It’s time for some more Blog Love and this week we would like to introduce you to Monique at Write Note Reviews.
Welcome to Beauty and Lace Monique and thank you for being part of our exciting new feature.
How did you get started as a book blogger?
I started reviewing books while working at a community newspaper as a journalist, and later, editor. Apart from writing a regular column, it was one of my favourite aspects of the role – why wouldn’t it be for someone who has always loved books? It let me drop the objective journalism facade and have an opinion. In late 2011, I changed career direction and took up freelancing/part-time work … after a few months, I thought, why not see if I can still review books? If you don’t ask… so, I renewed old contacts and posed the question.
Now I am reviewing books for a number of publishers in Australia – it’s a win-win for all parties. They get free advertising, I get to read… the only one (thing?) complaining is my sagging bookshelf!
What is your background?
Apart from journalism, I spent 5 years as a children’s curriculum writer. I’ve also been a Family Day Care mother, a playgroup facilitator, a reception temp, administrative assistant, government administrative officer, marketing and media coordinator … once I had my boys, I fit everything in around being a stay at home mum for as long as I could – including completing my B/Arts (Psychology) by correspondence. It took 8 years!
Tell us about your blog?
Write Note Reviews is a place where I share my love of reading with other like-minded people. Reviews, reflections, author interviews and giveaways are the main features of this blog, as well as the occasional bloggers’ read-along. My other blog, Each Day a Gift, is more personal – I share my reflections about life and the fact that sometimes you just have to laugh at what life throws you. It started as a newspaper column called Balancing Act; when I left the newspaper, I wanted to keep writing these columns, just in a different format.
Is blogging a hobby or a job for you?
It’s a hobby because I don’t get paid to review books, but I treat it professionally, just as I do with my paid work. I like my reviews to reflect thought and care and I do try to find something positive in each one.
What is your favourite book of all time?
Can I pass on this? It’s hard to answer because there are lots of “favourites”, but ones that stand out are Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, Chocolat by Joanne Harris and Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.
What are you currently reading?
San Miguel by TC Boyle.
Which author would you most like to meet and why?
Marlene de Blasi writes lovely memoirs about her life in Italy. I’d love to have a meal with her and see what her life was like before she went to Italy. She has a beautifully, poetic writing style that takes me right into her home. And she’s a chef who used to run cooking tours. Heaven!
What book would you like to see made into a movie?
I really enjoyed The Mistake by Wendy James and I think it would make dramatic viewing.
What future plans do you have for your blog?
At the moment, Write Note Reviews will keep growing naturally. I hope to add more author insights over time, but it’s a matter of fitting everything in. I want to do this because I enjoy it, not because I have to.
Name 3 of your favourite blogs?
Enjoying the Small Things by Kelle Hampton, Life and Other Crises by Kerri Sackville … they’re the two I read most often.
What does being a book blogger mean to you?
It allows me to combine two loves – reading and writing. And when I review a cookbook, I add a third love…eating. I love the fact that I get to connect with other book lovers.
Monique can be found at Write Note Reviews and Facebook.
I devour books, vampires and supernatural creatures are my genre of choice but over the past couple of years, I have broadened my horizons considerably. In a nutshell – I love to write! I love interacting with a diverse range of artists to bring you interviews. Perhaps we were perfect before – I LOVE WORDS!
Great to learn a little more about you Monique, we actually have a few things in common 🙂
Thanks for sharing this feature Michelle