MEET BOOK BLOGGER LIS ESPINOZA of Lis Loves Reading!

Deb: how long have you been reviewing and how did you decide on the theme for your blog?

Lis: I have been reviewing for almost 3 years. Starting a blog featuring my love of books just progressed naturally after I started reviewing on a regular basis. I have always loved reading, and sharing my love of reading with others brings true joy to my heart.

Deb: We're so glad you did! What’s the best part of being a reviewer?

Lis: As a reviewer, I absolutely love that I will never run out of new books to read! I thoroughly enjoy opening my mailbox and finding an advanced reader copy (ARC) of a new book for me to review. My bookshelves are overflowing with books I have reviewed and books waiting to be reviewed. There’s nothing better than crowded bookshelves!

Lis' current tower!

Deb: What’s the most difficult part of the ‘the job’? (Maybe the danger from falling TBR piles?)

Lis: I find it hard to decline review opportunities. I want to read and review everything! Unfortunately, I just don’t have the time. Staying ahead of review deadlines can be quite difficult when the responsibilities of life make it easy to fall behind on my reading schedule.
 
Deb: I hear that a lot! What was the last book you read that you couldn’t put down?

Lis: I couldn’t put down The Medallion, by Cathy Gohlke. That book is very emotionally gripping. Ms. Gohlke’s writing is always so beautiful and her novels are extremely rich in history and profound themes.

Author Cathy Gohlke and Lis Espinoza

Deb: The Medallion is a favorite around here and Cathy is so wonderful. I tell people she's just as warm and fun and interesting as you'd expect from her fiction. What keeps you busy or entertained (beyond reading and reviewing!)?

Lis: Beyond reading and reviewing books, I also enjoy staging books in unique photos for my blog and social media. When not reading, I always find happiness in baking sweet, homemade treats to share with others. And during the autumn months, I watch a lot of NFL football games on television.

Lis' Apple Pie - perfect for Sunday afternoons!

Deb:  Your book photos are just lovely! I think that's so much fun to do and yet something I struggle to do. It really takes time to get the setting just right!

Here's an example of Lis's lovely literary photo shoots, or what I call 'Bookstagram' work!  (I LOVE seeing all the creative ways bloggers and reviewers create these kind of images!)

Deb: What is your fiction favorite…setting? Place and time? Genre’?

Lis: My absolute favorite genre is historical fiction, especially novels set in the western United States in the mid to late 1800’s. However, I read and enjoy many other fiction genres including contemporary, Amish, suspense, and YA. I read and review nonfiction too!

Deb: And if that category was all you read, you'd still have a huge number of stories to catch up on!
Which famous person would you most like to text with (contemporary or historical figure!)?

Lis: I would like to text Benjamin Franklin! From all that I’ve studied about him, he was an amazing writer with a tremendous sense of humor and insatiable curiosity. With all of his travels and diverse experiences, his texts would probably be amazing! He was also an avid reader, so we could always text about books!

Deb: What a great thought. I think he'd be a whiz with texting and create his own emoticons. (insert electrical zap of lightning here...)
If you had a rainy afternoon alone to watch a movie what would it be? And what meal would you have delivered if that afternoon included a quiet evening as well? I’m paying with my virtual bank account!

Lis: I would enjoy spending a rainy afternoon watching the 1934 classic film “It Happened One Night” directed by Frank Capra and staring Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert. I was introduced to that movie in college during a film critique class, and it has remained one of my all-time favorites. If I could watch the movie while eating a big plate of fluffy, buttermilk pancakes topped with butter and real maple syrup, then I would truly be in bliss.

Deb: Oh. My. Yes. It's really hard to top this one. I love it and own it. 

Deb: If you could wiggle your nose and be in your dream career, what would it be? Or are you already living it?

Lis: I aspire to be a published author myself someday. In the meantime, reading, reviewing, blogging, and connecting with authors is truly a dream come true for me. 


Deb: Great! And pushing yourself to keep on a reading and blogging schedule is training for keeping on that writing schedule too. Imagine all the 'training' you've gotten just by reading! I wish you all the best with this and you'll have a lot of people cheering for you!

What piece of advice would you offer reviewers who are just starting out?

Lis brought snacks, so I didn't bother with the pancake photo!

Lis: There are a lot of reviewers out there, and it’s easy to feel insignificant in comparison. So avoid comparing your reviews to others. Just be true to your own style and goals as a reviewer. There’s plenty of space for your voice and your thoughts, especially if you are genuine and relatable.

Deb: Absolutely!! And the Inkwell blog is a great example. Our reviewers have different voices and styles, just like authors, and that's why we love them! 
THANK YOU SO MUCH for being our guest today!

Lis with Author Connilyn Cossette!

For more ways to follow Lis...

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