Recent Book Activity

I'm 26, I live in London & work in west end theatre (I say work - I mostly sit in dark corners reading by torchlight if I'm honest). I am also a part-time student, studying physics with the OU. When I get a spare minute I volunteer in my local Oxfam Books, which I very much enjoy - but don't give us registered books, please, as we cant sell them.

I'll read anything I can get my hands on, but I particularly like fantasy & comedy. I also read a lot of non-fiction, again anything that catches my eye - Science, maths, biography, history, sociology... whatever. My wishlist reflects this eclectic taste, but is always kept up to date.
Please don't make assumptions based on my bookshelf here - most of it is obtained specifically to cross so doesn't reflect my personal preferences

My interests, outside of reading, geeking & theatre, are pretty general - sunny days, sitting in parks, chilling out with my friends. I'm quite into arts-n-craftsy stuff too, particularly to sewing sock creatures, which are inspired by sock monkeys, but all different animals, and some that are just weird little alien beings :) I am also teaching myself leather-crafting at the moment... indulging my inner rock chick.
I'm starting to log my crafty stuff, as well as my BC adventures and general musings on my new blog - Why not take a look?
I also write for GeekCrafts, so if you or a pal make something nerdtastic do send me links so I can promote your wonderfulness :D
I keep a Pinterest to track the bits of nonsense I like from the internet.

Oh, and I need tea like most people need oxygen.

BOOKCROSSING & ME

I'm definitely up for trading (be that books, postcards, craft tips, gossip - whatever), so please feel free to PM me with any requests. I do post Internationally as often as I can manage so you don't need to be UK based.
I'm a member of the 1001 library.

My birthday buddy is Prachitulshan in Delhi, a fellow theatre lover whose birthday is April 12th.

I went the Swindon & Nottingham UnCons, had a blast so went the whole hog and attended the Dublin Anniversary Con this April. My liver still hurts.... hopefully it will be recovered in time for Colchester and Sweden
If you see me at a meet or Uncon please come over to say hello. I am deceptively shy, I have so many times spotted someone I know from the forums but not been brave enough to go up and introduce myself - which I curse later of course... whilst I may come across as loud and brash and full of confidence, I'm not (just full of rum mostly), so please please be braver than I am and introduce yourself

I really enjoyed taking part in BC-Monopoly on the Dutch forums - on The Tea-cozies Team, very appropriate for me. Our team came second :) Thank you so much to my team-mates and to our game-host Iiwi.
In fact, I enjoyed it so much I hosted an international BC Monopoly game, which went well, despite being more work than I expected, it was worth it as everyone seemed to be have fun. We are currently playing our second game in the release challenges forum, and still open to new players so head over there to join in

I started off the Snap game in the release challenge forum too, though that has rather taken on a life of it's own so I can't take any credit for it. I love that it has been such a community project. Come and play along

I take part in a fair few book rings, rays and VBBs.
Rays I'm hosting that are open to new participants are here, just PM me to join:
Knowledge of Angels (Jill Paton Walsh, Booker Prize nominated fiction)
maleblog ColouRING a colouring in book to share
I also run the European Non-Fiction VBB in the bookray forum, there's a round currently active so PM me if you want in.

I maintain a little community library bookshelf at my workplace - and I do occasionally pick out books that have been there a while & replace them with books taken from OBCZs or Meet-ups. Though these books very rarely get JEs, they do get read - I'm always seeing people with there noses in 'em, and the turn over on the shelf is pretty high.

I also oversee The Death of Books' shelf, to help deceased books on their way to a final resting place in that great sky-library.

Check out photos of my various bookcrossing adventures here

HOLIDAY GIFT GIVING & NSS
I love to participant in the holiday gift giving (and Summer gift giving too) and Not So Secret gift giving that goes on amongst various groups of bookcrossers. Thank you so much those of you who have sent me wonderful gifts in the past - and I hope that those of you who have received parcels from me enjoyed them.
A few ideas for things I may like are below (I feel a bit greedy writing, but have found similar lists on others profiles really useful):
* Buttons (I have a real thing for buttons, I think it comes from playing in my Aunts button jar as a kid. Now I have a button jar of my own - hours of fun!)
* anything pirate or dinosaur themed will always make me happy. RAWRRR!
* Anything tea related (mugs, pot cosies... of course tea itself - I much prefer black teas to fruit or green)
* of course, wishlist books
* Book plate labels - 'official' or home made
* anything handmade, coz there's nothing better in the world than a handmade present
or you could check out my Blog or for more inspiration

If anyone needs an address to send things to me - well, first off, thank you! - it's best to send things to the theatre as there is always someone in to receive post there, plus it makes getting in to work much less dismal to find surprises waiting - you can get the address from rabck.com

Reduce Mt TBR Challenge
My new years resolution is to stop buying more books than I can read - therefore each month I will tally my books and aim to reduce the number each time. I am allowed to buy/gain new books (I'm too realistic to try not to!), but the idea is to buy less than I read... In effect, I try to lose books like other women try to lose pounds...
January 1st 2010 TBR pile - 119 books tall...
Jan 1st 2011 TBR pile - 54 books tall
Jan 1st 2012 TBR pile - 65 books tall (dammit)
Feb 1st - 60 books
March 1st - 57 Books...
April 1st - 55 books (no foolin')
May 1st - 54 books despite going to the convention...