Susan Hampson

[dropcap]H[/dropcap]i and welcome to Meet the bloggers. Take a seat, yes right there on the lounge and before we begin we’ll just make sure that you’re nice and comfy. Here, let me adjust that cushion for you, is that better? What can I get you wine, beer, spirit, coffee, tea? You name it I’ll get it. Ah, ok here we go…………

Hi Roger it is so lovely to be here with you and Annette, how very kind, it feels quite home from home. I would love a cuppa tea, white, no sugar please but you have whatever you fancy too.

First let me say how wonderful you look and thanks for agreeing to be interviewed. Ready? OK then……

Thank you.

Can you tell us about yourself please

Well I am 61, been married three times but not with anyone now, (it’s so much cheaper just to buy wedding cake!). I have 5 grown up children 3 boys and 2 girls and my tenth grandchild is due in October. I work for a well-known chain of supermarkets, Tesco where I simply fill the shelves. It really is a pretty pressured job but time flies.

How did you become involved in book blogging?

Through TBConFB I discovered just how important reviewing was, then after a little while my friend Joanne Robertson and Author Robin Roughley encouraged me to begin blogging. After a week I still had my two faithful followers, Joanne and Robin, then it grew.

What is the best thing about blogging? What is the worst thing?

The best thing is it has even at my age given me confidence to travel on my own to meetings and events and improve my reviews, I hope. The worst thing is it can take over my life as it is so hard to turn people down when they ask me to review their book. The other hard thing is if I don’t gel with their book. I always say it isn’t their book, it is just not for me. We all have different tastes after all.

What is your favourite genre? What genres do you review?

My favourite genre is crime, although I read most genres and like to throw in a little light-hearted reading after a long line of crime books.

How do you go about writing a review?

I normally wait a couple of days then jot down characters and tell it how I feel.

The way you write your reviews is fantastic, have you considered becoming an author?

No not me, I know a lot have and I wish them well. I love doing what I am doing and wouldn’t have time for both and work full time.

What have been some highlights you have had whilst blogging?

I was runner up on the Best Pal Blogger awards in London which I was over the moon about and I still get a kick out of reading a book and finding that I am a character in it, or in the acknowledgements, that is cool.

What type of blogging events do you love and take part in?

I love going to Blogger and Author meet ups. Bloggers are like one big family that rally round for each other. Meeting authors just wowed me, they were like Gods to me but they are some of the most down to earth people that you could meet. The darker they write and the more wicked humour they have. I think it must be how their minds deal with all the dark thoughts for the books.

Any special places blogging has taken you to?

I go off to events all over the place. Harrogate Crime Fest, York Tattooed Bad Boys, Birmingham, Leeds and London blogger, author and reader get togethers. Each is unique.

 

Which author would you most like to meet?

Besides yourself of course, an American author I would love to meet is C. J. Box author of the Joe Pickett series.

(Flattery will get you everywhere. ☺)

What advice would you give to authors wanting to approach you for a review, what would make you more inclined to accept requests etc

Use my name. A little about yourself, your book and just be polite but please remember this is a hobby so don’t hassle me.

Now to some fun questions about you:

Favourite movie: The Family Man

Favourite music: Any except blues and jazz

Favourite food: Chinese

Favourite book: So many favourites, I love series, I get quite attached to characters. Love Lasser (Robin Roughley

Favourite holiday destination: I love Scotland

Pets: None (Wow! I thought having a slightly demented cat was obligatory for bloggers)

Besides books, do you have any other passion/hobbies?

I work out at the gym 5 days per week 2 hours at a time. My favourite is the tread mill. Love my big family too of course.

If you could meet anyone, dead or alive who would that be and why?

My parents, my mum died almost 32 years ago and my dad 25 years ago

What would be your idea of bliss?

I love my life, I am happy with who I am.

Any fun facts/stories you would like to share about yourself?

The name of my blog came about because I could listen to my books while I worked nights at Tesco, everyone else listened to music. Hence the name Books from Dusk Till Dawn (I don’t work nights now).

I had my first son when I was 18

But he was 19 when I had my youngest daughter.

So less years between me and my son then him and his sister.

I only sleep about 4 hours per night

Thank you for inviting me, time for my ovaltine, bed and my kindle.

Thanks for coming Sue.  You can find out more about Sue on her Website on TWITTER or FACEBOOK.