant interest in our shared belief, and I am especially thankful for her introducing me to the wry Sister Vassa. Just a few months ago, we finally met in person, and all I can say is that she was more wonderful than her wonderful online self. She is the friend, that had we met at school, we would have been κολως και βρακη (bum in undies or bosom buddies). We just absolutely clicked. I absolutely adore her. And one day, the two of us will write a romance with a proper dancing Greek hero/λεβεντη. But in the meantime, I will share her wit and wisdom……

jane austen image Miss Bates Reads Romance

@miss_batesreads

https://missbatesreadsromance.com/

Can you describe yourself?

Miss Bates of the romance review blog, Miss Bates Reads Romance, works in education and spends her day tutoring, teaching, advising, and mentoring. By night and by summer, Miss B. reads, reads, reads, and blogs about her favourite genre: romance! She got her blogging moniker from a colleague as she sat musing a blog name. The colleague exclaimed, “Miss Bates!” and MBRR was born. It fit, as MissB is known to talk up a storm and lives with her long-suffering, precocious mum.

Miss Bates also loves a good cozy, woo-woo gothic, and any hybrid thereof, always with a good dose of romance. Though she’s been quiet about it so far, she reads a lot of non-fiction, mainly history, politics, and current events. Lately, she’s thinking of branching out to write about non-romance reading on her blog.

With Vassiliki, she shares a love of their common Greek heritage, with its penchant for story-telling and rhetorical flourish, romance reading and critique, twirly Greek dancing, and the state of education in their former British colonies. Continue reading →

Kevin is Sharing the Shallows

June 10, 2017shallowreader 2 Comments

Kevin from my bookgroup is sharing the shallows today. Kevin has been in my bookgroup for the best part of the past two decades. Kevin keeps track of all our topics, he emails us to remind us that our second Saturday is upon us and in general, is our most organised member. Kevin also is our music guy. Occasionally, if one of our topics really inspires him, Kevin will bring along his guitar and he sings music that he has either written or that he thinks suits the bookgroup vibe.

Kevin

Can you describe yourself:

A Canadian who has lived in Sydney for over 25 years, I’m a former marketing executive/consultant but now retired with music as a serious hobby which leaves some time to hang out with friends at my local cafe. I have always loved reading – my parents and my siblings have all been avid readers. Most of my friends read. My partner reads. It’s in the genes I think.

What is your main reading medium (books, blogs, games, news, etc) and how much time do you spend reading a week?

I’d say the weekend papers (SMH and AFR), some online news sites, emails and books. I used to read quite a few magazines but when the pile of unread magazines became fortress like, I had to stop the subscriptions. I probably spend 10-15 hours a week reading, maybe more. I think we need “readbit” glasses that capture how often we read and what we read – imagine getting graphs at the end of the week!

What or who is your joyful reading (guilty or otherwise) pleasure?

I have a growing collection of music related books and magazines: biographies/autobiographies/memoirs, essays and analysis, lyrics and music, a rhyming dictionary and music magazines (ranging from fan like to music production). But definitely not guilty. Currently reading Life by Keith Richards. I managed, in our theme based book club, to have music as part of my contribution each month over one year and still usually weave it in quite regularly. It’s in the blood.

Do you have a favourite storyline or plot? And do you have one you will not read?

In fiction, I like quirky (think Italo Calvino) and great use of language. Not so big on romance. But when I look at my various book shelves (and I have a few), my books cover quite a range of fiction and non fiction such as art and photographic books, cookbooks, Canadian, literary fiction, Australian, mysteries, almost a full shelf of humour (including The Far Side), philosophy, personal development, a shelf of financial/investment/trading and much more – I like variety.

Why do you/don’t you use a public library?

Used to but not so much now. I have also slowed down in buying books so I can get through those that I have. But I do love books shops.

Do you RUI*. If so, what?

Don’t think so. Never woke up with a headache and a book in hand. Though Charles Bukowski has some great poems about drinking and writing poetry.

Do you have a favourite reading spot?

Newspapers at the kitchen table and books in bed.

Toilet reading:

Never have, never will!

Romance fiction of the Happily Ever After (not the love tragedy) kind – are you a Lover or a Hater and why?

Well, I have read some – I was helping to sell them when I worked in marketing for Harlequin Mills and Boon. I never really got into them though I have read some that Vassiliki has passed on and I did enjoy them.

What would you give up reading for**?

I can’t imagine giving up reading unless my eyesight gave way…and then I would take up audio books.

Can a romance/crime/super/etc hero be the driver of a hatchback?

I’m not sure the new super hero series, Hatchbackman, is going to really take off but sure, detectives, romance or other heroes can drive them – why not?

Note: The irony of post is that neither Kevin nor I are attending Bookgroup today. This will do in absentia 🙂

Stormy Sunday is Sharing the Shallows

May 13, 2017May 13, 2017shallowreader 6 Comments

Stormy Sunday/Kiriaki/Kiri and I are κουμπαρες, fellow bookgroup buddies, loud-mouthed plotters and schemers, I am her daughter’s godmother and we are long-time friends who argue and laugh and sup at each others’ tables. I can’t remember when I first met her. She hovered on the fringes of my primary school life, my Greek school classes, occasional apperances at Sunday School, and in and around our beloved ‘burb – she was there, lurker and talker (she would say that she was too shy to talk but I remember talking, dammit). We went to different high schools and did not see each other again until our late teens when I saw her at one of my best-friend’s homes. That is when we really started talking and talking and talking and talking. We went to church youth group together and the two of us would constantly challenge the priest’s lessons. Aahhhh – poor Father Leslie was like deer caught in the headlights with us. One day he asked us to simplify whatever it was that the two of us were arguing for. We stated that complex ideas needed to be understood in their entirity and that we would not simplify our thoughts. That was the last time we went to youth group but I think it was the moment that cemented our friendship that has been going for over thirty years. When Stormy Sunday opened her first cafe in Sydney, my husband and I bought our home in the same suburb just to be close by. I would see Kiri everyday when I would go walking with my young son. Her laughter rings out wherever she is. She is happy and chatty and always welcoming. Her cafe iterations always are successful due to her deep understanding of people’s need for connection. (her current cafe is no longer near my home, but it is an easy walk from my work). One day, two months after I had my second son, I made a visit to the cafe where Kiri greeted me and announced that I needed at least one night out a month and that she was starting a book group and that I needed to be there at the inaugural meeting. I went to the meeting and people were arguing about which high-falutin literature they would go for their first choice. I was horrified. I couldn’t bear the thought of reading the books they were suggesting. I looked across at Kiri and I think she could sense my fear. I called out that we should have a theme instead of a single book since there was such indecision. Some people grumbled, a whole lot concurred and as it was Kiri’s cafe, she made the call that it was going to be a themed bookgroup. Today, those of us that concurred (plus some more) are meeting up for our 16 year bookgroup anniversary at Stormy Sunday/Kiri and her husband’s Cafe Guilia. It is only right that Kiri gets to Share My Shallows on this rather important day. Continue reading →

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Kevin is Sharing the Shallows