Wednesday, December 08, 2010

Scene of the Blog Featuring Amy of Amy Reads!


I was very happy when Amy of Amy Reads agreed to share her blogging space with us here. I enjoy following her tweets on Twitter, and I also enjoy reading her blog.

Once you've read her post, you'll see why she's one of the most mobile bloggers that have been featured on Scene of the Blog.

If you've never visited Amy Reads, I certainly hope you take this opportunity to do so. Please say hi to Amy while you're there!

Now... before I turn you loose on the scene of Amy's blog, don't forget: you can click on each photo to view it full size. Ready for your close-up, Amy?


I'm going to be honest - I do an embarrassing amount of my reading and blogging in bed :) Usually with one or two cats (today only Wembley decided to join me). I often have my laptop on the nightstand to my right, when it's not on my lap while I go through blogs. You can just see a stack of books peeking out on it at the moment - those are the books that I have yet to review. The books on my left on the bed are new mail that need to be added to LibraryThing. I just love my bed for curling up with cats and books!



Yes, I know. Don't tell work, but I don't actually have a real desk in my house. I often work from the kitchen table, but this is my favorite place to work from. I'm either sitting on the couch with a cat on my lap, or sitting on the floor under the small table (as shown in the picture - oh, and that is Wembley snuggling with me! Bonus points if you know where the name is from). I sometimes set up here as I do find it easier for writing reviews. The pile of books is, of course, the pile that needs to be reviewed. As soon as the roommate comes home and turns on the TV, though, it's back to hide in the kitchen or in bed for me - I find the noise of the TV distracting for reading and for reviewing! (I know, I know, anti-social much, right??)



If you don't follow me at Amy Reads, you may not realize this, but I travel at least 50% of the time for work. When I'm in hotels, it is kind of a weird change having an actual desk to work from. I have my stack of books to be reviewed on the left, and my Kindle to my right, as well as pen and paper (always a requirement when reading). 

And of course I read and blog in bed while in hotels too! It isn't as comfortable though, and no cats to cuddle with while reading. A large part of my reading is done here though. I had meant to take a picture of the airport waiting lounge, or on an airplane, but I completely forgot :( You can imagine that picture though, and just know that I do a lot of reading there as well when away from home!

I've shown off my young adult, fiction, and tbr shelves on my blog in the past, so here is what I haven't shown! These two shelves hold my non-fiction books. They are organized by subject, kind of :) Along the top of the shelf are my review books, arranged by date (for arc copies) and then the rest by fiction and non-fiction! As you can see, I still have quite a few to read from Book Expo America. Phew.


I think Amy's just proven that one can blog anywhere: from the comfort of one's home and purring companions to the relative sterility of hotel rooms.

At one point, I was doing a lot of traveling and training for the company for which I worked. I loved traveling and seeing parts of the USA I'd never seen before, but those hotel rooms can be pretty grim. I learned a few tricks to turn those places into something more resembling home-- especially if I were going to be there 2-4 weeks. Too bad this was long before the blogging era. I can almost salivate thinking of the posts and photos I could've done!

I also wouldn't say that Amy is too anti-social when she takes her laptop and books to quiet places when her roommate turns on the television. My husband reads quite a bit, either audio books or books on his Nook, but he likes watching television in the evening. It took me quite a while to get used to this because, left to my own devices, the television was seldom on. I'm not going to desert him, so I've taken to doing a lot of needlepoint while we're watching television. (I think I do it to prevent myself from taking extended naps!)

Thanks so much for letting us take this glimpse into your creative spaces, Amy-- we certainly appreciate it!

Who will be featured next Wednesday on Scene of the Blog? Stop by... satisfy your curiosity!

28 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for featuring me Cathy, it was fun getting pictures of some of the different places where I read and blog! I'm happy to report that I am home and comfortable in my own bed today! Though those sterile hotel rooms are good for getting lots of books read :)

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  2. That bed looks so comfy! I love reading in bed, but don't own a laptop so I'm not able to blog there, but there are lots of times (especially in this cold weather!) when I'd love to! Thanks for showing us your blogging space :-)

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  3. Hi Amy! Nice to see where you do your blogging!

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  4. I only recently got a laptop Jackie, but I can't figure out what I did before it :) And you are welcome - my bed is extra comfortable now after getting a new mattress topper and pillows earlier this week!

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  5. It's so nice to see where you blog, Amy. Well, quite a few places! I'm not sure how you get comfortable in bed with your laptop but I guess it's an acquired taste.

    Those cats show up everywhere, don't they? I bet you miss them loads when you're away.

    Thanks for sharing!

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  6. Interesting post (I want to say the obvious geographical reference is where your cat's name comes form but seems like there must be more to it than that). I'm always amazed when people use their laptops from hotels - I know they work anywhere with wi-fi but have never actually tried it myself. Your hotels for work look quite nice actually, some of those budget places can be really good.

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  7. Amy, I also do a lot of my work away from a desk, and have to say that the couch and the bed can be incredibly productive places for me! I love that you have a kitty in your lap most of the time as well. Great post!

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  8. I love that you took pics of the hotel room as well, but it definitely isn't as cozy without a cat to cuddle with. :)

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  9. Thanks for featuring Amy. i have been following her for a while, but didn't know much about her. Now her posts will feel that much more personal.

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  10. Leeswammes - I love snuggling in bed with the laptop, books and cats! And yes, I do miss them loads while on the road - they are everywhere when I'm home!

    Jodie - Heh Wembley was actually named at the shelter, his litter was named after the characters in the old cartoon Fraggle Rock! And yes, with work paying I get the step up from budget hotels too which is nice.

    Zibilee - Thank you! I always work better with a cat ;)

    Heather J - DEFINITELY not as cozy, you are right!

    Heather - I'm glad you liked seeing a bit more about where I blog!

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  11. Thanks for sharing your blogging spaces! At least you have something to occupy your time when you're away from home. I'm never comfortable in hotel rooms.

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  12. You look so comfy there with your cat! And that blanket is adorable!

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  13. Heather-- This is one of the best things about Scene of the Blog: getting to know book bloggers just a little bit better!

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  14. Thanks for the tour of your blogging space. Very cozy. The home space I mean, not the hotels.

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  15. Amy, you're a wonder! Have laptop, will blog (and travel). Love your kitty friends. I can't read or blog in bed but I do spend time on the couch. And I'm totally with you on the TV -- don't mind watching it but I cannot read or blog to it.

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  16. I'm like you, Amy, I blog and read all over the place (thank goodness for laptops). I'm impressed you keep up with blogging during all of your travels.

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  17. I mostly blog from sofa as have a laptop and no desk at my house ,all the best stu

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  18. The only reason I like airports is because I can usually get a lot of reading done! lol! I agree, I don't think you are being anti-social either. I like quite time myself.

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  19. I love Amy and her blog so it is nice to get more familiar with her. The first picture reminds me of myself, as I am always blogging from my bed!

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  20. Amy, it's nice to see where you blog! You look so cozy with your cat. I have a desk, but sometimes I like to get in bed and use my laptop. Seeing that you do that too makes me feel less guilty :)

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  21. Anna - thank you! I got used to hotels pretty quickly :)

    Carina - Thank you, my roommate made it.

    Cathy - thanks for stopping by to see my space!

    Leslie - I'm glad you enjoyed seeing my spot!

    Beth F - I'll definitely travel anywhere :) It's one of the reasons I love blogging so much. I've gotten to meet up with bloggers in different places and I look forward to more of that.

    Michelle - I find I have more free time when on the road so it works that way. And yes, thank goodness for laptops!

    Stu - The sofa is a great place to work from :)

    Kris - Yes, airports are great for reading time :)

    Reviewsbylola - Thank you for the kind words. I'm glad to have company with the blogging from bed!

    Kristen - Thanks, and no feeling guilty allowed!

    Also, I realized I umm.. called poor Oliver Wembley in my write-ups! The orange cat is Oliver.

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  22. Great spaces, Amy! I didn't realize you travelled so much ... it's probaby for the best that you didn't take a pic in the airport lounge; security might have questioned what you were doing!

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  23. That's a good point Dawn :) I haven't been on the road as much lately but usually it's around 50% travel. I love it!

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  24. Wow, that's dedication to blog from the road like that!

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  25. Thank you bermudaonion, it's also partially just to give me something to do in the long evenings alone in small, boring cities and towns!

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  26. Ha ha, I get most of my reading done in bed too! Nice to know a little bit more about you Amy!

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  27. I love that you blog with cats! Don't you wish you could take them with you when you travel?

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