Scene of the Blog Featuring Bernadette of Reactions to Reading

This week, pack plenty of provisions and plump up the cushions in your armchair because we're traveling to Australia to visit Bernadette, one of my favorite book bloggers.

When you visit Bernadette's blog, Reactions to Reading, what you'll find is a clean, simple design that showcases first-rate reviews of (primarily) crime fiction. I feel all warm and fuzzy just looking at the spines in her header. "Yup. Got that one. Oh, she's one of my favorite authors! Man, I want to read that one! There's another one I've read." One of the things I love about book blogging is that it's easy to come in contact with people thousands of miles (and many time zones) away who've read and loved the same books. The world united by books. I like the mental pictures that thought puts in my head, don't you?

If you haven't made Bernadette's acquaintance yet, please make time to stop by Reactions to Reading to say hello-- even if you're not a fan of crime fiction. If you are a fan of crime fiction, I'm glad I could introduce you to her. I really value her opinions, and she's helped me discover new (and excellent) authors to read.

Bernadette's ready to show us her blogging spaces. Actually, she's been ready for quite some time, so I'd best get this show on the road! Don't forget--you can click on each photo to view it full size....

Having a laptop and WiFi means I can (and do) blog from virtually anywhere, but this is where I tend to blog from most. The room is full of books which is handy since I write a book blog; the chair is extremely comfortable, and the rug on the floor is one of my favourite treasures that I brought back with me from a trip to Turkey some years ago.

It's summer here right now and we're in the middle of a rather extreme heatwave, so I've got the curtains closed to keep out the sun, but when the weather's nice I open the window and use all natural light. I also read in my comfy chair and find it handy to have the laptop nearby so that when I think of something I want to say about the book I can jot it down in one of the many draft blog posts I always have on the go in my Wordpress dashboard. I do have another spot in the house where I can sit on an ergonomic chair at a table but I much prefer this setup.

Walking is my only form of regular exercise, and I like to have a purpose when I do it so I quite often combine it with blogging. On weekdays I walk to work (about five and a half kilometres) and normally stop for a coffee and blog preparation (i.e. reading) at a great cafe. (Above left.) On weekends I often throw my laptop and wireless modem in my backpack and head off for a walk along the river, then finish off at a coffee shop to write some blog posts. (Above right.) There would normally be a few more people at the Weekend Coffee Stop, but we're suffering through an unseasonal heat wave at the moment (around 40 degrees C and it's only spring!) so everyone else is inside. I like the different perspective blogging outside gives me and I'm addicted to good coffee! ☺

I don't know about the rest of you, but I love the rug Bernadette brought back from Turkey-- beautiful colors! And that laptop table, too. I've been looking into getting something a lot like that from a local IKEA store.

In case anyone is wondering just how hot 40 degrees C. is, think 104 degrees F. Puts me in the mind of Phoenix, that does-- as well as the bit about keeping the curtains closed in the summer! I need to get out and walk like Bernadette does. I really admire her for packing up her laptop and heading outside. I'll probably have a chance to do that in January, but I can't help but think that I'll be too distracted to do much blogging. (The Internet connection where we stay is very unreliable anyway.)

Thanks so much for letting us take a look at your indoor and outdoor blogging spaces, Bernadette. We really appreciate it!

Who's going to let us feed our Inner Peeping Toms next week? Stop by and find out!