Armchair BEA Blogger Interview: Cheyenne of The Chey Show

It's always nice to meet fellow bloggers and even though we didn't make it to NYC for Book Expo America, we can still make new book blogging friends through Armchair BEA.

We'd like to introduce you to the blog The Chey Show run by Cheyenne, a 17 year old book blogger from Pennsylvania. So without further ado...



Jenn of GJR:   How long have you been a blogger?  What inspired you to become a book blogger?


Cheyenne:  I've been a blogger since the end of March 2011, so about 2 months now. I don't think I made a real conscious decision to become a blogger. I just created a blog one day and thought I would see how it went. Once I got the hang of it, I didn't want to stop! Now I couldn't imagine myself NOT blogging.




GJR:  As someone who is interested in computers & technology, your firm stance on the tree-book side of the e-book vs. tree-book debate came as a bit of a surprise to me.  I am a firm believer in e-books AND tree-books. Have you ever tried, or would you ever try, an e-reader?

C:  I have tried using an e-reader before, but I just don't enjoy it. While I do read books on my computer, I'm much happier with my physical copy. I love going into my room and seeing my too-full bookshelves. I wouldn't have that novelty with an e-reader. I could have 2000 books with an e-reader, but still only see a small piece of electronic equipment. It doesn't give me that sense of satisfaction that 2000 tree-books would give me. I'd rather pay a little extra for the physical copy. I can't see myself ever turning to e-books.

GJR:   I asked because I thought I'd hate an e-reader, especially because I hated reading them on my computer, but I am a Nook owner now and I love it.  I have an aversion to paperbacks, and am running out of room (and funds) when it comes to hard covers, so e-books are a good solution for me.  


When you are reading for reviewing purposes do you read the book then write the review before moving on to something else or can you start the next book before you've written your review of the first book?  Do you read more than one book at a time?

C:  I usually start reading another book before I review the previous one. I do this because I need time to chew over what I just took in. Once I wait a couple of days, I usually have everything I want to say in my head. I've tried writing reviews immediately after finishing a book, but I would finish it and then go "Oh, I wish I had written this!"

I don't normally read more than one book at a time, but lately I have been! I've been getting e-copies of books lately, so I'll read one of those and read a paper copy, too. That way when I'm on the computer I can read, but when the computer is not available I always have a book to stick my nose in.


GJR:    Do you make yourself finish a book you don't like or are you okay with walking away from it?

C:  I would normally say that I would never walk away from a book! And I haven't. Yet. But I think I may have met my match. I am currently reading Fallen by Lauren Kate, and I simply don't like it at all. I told myself that I would push through and finish it, but I just don't think I can. I have so many other books more worth my time. This may be the first ever book that I've had to stop, and I'm not happy about it.


GJR:   What is the first book that really spoke to you on a personal level?

C:  The first book - or series - that really spoke to me was Harry Potter. This was the book that made me fall in love with books. While I'm sure that answer has been used too many times, it does not make it any less true for me. I grew as Harry grew, and I became very attached to the series during that time.


GJR:    Love, love, love Harry Potter!  Who are your favorite authors?

C:  If you asked me this a year ago, I could have told you exactly who my favorite authors are. That was when I had only so many books, and I re-read them to my heart's content. Now, I have read so many books that I have a whole slew of favorite authors. I like to categorize them as "new favorites" and "old favorites." 

Here you go:

Old Favorites:

• J.K. Rowling - Harry Potter
• Ann Brashares - Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants & My Name Is Memory
• Sarah Dessen - Um, everything?
• Scott Westerfeld - Uglies

New Favorites:

• Lauren Oliver - Delirium
• Beth Revis - Across the Universe
• Cassandra Clare - The Mortal Instruments & The Infernal Devices
• Suzanne Collins - The Hunger Games

GJR:    Everyone has a few least favorite books, what are yours?

C:  My two least favorite books that I think of are Th1rteen R3asons Why by Jay Asher and Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson. I wrote reviews on both of them explaining why I don't like them, so I won't get into it here to save you from a long rant. I think Fallen by Lauren Kate might make this list, soon, too!


GJR:   Your blog states that you are web-schooled.  Since the internet didn't exist in it's current form when I was 17, please tell me, how does that work?

C:  I've been cyber-schooled since 4th grade, so about 7 and a half years. It works as I suppose a "normal" school would work: I have classes, write essays, take tests, study from textbooks, etc. I just do everything online. My "classroom" is a window where the teacher can write/type on the screen and use the microphone to talk. Students can instant message the teacher while he or she is talking, and also use the microphone when they pause. I get normal grades and go out on field trips. In fact, I'm going to an amusement park with my school on Wednesday!

GJR:    You state on your blog that you think you have an OCD.  You tell me yours, I'll tell you mine!

C:  I'm not like those people that *have* to wash their hands 30 times a day, but I do have little things that I can't walk away from if they're not done right. One thing that drives me crazy is the dishes: I have these plates with an asymmetrical pattern. Those plates HAVE to match and stack up with the pattern facing the same way, both in the dishwasher and cabinets. Weird, huh?

Another OCD quirk that I have is alphabetization. Books and movies must be alphabetized. My books are all alphabetized by author's last name, and series after that. If the author doesn't make series, but rather just books unrelated to each other (think Sarah Dessen,) then they are sorted in order of most recently published. Movies are all alphabetized by title. No exceptions! 

GJR:    Those aren't bad at all - I have an aversion to wrinkled, creased paper (hence my dislike of paperbacks, because no matter how careful you are, they get worn looking) and a phobia about germs on library books (another time my e-reader comes in handy!)  I alphabetize all my media too!  It's a must.  My husband could probably list off tons more, but those are the relevant ones.  

 Do you have any TV show addictions?

C:  No, I really don't. I used to be addicted to Smallville, but that series just finished off a couple of weeks ago. I don't watch a lot more than that, other than Big Brother, which starts sometime in July. I like movies, but TV? Not so much. Call me crazy, but I just don't get into Glee or Dancing With the Stars or anything like that. 

GJR:    What do you like to do when you're not reading?

C:  When I'm not reading/blogging/thinking about reading & blogging, I'm usually on the computer. I love surfing Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. I also love the Sims 3! I like to play with HTML and CSS, too, but I usually just do that for my blog.

Outside of books and technology, I love to swim! I can't wait for summer to officially start so I can break out the bathing suit and sunscreen and jump into the pool!


GJR:    That sounds heavenly.  Looking forward to that myself.

We want to thank Cheyenne for taking the time to answer our questions, and also for interviewing me, Jenn, on her blog!  (Jenn's interview:  here.)