Get Up Offa That Slump: Interview with a Mary



Lately the bookish community has expressed a communal lack of inspiration for our blogs. Even Twitter, a longtime oasis for us bookish weirdos, has felt off somehow. So Rachel of Beauty and the Bookshelf has created a short blogging challenge called Get Up Offa That Slump and created a series of post themes to help jog the old brain box. The challenge is still open if you're interested in joining. Today's theme is

Interview with me!

Mary: What's your name?
Mary: Mary. I will also answer to Marg (if you are one of about 10 people), Mare Bear (if you're my family), knoxdiver, and {insert all my siblings', niece's, and former pets names here}oh-what's-your-name-again (if you're my mom specifically).

Mary: How old are you?
Mary: A recently minted 28. 10 year high school reunion, here I come!

Mary: Are you sure you're 28?
Mary: I mean, physically I'm 28. If you ask my sense of humor, though, she'll say she's a 13 year old boy.

Mary: Where are you from?
Mary: Originally, Tennessee, but currently I'm sitting pretty in Texas, y'all.

Mary: Did you really say y'all?
Mary: Yeah. It's kind of a southern thing. I rarely say it irl though.

Mary: Do you have a southern accent?
Mary: Mmmm, not really. Sometimes you can hear it, but compared to other southerners, mine is tame. Thanks, Mom and Dad!

Mary: So what do you do in Texas?
Mary: I used to blow stuff up, but now I work at a library, and I also attend as many book events as possible, sometimes traveling to Austin, Houston, or even San Antonio.

Mary: Traveling? That must be—hang on, did you say BLOW STUFF UP?
Mary: Yep! I used to work at a science museum for kids, and setting things on fire and esploding them was literally in the job description. The only things I refused to do were dissections (EW) and hold the snakes (EWWW).

Mary: Um, snakes?
Mary: Yeah. There were two of them. The first was Salazar, and the second (I named him) was Draco.

Mary: Are you a Slytherin?
Mary: Nope. According to Old Pottermore *glares at New Pottermore* I was a Ravenclaw, but I think I have the heart of a Hufflepuff.
Mary: Why's that?
Mary: I'm big on loyalty.

Mary: Let's do some fun facts!
Mary: Hit me. OW, not literally. This isn't Fight Club, you monster.
Mary: Sorry.
Mary: You're forgiven.

Mary: Favorite color
Mary: Blue
Mary: How original
Mary: What can I say? Blue loves me, and I love blue!

Mary: Coffee or tea
Mary: Hot chocolate. I don't drink coffee OR tea.
Mary: Weirdo
Mary: I'm Mormon. It's a Mormon Thing.
Mary: Really?
Mary: Yeah.

Mary: Pet peeve
Mary: I HATE when people pronounce mischievous as "miss-CHEE-VEE-ous." Hate it. If I hear a narrator do it in an audiobook, I will knock a star off, I kid you not. There is no I after the V. The proper pronunciation is "miss-chuh-vuss." Get it right, or I'll judge you. Also, Texas drivers are the worst. Learn how to drive, idiots!
Mary: Harsh!
Mary: I regret nothing. The roads are awful, construction is non-stop, and Texans are awful behind the wheel.
Mary: And you drive to other cities because....?
Mary: Authors, duh. And all my non-Dallas friends.

Mary: Furthest you've ever gone for a book event?
Mary: I once took a bus from Dallas to Knoxville (my hometown) and drove down to Atlanta for a signing. That was roughly 18 hours worth of drive time. Another trip I drove with my sister to Nashville for a signing, home to Knoxville for a couple days, down to Atlanta for a signing, and then back to Nashville for a third signing before heading back to Dallas. I went to a signing the day after I got back.
Mary: That's dedication, and also, you're a weirdo.
Mary: It's been established, thanks.
Mary: How many miles are on your car?
Mary: 195,000-ish.
Mary: Wow. Poor car.
Mary: Percy's a Honda so he can take it.
Mary: Um...Percy?
Mary: My mom's fault.

Mary: Strangest food you've ever eaten?
Mary: Cheetos dipped in chocolate pudding. My eight year old self thought it was a good idea at the time since I didn't have time to eat both at lunch. She was right; it was amazing.

Mary: Okaaaaaay, favorite movie, book, song, album.
Mary: Blech, these questions are the worst.
Mary: Stop whining and at least attempt it.
Mary: You're the worst.
Mary: We're ridiculous.
Mary: Movie is She's the Man. Classic Amanda Bynes, baby Channing Tatum, plus soccer and Shakespeare. Yes, please!
Mary: I heard you can quote the whole thing.
Mary: Yeah, once I had my back turned to my roommate who borrowed it and was watching with earplugs. I was quoting along despite not seeing it or hearing it. She made me stop.
Mary: So don't watch movies with you is what you're saying.
Mary: Yeah, I kind of like to talk and if I've seen it before, I might quote or sing along.
Mary: You're a monster.
Mary: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Favorite book always changes, but young adult is Fangirl and my favorite series is Harry Potter, Gallagher Girls, Vampire Academy/Bloodlines, and Artemis Fowl. New Adult is probably The Deal because I read it all the time.
Mary: How many times?
Mary: Like...four in less than a year?
Mary: Wow.
Mary: Such is the power of Garrett and Hannah. Favorite song... is it cheating to say "Bohemian Rhapsody"? It's probably not my favorite OF ALL TIME, but it always makes me happy. Favorite album... At the moment, it's Hamilton, obviously, but ever.... I'm a huge fan of classic Taylor Swift so maybe Speak Now (although my favorite Swift song is actually an unreleased one that's not on any of her albums), and as far as movie scores go, I love a lot, but probably The Fellowship of the Ring. Howard Shore is incredible. And for funsies, my favorite audiobook is probably Libba Bray's Beauty Queens because she reads it herself, and her voices for each character as well as all the production...things are ON FREAKING POINT.

Mary: This has probably gone on long enough.
Mary: I think you're right. Weird that you didn't think you'd come up with enough questions.
Mary: Right??? Anyway, what if someone wants to know something we didn't talk about?
Mary: I mean, there's a comment section RIGHT THERE. They can use that, or we're literally always on Twitter.
Mary: Literally? Are you literally always on Twitter?
Mary: It's pulled up right now, and I have a phone that blinks at me whenever someone @s me so yeah. Literally always on.
Mary: Fair enough!

So....this was the weirdest thing ever, but Rachel was right: it was really fun. And if you read all the way through to the end, bless you. I'd say I'm not this odd regularly, but that would be a lie. Thanks for reading, and yeah, if you want to ask me something I didn't ask me, feel free to drop a comment or tweet me or something. And if you're up for it, join Get Up Off That Slump. It's fun!