Sunday 20 March 2016

Feature | My Book Corner ~ JB (Debbie) Johnston

This week on My Book Corner, I'm delighted to have Debbie take part. Debbie is not only a reader and blogger at Brooks Cottage Books, but she also organises and runs blog tours and having taken part in a fair few, I have to say she does and amazing job!


JB, thank you for coming on the blog today - can you tell us about your Book Corner/Writing Space?
Last year I bought an upcycled desk and I love it. Its painted a beautiful pale grey colour. Whilst it’s not a huge desk it is very pretty and does inspire me to sit and write. Although I could use a proper computer chair but I haven’t found one pretty enough yet. As my desk is in my living room it will have to be one that looks good with the rest of my furniture. Daft I know! I love my little writing desk. It also helps me keep all my book blogging stuff in one place and tour information too. I have some lovely little paper flowers in a sparkly jam jar sitting on it. My daughter made them for me. I also have an antique jewellery box that I keep important notes in and a lovely little wooden angel given to me by Linn B Halton. You can’t see it in the picture but there’s also a mood calendar that Joanna Lambert bought me when she was on her holidays. It’s so funny and makes me laugh!
I also have matching upcycled dresser too which has shelves with books on it too . There are cupboards on the bottom half of it and they are full of books. I have a corner unit in my hall and the cupboard at the bottom of it is full of books. There is a book case in a spare room, another in the kitchen, although that’s full of cookery books, a bookcase in the garage and books in boxes under the bed……books everywhere really! Oh and did I mention a dresser in the hall that has my old antique book collection? I might have too many books!


I adore your desk!! Do you have a favourite shelf/collection of books? Or favourite part of your Book Corner?
The dresser in the living room is definitely my favourite. A lot of the books on it are signed copies which I will never lend or giveaway. If I had a bigger house, I’d fill it full of dressers like this as they look so pretty with books on them.


JB, Do you have any reading/writing habits?
Because I am fairly short on time these days organising book tours and other promotional stuff for authors I have to prioritise a lot of my reading so the books touring with me get read first and if I have time outside of that then I try to squeeze in one or two from my bookshelves. I still owe a lot of people reviews as in the early days of blogging I accepted every offer of a book, not realising at that time of course just how busy my life was going to be. I review for www.lovereading.co.uk so every now and again I try to read one they have sent me. I also listen to audio books in the car. I have a 54 mile round trip to work each day so it helps make the journey that little bit more bearable.
I hate being disturbed when reading a book and prefer to read when it’s nice and quiet. Although in a busy house as mine, that’s usually pretty impossible. I do most of my reading very late at night.
As for my writing habits, again time is an issue so at the moment I am only getting to write properly once a week. I disappear down to the local library for 2-3 hours if I can get childcare sorted. I completed NaNoWriMo in November 2015 so at the moment I am currently doing some revisions and edits to that book. I’m really enjoying the whole writing process. Although I’ve been involved in writing projects before, this is the first book that has been written entirely by me! Eeeek!

You will be asking for tour hosts for your own book soon then! How do you keep apart, track and control your TBR to read books?
I list all my books on Goodreads. I take part in the Goodreads challenge each year so my goal this year is to read 70 books. Not a lot compared to some people but working full time does eat into my reading time. Plus, I have a reading schedule spreadsheet for each month!

You sound very organised! Thank you for sharing your Book Corner with us, before you go can you provide links to your social media handles please?









Thank you so much for having me. xxx

2 comments:

  1. It's a good job you are organised, Debbie! We'd be lost without you! I LOVE your dresser. Can I have one please? Fab interview. Thanks for sharing, Laura! :) xx

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  2. Loved your work desk and can't wait to read your debut novel. You are such a lovely lady and fun person and I just know you book will be a fabulous read. xx

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