Today, we’re celebrating the 100th episode of Sarah’s Bookshelves Live with a very special Ask Me Anything episode co-hosted by Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books. Catherine turns the tables to ask me all the questions you submitted. We go behind the scenes of the podcast, talk about my reading life, and my life outside of reading. Plus, Catherine answers a few questions!
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Announcements
Highlights
- Lots of behind-the-scenes questions about the podcast.
- Sarah’s original plan for the podcast included a co-host!
- Authors Sarah was nervous to interview and those who put her at ease.
- The thing that amps up Sarah’s anxiety as she is recording.
- Most enjoyed episodes and the things Sarah hates about podcasting.
- Sarah’s current rating system — all those quarter-stars!
- Sarah talks about reading droughts and how she gets herself out of a slump.
- The fun way Sarah offloads the physical books she no longer needs.
- Sarah’s and Catherine’s pre-blog and pre-podcast lives.
- How Sarah manages her reading-life, work-life, and home-life balance.
- The job that influenced the Reading Tracker.
- Sarah’s swimming events and Sarah’s and Catherine’s current hobbies/interests.
Topic Highlights
Behind the Scenes of the Podcast [05:47]
A few of the questions answered:
- What inspired Sarah to start the podcast. [05:53]
- Sarah’s plans and preparations for podcast episodes. [10:16]
- Unexpected moments while recording the podcast episodes [14:35]
- Dream author and non-author guests [17:43]
Reading Life & History [37:37]
A few of the questions answered:
- Has Sarah always been a reader? [37:45]
- A breakdown on Sarah’s book quarter-star rating system. [38:37]
- Does Sarah automatically get Advanced Reader Copies (ARCs) from publishers? [41:01]
- What did Sarah’s reading life look like before the podcast and blog, and how has it changed? [42:12]
Life Outside of Reading [50:30]
A few of the questions answered:
- What Sarah’s and Catherine’s pre-podcast lives looked like. [50:40]
- How Sarah manages balancing being a mom, wife, and a businesswoman. [53:55]
- Did Sarah always want a career related to books? [55:23]
- Sarah’s and Catherine’s non-reading hobbies. [58:18]
Books Mentioned
Other Links
About Catherine Gilmore
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Catherine started The Gilmore Guide to Books over 6 years ago after wrapping up a career as a corporate librarian. She loves books and reading (surprise!) and currently lives in Ann Arbor, MI.