Welcome to the third week of Around The World! Every Friday I feature a Blogger, Author or Publisher and ask questions about the country or state they are from and what it is like to be a member of the book world there! If you are interested in being featured please sign up here. Also make sure to scroll all the way to the bottom of this post for an awesome giveaway!
This week I have Ner from A Cup Of Coffee & A Book on the blog!
Interview:
Where are you from?
I was born, raised and still live in Lisbon, Portugal *national anthem cue*
What is the best and worst thing about living in the Portugal?
The best thing about living in Portugal is the wonderful view settings we have from the North to the South. Sometimes being a tourist in our own country makes us realise how beautiful it is. It’s a country filled with history and it can be seen in each small city or village you enter.
As for the worst thing, well, right now I would say the crisis though we’re not the only country going through something like that. Still, it’s something that has been getting worse and worse and, being honest, it’s the only thing that’s making Portuguese people sadder by the day. Especially knowing how rich we were in the past :(
The best thing about living in Portugal is the wonderful view settings we have from the North to the South. Sometimes being a tourist in our own country makes us realise how beautiful it is. It’s a country filled with history and it can be seen in each small city or village you enter.
As for the worst thing, well, right now I would say the crisis though we’re not the only country going through something like that. Still, it’s something that has been getting worse and worse and, being honest, it’s the only thing that’s making Portuguese people sadder by the day. Especially knowing how rich we were in the past :(
What is the biggest challenge of being a book blogger there?
Oh, there are a lot of them. One of them is not having too many friends who read the same things as I do or can read in English.
And then we have the difficulty in finding good and cheap books. I will admit that I stopped reading in Portuguese because each book is around 18€, which is a lot for only one book. With that amount of money I can buy two or three in English online. Not to mention that sometimes it takes years for a book to be translated to Portuguese though, I have to admit, it’s changing for better but it depends on the publisher.
Are you able to go to book signings, launches, or industry events?
When an author comes to Portugal and I like their work, I do try to go. I live in Lisbon, right in the center of the city so it’s pretty easy for me to go to the major bookstores where all the book signings and launches take place. My favourite author, Juliet Marillier, has been in Portugal quite a few times and I managed to go to the release of one of her books. It was an amazing experience being able to meet her and just spend an afternoon taking about her books.
Are Publishers willing to work with you were you live? Is it hard to find Industry Professionals?
To be honest, I don’t know. Being a student and a newbie when it comes to blogging (though I’ve been around for a year), I never really tried to work with any publisher so far.
However, I know a fellow Portuguese book blogger who has been asking us – other book bloggers from Portugal - to help her get affiliated with several Portuguese publishers and her responses were positive. Right now I think she’s affiliated with several major Publishers. So, I’m guessing they would be willing to work with us – readers and bloggers.
Do you have any favorite books set in in Portugal or written by Portuguese authors?
I was pleased to know that several books have Portugal as its setting but they are not my favourites. However, I can say that Os Lusíadas by Luís Vaz de Camões (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/797165.The_Lusiads) is my favourite book by a Portuguese author about Portugal. He’s written an amazing book about Portugal and Vasco da Gama, who found the rote to India by sea. My sister and I share this passion with it because it makes us proud of being Portuguese. The way Camões wrote it is breathtaking. I normally say he’s the Portuguese Shakespeare so people can have an idea of how wonderful he is.
And then we have the difficulty in finding good and cheap books. I will admit that I stopped reading in Portuguese because each book is around 18€, which is a lot for only one book. With that amount of money I can buy two or three in English online. Not to mention that sometimes it takes years for a book to be translated to Portuguese though, I have to admit, it’s changing for better but it depends on the publisher.
Are you able to go to book signings, launches, or industry events?
When an author comes to Portugal and I like their work, I do try to go. I live in Lisbon, right in the center of the city so it’s pretty easy for me to go to the major bookstores where all the book signings and launches take place. My favourite author, Juliet Marillier, has been in Portugal quite a few times and I managed to go to the release of one of her books. It was an amazing experience being able to meet her and just spend an afternoon taking about her books.
Are Publishers willing to work with you were you live? Is it hard to find Industry Professionals?
To be honest, I don’t know. Being a student and a newbie when it comes to blogging (though I’ve been around for a year), I never really tried to work with any publisher so far.
However, I know a fellow Portuguese book blogger who has been asking us – other book bloggers from Portugal - to help her get affiliated with several Portuguese publishers and her responses were positive. Right now I think she’s affiliated with several major Publishers. So, I’m guessing they would be willing to work with us – readers and bloggers.
Do you have any favorite books set in in Portugal or written by Portuguese authors?
I was pleased to know that several books have Portugal as its setting but they are not my favourites. However, I can say that Os Lusíadas by Luís Vaz de Camões (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/797165.The_Lusiads) is my favourite book by a Portuguese author about Portugal. He’s written an amazing book about Portugal and Vasco da Gama, who found the rote to India by sea. My sister and I share this passion with it because it makes us proud of being Portuguese. The way Camões wrote it is breathtaking. I normally say he’s the Portuguese Shakespeare so people can have an idea of how wonderful he is.
A few of my favorite things:
Favorite Book (overall):
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë *sighs*
Favorite Book Recent Release:
Oh God! I've been a terrible reader with classes and stuff... But the recent release book that I absolutely loved, and was lucky enough to get for my Kobo through NetGalley, was MILA 2.0 by Debra Driza. An amazing sci-fi book that I can’t wait to have in paperback ^_^
Author:
Juliet Marillier!!! Or, as I call her, The Master. She’s simply amazing and I’ve been following her work it has been ten years. I’m a proud fan :)
Social Media:
I’ve recently overcame my boredom towards Facebook. Though I admit the games are the reason :P
International Food:
Italian – Spaguetti Bolognese to be more precise :D
Reading spot: (noticed this one on your previous posts and it sounded just too good to let it pass by):
There is only one spot in particular I love: my bed! There’s no place more comfortable and appropriate to read ^_^
Thank you so much Emily, for having this amazing idea ;-)
Thank you for stopping by Ner! ~Emily
Connect with Ner:
Connect with Ner:
Oh, it looks so cool :)
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for the opportunity and it was an honour to be part of it ^_^
XX Ner
Oh wow! Great post.. nice to read about an international blogger!!
ReplyDeleteAngie