Saturday, May 14, 2011

Suey from It's All About Books (Awesome Women)

Hello and welcome to another one of my Awesome Women interviews! Today I have the great pleasure of welcome one of my favourite bloggers, Suey from It's All About Books. I've been reading Suey's blog for years and I hope to continue for many more years to come :)

Over to you Suey...




Can you tell me a little something about yourself?


I'm a mom to four kids, ages 21 to 12, two boys and two girls. I work at the library three mornings a week helping in the administration office. I've been book blogging for four years and still love it after all this time.

Did you have a role model growing up?

I remember looking up to a cousin (actually she was my mom's first cousin) who was just a few years older than me. We wrote letters back and forth for many years when I was quite young and I thought she was awesome cool. Another girl, also a few years older than me, lived in my neighborhood and I thought she could do no wrong. She was involved in so many things and excelled in them all. I always wanted to be like her.

Who do you look up to now?

I look up to the moms in my area who go out and still find time for their passions. Specifically, all the author/moms who write such awesome books, and at the same time mother their kids. Or the moms who go back to school, or start an at home craft business, or just do whatever it is they feel strongly about and can mange to do both that and raise their families. It's wonderful to see.


When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?


I remember always thinking about being an elementary school teacher. I would plan and organize my classroom and make my brothers and sisters play school all the time. We also played librarian.... I thought that would be an awesome fun job too!


Tell me something about the women in your life who have been an influence on you?


My mom because she raised nine kids and was involved every step of the way. She made breakfast every morning and dinner every night and took us everywhere and went to everything. I'm not sure how she did it, because even when I was a teenager (I am the oldest) she had tons of little kids to deal with too (besides my teenager issues), and there was always a baby!

Both grandmas were alive and well all the time I was growing up and had a major influence on me. One grandma raised 12 kids and she was smart as whip and very feisty and a huge inspiration. She loved to read and I remember borrowing tons of books from her including The Chronicles of Narnia and A Winkle in Time. The other grandma was (is.. still alive, though not working on the farm any more) a farmer's wife and that says a lot right there. She worked hard and kept an immaculate house and baked wonderful things and taught me a lot.


Who is your favourite fictional character? And why?


Most of the fictional women I love are the ones with lots of spunk and attitude. Elizabeth Bennet, Jo March, Ann of Green Gables to name a few of my most favorites. I always wanted to be like them, to have their confidence, their imaginations, their zest for life.


What were you like as a teenager and how did you cope with all the changes that occurred?


I was a good teenager... followed all the rules, studied hard, had good friends, didn't rebel or have any desire too. I was also very shy with quite a low self esteem and worried about what everyone thought. I coped with all the changes that being a teenager entails because I had a strong supportive family... especially a dad who I could talk to. (I could talk to my mom too, but she sometimes made me crazy. I related better with my dad.)


If you had any advice for yourself as a teenager, what would you say?



I would say BE YOURSELF! And to not worry so much about what everyone else thinks. And to realize that I was skinny and cute back then! How I would love to have that body back! :) Something I actually did as a teenager was to smile a lot.. and I would tell myself... Keep up that smiling because it really works!


Of the issues and concerns that women are faced with today, what's the area you most like reading about?


I mostly like to read about ways women overcome their problems and end up strong and happy and powerful. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls is a recent examine of that. I like books that help me feel like I can do anything and be anybody! Simply, books that have a very positive and uplifting feel.

Is there anything else you'd like to add?


Nope! Thanks for letting me ramble on! :)


Thank you Suey for those wonderful answers, it's always interesting to get to know fellow bloggers! If you don't follow Suey's wonderful blog, you really should!

Also, if you're interested in taking part in this feature please do find out more information here. Thank you.

8 comments:

  1. Awesome answers! LOL! :) But seriously, this was fun to do.

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  2. I'm a fan of Suey too. She is awesome! ;)

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  3. +JMJ+

    Big families that love books are great! One of my friends has five children, who are all still young, and we trade book recommendations all the time. I'm sure all her children will grow up loving reading and thinking as warmly of their parents' favourites as you do here, Suey. =)

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  4. I really love this post and Suey's answers! Thank you so much for taking part :)

    You know, I've never read A Wrinkle In Time. It's such a classic, and I've just never come across it. How strange is that?

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  5. Excellent interview. I think it's really important to reflect on the women in our lives. And how they influenced us.

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  6. Great answers (and questions)! I loved getting to know you a bit better Suey. Eight sibling... wow, my mom had seven and I thought that was a lot.

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  7. Jessica - Thank you, that is what these interviews are all about and I'm really loving it!

    Also, I forgot to mention family size - I don't know how some families do it! My mom was youngest but one to a family of 10. I have about a million cousins from her side of the family, most of which have followed on by having large families of their own! I struggle with just my two boys!!

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