Portrait of a Reader: Amy G.

Welcome, Amy! Please start by introducing us to yourself and your family.

I’m the twenty-something who bakes homemade bread and writes letters by hand…but is also in charge of social media and publicity at Bethany House Publishers. I’m a graduate from Taylor University, I’ve written 4 YA fantasy novels, I blog twice a week about faith and pop culture, and I read. A lot.

Also, I love my family. My parents are my role models, and my twin sister, though completely opposite from me in most ways, is my best friend.

I didn’t know you were a twin! I love learning new things about my friends! I met Amy when she started working at BHP. Well, “met” her via email. And we just seemed to click, didn’t we? So Amy, tell us when you first came to identify yourself as a reader? What do you most enjoy reading? Do you consider yourself a casual reader, a sporadic reader, a serious reader or an all-out bibliophile?

My elementary school librarian was one of my favorite people, and I was constantly dropping by to get more books during the week. While I don’t spend all my free time reading, I still have that child-like love of stories.

Yes, there is a time for reading . . . and a time for other ways to spend your free time. 🙂 What do you most enjoy reading?

I’m currently trying to read as many of my Bethany House authors’ new releases as I can—so many great books! Outside of that, I realized that I’ve done a dismal job reading classic novels that weren’t required for school, so I’m trying to catch up. And, like I said, I have a blog about faith, so I’m also reading a bunch of wonderful books on theology.

Wow! That a lot to keep up with! I enjoy both current and classic fiction, but it just seems there is never enough time to get to it all. What is the last book you finished and what are you currently reading?

I just finished The Count of Monte Cristo in audiobook version (I listened to it while cleaning to bribe myself into actually doing chores). Currently, I’m reading a fiction book and a non-fiction book. For fiction, it’s For Such a Time by Kate Breslin, a version of the story of Esther set in World War II and a real page-turner (but it doesn’t release until April…benefits of working for a publishing company). For nonfiction, it’s Playing God, by Andy Crouch, which is about how we can use power for good, and a book that I would recommend for any Christian leader or artist (because he argues that the best use of power is creativity).

The Count of Monte Cristo is one of my favorites. I’m very much looking forward to For Such a Time, and Playing God sounds very interesting. That one will have to go on my wish list. Do you have a favorite time and place to read? 

Right now, because it’s blisteringly cold here in Minnesota, I choose an evening curled up in a blanket on my couch.

I imagine so! We’ve had small doses of your usual winters down here this year all I want to do is curl up in a blanket and read. I don’t know how Minnesotans get anything done in winter months. So what is the most unusual circumstance/place in which you’ve been found reading?

At my college, there was a particular tree that was perfect for climbing. About once a week, you’d look up to find me there reading a book. Sometimes people joined me—the biggest tree party we had was six people (and it wasn’t a huge tree…when we laughed, the whole thing shook).

That sounds like so much fun. I love it! Do you read physical books, ebooks, or both?

Mostly physical books, although, as I mentioned, I use Librivox to listen to public domain audiobooks (it’s free!).

Interesting. I’ve tried audiobooks but I just can’t do them. Every once in a while, I try again, so I’ll keep that site in mind. Do you buy your books, borrow them from friends or check them out of the library? (Or all of the above!)

All of the above. I’ve started asking a few of my friends to recommend books that I then ask for as Christmas or birthday presents. Once I read them, I have the added excitement of getting to talk about my favorite parts with that friend.

Great idea. Books and bookstore gift cards are my favorite presents! Do you have any favorite foods or drinks that generally accompany your reading?

Not really. My multi-tasking skills are seriously limited…meaning that whatever I was eating or drinking would end up as unintentional decorations on the pages.

Finally, it’s true confessions time: have you ever forgotten something important (to fix dinner or that dinner was in the oven or an appointment, etc) because you were lost in the pages of a book? 

My poor mother had to endure the shame of getting multiple behavior reports from my elementary school teachers that I kept trying to read during math class by hiding book under my desk. But I couldn’t help it! I had to know what would happen next!

I know that feeling! And numbers just can’t compare to words. I often had books open in my lap during elementary school, too. 

Thank you so much for sharing a little bit of yourself with us today, Amy. I hope everyone else enjoyed getting to know you, too!

Happy Reading, Y’all!