Feature and Follow Friday #101

Welcome to the Feature & Follow

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Gain new followers and make new friends with the Book Blogger Feature & Follow! If this is your first time here, welcome! You are about to make some new friends and gain new followers -- but you have to know -- the point of this hop is to follow other bloggers also. I follow you, you follow me.

The Feature & Follow is hosted by TWO hosts, Parajunkee of Parajunkee's View and Alison of Alison Can Read. Each host will have their own Feature Blog and this way it'll allow us to show off more new blogs!

How does this work? First you leave your name here on this post, (using the linky tools -- keep scrolling!) then you create a post on your own blog that links back to this post (easiest way is to just grab the code under the #FF picture and put it in your post) and then you visit as many blogs as you can and tell them "hi" in their comments (on the post that has the #FF image). You follow them, they follow you. Win. Win. Just make sure to follow back if someone follows you!

What sets this Hop apart from others, is our Feature. Each week we will showcase a Featured Blogger, from all different genres and areas. Who is our Feature today? Find out below. Just remember it is required, if you participate, to follow our Features and you must follow the hosts (Parajunkee & Alison Can Read) as a courtesy. How do you follow someone? Well, if you have a preference, state it in your #FF post. A lot of blogs are transitioning to Wordpress in which they do not have the luxury of GFC, so an RSS subscription is appreciated or if you choose an email subscription. If you don't have GFC please state in your post how you would like to be followed.

Our Feature -Patch of Sky

1. When did you start blogging?

I started a daily parenting blog almost two years ago, which is when I really learned how to do this whole thing. The book blog is just a few months old and it's eccletic. On there are reviews, author interviews, spotlights and also writing and publishing tips as I go through the author journey myself.

2. What is your favorite part of book blogging?

I love reading, and sharing what I've read, so book blogging comes naturally! The unexpected perk is meeting both like-minded people, and people who disagree intelligently, which strikes up good debate and fodder for thought.

3. What is your favorite book(s)?

My favorite is Jane Eyre and has been so since I first read it at age 13. I also have huge soft sports for THE Incredible Lightness of Being, Lolita, Death in Venice, The Volcano Lover and Speed Boat (by Renata Adler). Annie Ernaux is another of my favorite authors.

4. What has been the best thing that has happened to you because of book blogging?

The people. I've been able to expand my circle of friends and aquaintances three-fold through book blogging. Add the readers and writers to the moms, and I've got hundreds of people I feel like I know personally. It's great.

Q: Happy Father's Day! Who is your favorite dad character in a book and why?

We'll start out with my favorite answers -

Harry Potter - Mr. Weasley of course. Also, James - I wonder how different Harry would have been if James had survived - in ways both good and bad.
Twilight - Charlie. Gotta love him. And Carlisle. Although I think of him more as a mentor than a father. I think Edward considers him a father, but I've always guessed that the others consider him more of a mentor (since they were all adults when they met him).

Branching out...

Ramona - Mr. Quimby. One of the best series about parent/children relationships.
Anne of Green Gables - Matthew

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Now for the Follow Fun!

With GFC going the way of the dodo bird for many bloggers, there is no better time to start following blogs via RSS feed. If you use a reader, it would be great if you followed my RSS directly.

We have a new button, so update your blogs if you are used to doing this meme!

<a href="http://parajunkee.com/category/ff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4019/4710921228_e3140444bf_o.png" /></a>

RULES

To join the fun and make new book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

1. (Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts {Parajunkee & Alison Can Read}
2. (Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers
3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say "hi" in your comments and that they are now following you.
5. If you are using WordPress or another CMS that doesn't have GFC (Google Friends Connect) state in your posts how you would like to be followed
6. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don't just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don't say "HI"
7. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
8. If you're new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

CAPTCHA:

If you have CAPTCHA word verification enabled on your blog, please take it off. It makes it much more difficult for readers to comment. Please look at my CAPTCHA Eradication Post to learn how to get rid of it.

Happy Follow Friday! Come back at midnight CST for the Facebook & Twitter hop!!