Hi there! I'm Jackie Dishner, author of an Arizona travel guide, BACKROADS & BYWAYS OF ARIZONA. I'm also a writer, and I read. A lot. See the bookshelf facade in this design template? That's why we're here. Like the graphic, I have tons of books on my bookshelves, table tops and sometimes the floor. All kinds of authors. All different genres. Some are fiction, some non-fiction. Some are self-help, others are history. I love travel guides, so I have a ton of them. And I love wine, so I have several books on that topic. I read Idiot's guides and Dummies books. I have more than my fair share of reference books. And art? It's a passion of mine. I collect art books. Again, all different genres. And I'm pretty apt to buy books written by my friends. I have plenty that are signed. Love those! Most of the books I have, I've read. But there are many others I haven't. It's time for me to catch up. So, welcome to BOOKS WITH JACKIE, the blog about books. We'll talk, live and breathe books here. If it's one of your passions, too, you won't mind a bit, and I hope you'll help me spread the word. At BOOKS WITH JACKIE, you're going to find what you'll find at my other blog: inspiration. Only this one should inspire you to read more, learn more, and stretch your reading habits.
The birth of this blog occurred easily enough. The idea followed a knock on my door. It was the postman delivering two review books. I couldn't even remember requesting them. This happens a lot to me, though, because I'm a writer. I've reviewed books for publication. I've interviewed authors for magazine Q/A's, and I'm on someone's list. More than one list, no doubt, as I get these packages frequently. And sometimes, I actually do make a request. When that happens, books arrive. Stat.
I must admit, I love it. But I'm not unlike most writers I know. We're writers. We read. So here I am, with all these books around me, and I figured: Why not put them to better use by creating a blog. Suggesting the idea to friends on my Facebook page, I received an overwhelmingly positive response, making me think the idea might actually work. A few weeks later, here I am, experimenting with the design. It's most likely going to change, but I wanted to get started now.
In the days, weeks, months, and years ahead, I'll share with you a little bit about the books a writer reads--and why. We won't focus on a specific genre, though I'll post updates by author's name or topic to help you find the entries of most interest to you. I'll showcase new books, review old ones, provide previews of books you might want to read when they do come out. I'll interview authors and write Q/As. I'll make lists, suggestions and links. And if an author wants to promo his or her book, we'll consider that. And we'll definitely compile a blogroll so you can find more books, both online and off. I'll ask you for information about your favorite bookstores or coffee shops where you spend time reading, and we'll post pictures of you there, if you send them in. Why, we might even have the occasional column on favorite magazines. After all, a writer reads those, too.
But we're just getting started. So who knows what might happen next or how this blog will grow and evolve. It'll all depend on you and what's keeps you coming back. So stay tuned, and I'll see you soon.
