THE A-Z OF ME #bookblogger #reader #booknerd #aboutme #reading #blog #bookaddiction #amwriting #AtoZ

I saw this post on Secret Library Book Blog who had seen it on Espresso Coco. I liked the idea and so I found myself giving it a go! The A-Z of me could go any way so just be warned! I like sharing bits about my life but this will probably end up being more of an A-Z of the blogger side of myself. It will be a decent mixture at best but for those who are looking for bookish goodness then there will be plenty I promise. This is going to be quite a long post as I am going for all 26 in one go so get comfy! For those who don’t know much about me (Stuart) or Always Trust In Books, I welcome you to my slice of the book blogging world. I hope you enjoy the post and please share something about yourself in the comments to help me get to know you better!

A Is For Always (Trust In Books)

My blog is an unexpected avenue in my life that I have come to adore. Three years ago I had no idea what blogs/bloggers were really about and the challenges/rewards that awaited me. I set my eye on reviewing upcoming releases and promoting indie writers and the rest is history. ATIB isn’t the biggest, most popular or most exciting blog out there but it is genuine, honest and passionate about books.

B Is For Books…

Predictable I know but it’s true. Books are everything to me and always will be. Growing up in ‘not the best of scenarios’ made books a most satisfying escape from reality. I have been innately obsessed with books from the get go. Picking up elaborate and impressive looking tomes from the second I could lift them. Yes my nan and Harry Potter built the foundations of my love for books but it evolved so fast from there. I couldn’t imagine a world without books…

C Is For Christopher (Brookmyre)

It is this gentleman that was one of two authors (spoiler: the other is Joanne M. Harris) that influenced the creation of this blog. I was so impressed at his styles of writing that I sought out a platform to discuss it with other readers. From there it was just a small hop to becoming a book blogger and having the opportunity to review CB’s most recent novels. Good times.

D Is For Diversity

I read so many different genres of book. It is hard to put a finger on what genres define my blog but I would settle on SFF and Non-Fiction. I read everything though. I can jump from thriller to romance to horror to fantasy to Non Fiction. I think I read this way to avoid it getting stale or preventing the dreaded ‘book slump’. I am like this in every area of my life though. I hate fitting into one category. I love gaming, gardening and going to the gym. I wonder if I will ever just settle into one groove :D.

E Is For Etymology

Image from LanguageByLaura

I have always loved words and their meanings. But it was not until I came across the workings of Mark Forsyth that I really got into Etymology (the study of the origin of words). Mark’s work is fascinating, especially his history of drunkenness) and now I am able to completely lose myself in the origins of works and how they came to be. What a dork!

F Is For Freddie

Yes I am including my children in this post! Freddie is my hero and he never fails to make my day. Funnily enough he loves books too but even he thinks I have too many! I hope he reads as much as I do even in a techno-saturated existence. I can only dream!

G Is For Gaming

If I am not working, familying (not a word be should be), reading, cleaning, tidying, shopping, planning, eating, sleeping or exercising, I am gaming. It was another escape for me in youth and I never actually grew out of it. I actually own a PS4 and a XBOX ONE because I am that much of a dork. I know most people roll their eyes at the idea of playing games but as the quality and range of the technology has matured, they have become an almost exquisite style of story telling. Just take Red Dead Redemption 2 for example. That narrative is just as superb as anything I have ever read in a book. Top marks.

H Is For Hunting (Books)

Looking for a complete set of books is incredibly satisfying. I have recently finished my John Grisham collection. I am now moving my sights to an Agatha Christie set. Wish me luck!

I Is For Inspiration

Book blogging can be hard to figure out at the very beginning for many reasons. It takes time to craft a website, think up content ideas, make bookish contacts, nurture a blogging voice that represents your passions and much more. Finding inspiration at the early stages helped me to shape my blog so I just wanted to say thanks to Bibliophile Book Club, The Tattooed Book Geek, Keeper Of Pages, Swirl and Thread, Bibliobeth, Where Is My Mind?, Lovedreadingthis and Novel Delights (to name just a few) for your epicness.

J Is For Joanne (M. Harris)

I did warn you! Where to start? JHM is one of my heroes. Her mythology writings are so addictive that I started ATIB as a way to talk about it freely and endlessly. I have not stopped since. If you have never picked up a book by J. M. Harris then you need to drop what you are doing and get started. I recommend The Gospel Of Loki, Runemarks and The Blue Salt Road to start off with.

K Is For Kings Of The Wyld

Anyone who knows this blog will recognise this as my another of my endless attempts to include Nicholas Eames’ Kings Of The Wyld in a post. Anyone who is new to this blog, read Kings Of The Wyld. It is beyond amazing and it is probably the book I would take in the old ‘Desert Island’ scenario. It is fantasy in its prime, handing over the torch from the old guard to the new. Quality stuff.

L Is For Linkin Park

These guys are my idols. They taught me to be loud, creative, different and to love music. The passing of Chester was one of bleakest times for me in recent years and I still listen to his lyrics obsessively, taking his meaning to heart. Mike Shinoda is another superb musician who influenced my creativity growing up. Mike loves words even more than I do and he puts them to good use.

M Is For Movies

We love those movies. Now I am not going to list my favourite actors or movies as this post is way too long already. Films for me are a tricky thing because I am still not quite sure what makes a perfect movie for me. I love movies like The Pianist and The King’s Speech but I also enjoyed movies like Beerfest and Hot Rod. I have watched movies that have been ruined in one tiny moment and movies that have bored me until the last second. It is a mystery but like most things in my life, I like different choices!

N Is For Nature

I grew up in the middle of nowhere. A village that was an hour and a half from my school by bus. I loved it. So green. So fresh and lots of places to explore or get lost in. When I moved into the city, it was a bit drab to say the least. When we moved to my current home, it was like a breath of fresh air (pun intended). The perfect balance of green and town. Nature cheers me up!

O Is For Obsessiveness

When it comes to books, obsessiveness is pretty apt. Whether it be the amount of books I actually have or how I arrange them in my house or how I go about reviewing the books I read. If you have read one of my reviews then you will probably agree that they are too long but I do really worry that I haven’t included something so that is why they ramble on. Will the world end if I don’t keep my paperbacks and hardbacks separate? Probably not but let’s not take that risk.

P Is For Paternal

Being a dad is beyond important to me. Having kids is hard, messy, loud, sleepy and expensive but all the laughs, cuddles, legendary/mind-blowing moments and unconditional love makes it all worth it. I know… ‘wait till they grow up’… I am going to be so gutted when my boys are embarrassed of me :(.

Q Is For Quizzes

My grandfather used to put together these Christmas quizzes every year for as long as I can remember and now I can’t resist a good quiz. Me and my wife share a love of games of all varieties and one thing we bonded over was quiz night. That and charades. We love the charades.

R Is For Restaurants

Before I worked at my current job working with survival equipment, I was a waiter. Before that I was in retail but working in a restaurant/bar felt like my first real job. I know people who hate working restaurants and clubs but I loved it. Running around, the people, the music and the bonds you have with other staff. It can be surprisingly satisfying.

S Is For Short Stories

I wish I was a writer. I have so many ideas for short stories that I think would be awesome. I don’t think I have the patience to write a novel in its entirety but I would love to put a story to paper to see if I could surprise myself. I do have a story that has been digging itself into the fibres of my brain and pops up daily to remind me of its existence. I just don’t believe I am the one to write the story. Short Stories are my number one favourite styles of writing so I would be honoured if I could contribute to the cause. I will just put a pin in that I think.

T Is For Tobias

Yes! More offspring! Tobias looks exactly like his mother in every way. He gives his brother a run for his money even though he is 3 years younger. He is now just learning to talk and it seems like he has plenty to say about life.

U Is For Unboxing

I may have got the bug from my first experience with a subscription book box called MyChronicleBookBox. It is so satisfying to unbox stuff, no wonder there is a whole entertainment industry surrounding it. I am definitely an unboxer now. That is as dorky as it sounds…

V Is For Venice

I don’t really travel. I had anxiety issues as a youth which didn’t really inspire my travel curiosity. I did go to Italy for a week though and went to Venice. That was a cool trip, I never knew that Venice was made up of 118 islands. Each one has its own custom and style. We visited quite a few, including the glass blowing island, and I was blown away (bad pun… awful pun). So different from where I am from 😀

W Is For Wife (Skip this one if you can’t handle affection)

My wife is my best friend. I am not gushing, that is the truth. We could take on anything in the world when we work together and I love it. We have been married for almost six years and I dearly hope we can make it to sixty. You can call me naive or ignorant but I truly believe that we belong together. Our relationship isn’t perfect, not a single one is. But I can rely on my wife when it matters and that means the world to me. (This post should have come with a free sick bag but I couldn’t afford it so… apologies)

X Is For Xenagogy

X is a tough letter. A lot of X words are negative! So I have gone with Xenagogy which is a super posh word for………. A Guidebook. Because this post is like a guide to me. And Always Trust In Books… I’m sorry this has been a long post! But it you have to admit! It is an interesting word of the day!

Y Is For Yabbering

I do tend to yabber, especially during reviews and general conversations. My wife loves to watch me talk to people in shops and other settings as I am, for want of a better word, awkward. She’s happy to watch me go on and on not making any sense for ages until finally stepping in and clearing up any confusion with ease. Its a shame she doesn’t translate my reviews into simple, short passages but wheres the charm in that?

Z Is For Zapatos (Shoes)

I have been learning Spanish for quite some time now. On and off for years really. I couldn’t assign an element of my life or blog to the letter Z so here we are. Shoes! I do love the Spanish language and I do one day foresee myself actually speaking it properly instead of blurting out random words occasionally whenever it suits me. We can all dream. My favourite Spanish word is probably Maravilloso or Asqueroso (yes I know what the second one means) as they are fun to say.

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Thank you for sitting through probably my longest post to date! I am not sure why I did the whole alphabet in one go or whether it is too much of me and my blog in one place but hey, it’s finished and I am happy with how it came out. I had to cut this down btw… a lot. I hope plenty of people make it to the end. If your reading this then I thank you 1000 times over. Please tell me some things about yourself in the comments! I hope you all enjoyed this post and come back to see the 101 best things about book blogging post I am working on very soon (I am joking). It’s 1001 best things about book blogging :D.