Today my guest is book blogger Kathleen who reviews at Lane Hill House blog. Kathy often leaves comments here
so I’ve been acquainted with her for some time. Here’s Kathy:

1-Who are your favorite authors?

Jane Kirkpatrick for the depth of her stories and research;
Lynn Austin and Allison Pittman for their whimsical characters and true to life “neighbors”;
Ruth Axtell, for her Maine stories that draw me in;
I know I am going to leave someone out! ~ Susan Meissner, Nancy Moser, Siri Mitchell, Kim Vogel Sawyer,
Lena Nelson Dooley, Stephanie Grace Whitson, Jan Watson, Julie Klassen,
Marlene Banks, Katie Ganshert, Joanne Bischof, Carol Cox,
Mona Hodgson, Laura Frantz, Anne Mateer, Sarah Sundin, Maggie Brendan,
Laurie Alice Eakes, Melody Carlson, Anita Higman, Liz Tolsma, Deborah Raney.

Wow, Kathy, you named a few I hadn’t heard of!

2-What kind of book is the one you look for in bookstores and online?

Christian Historical Fiction is my very favorite genre. I appreciate the research authors do to place their characters within the happenings/events of the time period. So much greater information than we might have learned in school.

3-What prompted you to start a book blogging site?

Five years ago my husband and I moved to a rural community that does not have a bookstore and at the time our local library did not offer inter-library loan. I volunteered at the library and checked out several books, finding new authors while shelving.     Prior to our move, for years I would sign up for current releases I found in a Christian book catalog. Because we lived in a large city, I had access to several outlying inter-library loans. I was content to wait three months or so until my name popped up for the one week check-out on new books.

One wonderful day I read a blog entitled, “How to Get Review Copies, by Kate at her Parchment Girl blog. You mean I can order my favorite author novels, receive them in 4-6 weeks and, in turn, tell you about them in a blog?? Wow! Answered prayer for sure on my missing new book releases. Kate says she is not primarily a fiction reader, but she opened my world up!

I began my Lane Hill House blogpost at the end of January 2011. I find my style has changed as I have been reading and writing, to now include photos since I am a “visual” reader. I love the descriptiveness and it pulls me into the story. Such a fine line of not giving anything away, so I will tell you about the story but not my opinion as much, as I want the reader to be able to form their own way in and not feel like they have been robbed of the story themselves. Book reviews are to be just that, not a synopsis. I look for a first chapter from the publisher to include so a reader can decide for themselves if they would like to turn the next page ~ and, what happens next?

4-Tell us a bit about yourself.

I have always been a reader. I was read to when I was a little girl and I feel that is key. My mother died a month before my sixth birthday and I can still recall Hans Christian Andersen and the brothers Grimm fairy tales, fables with a moral, and Mother Goose nursery rhymes.

My very favorite book is absolutely Heidi. I breathed in the fresh mountain air with Peter and the wonderful bakery aromas with Clara in Frankfurt. I devoured Nancy Drew, especially The Clue of the Tapping Heels, The Hidden Staircase, and The Secret of the Old Clock were favorites.

I am a certified literary braillist with the Library of Congress National Library Service, and in the past, worked in the classroom with vision impaired students, reviewing after the vision teacher with the student, and writing the print above the braille for the teachers for the student’s work. I loved it! My very first student is getting married this year.

My husband and I retired five years ago and moved 10-1/2 hours away to be within a long day’s drive to our adult children in three states in any given direction. That has been a great blessing for us. We love our home on a hilltop, our church and community. This is exactly where we are to be!    In closing, I would like to comment about my online relationship with other readers bloggers and authors. They have enriched my life. We encourage and pray for each other. A community that is close at hand. The publicity agents have been wonderful to work with.

I have a favorite story of Lyn Cote’s, a novella entitled, “For Sophia’s Heart.” I would love to have it written in a full-length novel. Beginning on the train meeting to the end of their lives would be great for me!

Besides reading and writing reviews, I enjoy machine quilting, attending local community theatre, playing Ticket to Ride boardgames with my husband, and Phase10 and Hand and Foot card games. I am part of two back-to-back exercise classes at the YMCA M-W-F, aerobics and stretching; and a Thursday morning Bible study and out to eat with friends afterward.”–Kathleen

For more about Kathleen, visit

http://lanehillhouse.blogspot.com/

Twitter @LaneHillHouse

Guess what, Kathy. I’m planning on a sequel to “For Sophia’s Heart” which will feature her daughter. I’ll keep you posted.”–Lyn

PS- Christy won Margaret Daley’s book. Pauline and Janet won copies of Sylvia Bambola’s REBEKAH’S TREASURE.