I have been so blessed to have many
great authors come visit my blog with
interviews and giveaways.
I'm also blessed to have wonderful readers who follow my blog and leave lovely comments.
There are many book blogs I follow run by reviewers who put a lot of love, time, and hard work
into what they do.
When my friend, Edel Waugh, who runs
suggested that we team up and interview some of our favorite bloggers, I couldn't say yes fast enough!
So, without further ramblings from me, I give you my first blogger interview!
Karen Owen
Mom Of Three
A Cup Of Tea And A Cozy Mystery
LKBR: Hi Karen. Thank you so much for being here today.
KO: It is a pleasure and an honor to be here!
LKBR: I know of course you are a big reader now. Did you
read a lot when you were a child? If so, what did you like to read?
KO: I have dyslexia and struggled with reading my entire
life. When I was a child I loved to hear stories but I could not actually read
and retain novels until I was in my mid 20’s. My friend gave me Harry Potter
which took me a very long time to read. I read the first chapter, then the
first chapter again and then the second and then the first and the second and I
really practiced my way through it until I could remember what it was about and
who all the different characters were. After my first son was born I found some
cozy mysteries at the library and choosing the book by its cover I found and
enjoyed my first mystery as an adult. First book was Raiders of The Lost Corset
by Ellen Byerrum www.ellenbyerrum.com, loved
it and went back and read the first ones and then all the ones in the series.
LKBR: Bookstores, on-line shopping, or libraries . . . which
is your favorite way to acquire your books?
KO: I purchase all my books at The Book Depository as I live
in Canada and the shipping cost from Amazon and even our local Book stores for
special orders is often as much or more than the cost of each book. The Book
Depository is always free shipping. If I am looking for a new series I love to
spin the racks at the library. I found all my favorite cozy mystery series from
my library and now order and pay for my own books in their series so I do not
have to wait!
LKRB: What is one of your favorite reading spots other than
your home?
KO: Easily the front of my house outside. I have a large
tree that is perfect for a chair underneath and cool to read under. I also read
in the car when I am running around playing “taxi mom”.
LKBR: I know you’re a cozy mystery reader like I am. What
other genres do you enjoy?
KO: I like Paranormal Mysteries, Loved the Discovery of
Witches Series. I also love the American Girl Historical Mystery books as well.
LKBR: How long have you been a blogger/reviewer?
KO: 4 years ago I started blogging on Christmas Eve, I write
mainly about dolls and doll items on my Karen Mom of Three’s Craft Blog. I also
write for a website called Doll Diaries and Daydream Doll Boutique. I publish
daily on my own blogs and at least once every week or so on the other websites.
I started the A Cup of Tea and a Cozy Mystery one last year.
LKBR: What inspired you to start your own blog?
KO: My doll blog was because I was sharing my items on
Facebook and someone said I should have a blog. I did not know what that was
and then I started one. My Tea and Mystery one was because of your blog actually.
I was very inspired by the work that you do.
Note from Lisa: Okay, I admit I added this photo of myself.
I couldn't resist. If I hadn't added something silly, I would have been in tears over the very kind thing Karen just said about me.
LKBR: What is your favorite part, other than the reading, of
being a blogger/reviewer?
KO: What I love is sharing what I am passionate about. I
have been lucky to find a forgiving and other like-minded readers who enjoy
what I have to say. I always welcome feedback from them and love to hear when
they like or agree with what I am saying in my posts and I love to hear when
they like my photos or say they feel inspired by something they saw on my blog.
LKBR: Do you have a set time that your work on your blog? Or
is it a matter of you do it when you can?
KO: I used to do early Sunday mornings before Nascar (which
I love), but I was not daily publishing at the time, now I try to write a bit
each day and when I get time I try to write at least one thing on my doll blog
for a week or so, but in addition to the one post I often strive to get two
doll pieces of info up on my doll blog. About a month ago I started trying to
blog daily on my tea blog, about tea, cozy mysteries, poetry, crafts and recipes.
LKBR: When you’re not reading, and working on reviews and
your sites, what do you like to do?
KO: I love Facebook, I share most of my favorite things
there, Taking photos of what I am reading, drinking tea and trying new teas. I
love tea parties, I sew, knit and am trying to learn to crochet. I also love to
bake and cook. I love thrift stores and being creative. I have three boys and 7
nieces, 1 nephew. I also love to watch Nascar.
LKBR: What are three things you would like people to know
about you?
KO: Three things about me…I hate to get rid of my books when I read them, each one feels like a trophy I have worked really hard to earn.
I am Canadian.
And I
have a rescue cat called Squirrel, who we adopted after I read the Cat in the
Stacks Mysteries by Miranda James.
LKBR: Karen, thank you for wonderful answers!
KO: It has been such a pleasure to be here! Thank you for
having me!
I had so much fun with that interview!
Karen, is an unexpected benefit I have received by being a cozy mystery fan and reviewer/blogger.
She is an amazing woman with an outer beauty that is only trumped by the inner beauty she possesses.
I'm proud and honored to call her friend.
If you enjoyed this interview with Karen and would like to know more about her, you can follow her blogs at the following links...
And on Facebook...
And now, head over to my friend Edel's blog and see who she is interviewing today!
You can also follow Edel on
As always, please leave a comment and
let me know what you think!
I would love for you to follow my blog by
clicking on the link in the
upper right hand corner of this page.
Awesome interview! Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteWonderful interview! Thank you Lisa and Karen! Love the Old Country Roses teacups!
ReplyDeleteKaren here, they are my favorite too, I have collected them since I was 13!
DeleteWhat great answers!!! This has been lots of fun!!!! Xxxxx
ReplyDeleteThank you! So much fun to be asked!
DeleteThis was a lovely interview ladies. I am also happy to say that I am online friends with Karen and Lisa both and feel so grateful for their online friendships. I try to get to read each of their blog postings every day that I can, and feel "guilty" if I am not able to do it. Both Karen and Lisa are very giving people, and I thank each of them for brightening my day many times. I also collect bone china tea cups and bone china tea pots so that is what attracted me to Karen's blog before I got involved with her blog itself, it was the great photos of her tea times which gave me such a sense of calm and happiness. Thank you to both of you for making my days so much brighter.
ReplyDeleteHugs to two wonderful ladies.
Sincerely,
Cynthia B