Welcome to my introductory post! This is my very first Armchair BEA event. I’m looking forward to participating. The lovely folks over at the Armchair BEA site have asked us to introduce ourselves by answering a few questions.
Please tell us a little bit about yourself: Who are you? How long have you been blogging? Why did you get into blogging?
Howdy! I’m Jennifer and I’ve been blogging for just under a year. I used to drive my Facebook friends nutty by flooding their feeds with book stuff. I decided to start a book blog when my sister begged me to stop gently suggested that I needed a different outlet for all of my bookish thoughts. Tah dah!
Where in the world are you blogging from? Tell a random fact or something special about your current location.
![]() |
| Practically in Canada |
I’m located in the lovely north woods of Hayward, Wisconsin. Hayward is a small city of just over 2000 people. Our claims to fame? The Lumberjack World Championships, the American Birkebeiner ski race, and the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame. I don’t want to sound like I’m bragging but do you have a humongous 4-story fiberglass musky in your town? I thought not.
What are you currently reading, or what is your favorite book you have read so far in 2013?
Right now I’m participating in a readalong of Under the Dome by Stephen King.
I put together a Hall of Fame post to highlight my favorites from the first quarter of 2013. One book that I keep telling everyone to read is The World’s Strongest Librarian by Josh Hanagarne.
Tell us one non-book-related thing that everyone reading your blog may not know about you.
There are two animals that give me the heebie-jeebies: standard size poodles and hyenas. Gross.
Follow @JenHartling!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=”//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js”;fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,”script”,”twitter-wjs”);




Those are some crazy claim-to-fame notions for your town! My town is famous for it's big St. Patty's Day parade.My Intro Post
LikeLike
Ugh, those damn poodles. I'm with you!
LikeLike
I do have a very large fish statue at one of our summer cottage destinations 😉 It's their landmark as well !so besides books we are well connected I'd say :))EnJoy BEA..
LikeLike
Pretty amazing stuff right? LOL 😉 We live large here in Wisconsin!
LikeLike
It's good to know that I'm not alone! We really ought to start a support group 😉
LikeLike
Hooray for giant fish! LOL, so weird 😉 Well it could be worse I suppose? My town could be known for the largest ball of twine or something equally ridiculous 😉
LikeLike
I've had Under the Dome on my shelf since it was a new release and I was sooooo excited to read it, but it's so HUGE that it'll take me a month to get through it and I won't have time to read anything else so I've been putting it off! Have to fix that – after all, when will I have time if I don't make time for it? ;)Wait, standard-sized poodles? I can understand cringing at miniature poodles, but the big ones with the neatly-trimmed coat are quite handsome I thought (I hate it when people do the crazy hairstyles on the poor animals, though).
LikeLike
I would totally do the Under the Dome read along, if I hadn't already read it and have so much on my TBR pile. I would mock you for your poodle aversion, but then you might discover my extreme moth phobia.
LikeLike
That musky is pretty unique. Thanks for the photo as i would not have been able to do justice to it with my imagination! Delighted to meet you, have a great Armchair BEA.
LikeLike
That musky is huge! Wow. I haven't read anything by Stephen King, but I know quite a few people enjoyed Under the Dome, so I hope you're enjoying it too. I love your blog layout, by the way. It's so pretty!Thanks for stopping by my post, it's nice to meet you! 🙂
LikeLike
I love your blog design! I started blogging for much the same reason as you – to have an outlet for my bookish love! :)Thanks for stopping by my BEA post!Charlene @ Bookish Whimsy
LikeLike
Hahaha on the standard poodle thing! Too funny! I won a copy of the World's Strongest Lib and just need to read it already!
LikeLike
Hahaha! I think poodles are a little strange, but I'm not sure they completely creep me out. I'm more of a cat person anyway.I definitely do not have a 4-story fiberglass musky in my town. I may be missing out. Perhaps I'll visit yours one day. 😉
LikeLike
Poodles I haven't seen enough of to understand that, but hyenas, I get that. Especially those from The Lion King as I haven't seen real live ones. It's hard not to want to talk about books on Facebook.
LikeLike
I love that you're practically in Canada! But don't worry, as much as we complain we still love our neighbours to the south.I noticed that Golden Boy is on your TBR list. I'm going to start it tonight if i can pull myself away from ArmchairBEA!tanya
LikeLike
Totally agree on the poodles lol they freak me out too!! Nice to meet you! *waves*
LikeLike
Hi Jennifer!! Thanks for stopping by my blog before. I grew up in Wisconsin! Sheboygan, wi! Heard if it? I've never heard of Hayward but I freaking LOVE that huge musky! Holy crap that is so cool! Idk why but I feel a strong kinship with everyone from WI. The fact that you're a book blogger too?! So cool! I just had to follow you. 🙂 Dee @ Dee's Reads
LikeLike
You know what? Standard size poodles kind of creep me out too.Lisa @ Just Another Rabid Reader
LikeLike
lol! I don't like monkeys, myself. Nice fish!
LikeLike
It is one giant book, that's no lie! The readalong was a good reason for me to finally get to it! Yes! Standard poodles…shudder! 😉
LikeLike
Too bad you've already read it…wanna read it again? ;)We'll both have to refrain from teasing then won't we? Don't feel bad, my daughter is terrified of moths as well! You aren't alone!
LikeLike
It sure is something isn't it? LOL Who could do that thing justice? You almost have to see it in person 😉
LikeLike
Awesome fish, right? 😉 I haven't read King in AGES, it's been fun to dive back in!Thanks for the sweet comment about the design here 😀
LikeLike
Thanks so much Charlene! My head was always so full of bookish stuff, I needed an outlet. BADLY, lol.
LikeLike
Isn't that the weirdest thing to have a phobia about? LOL, what a weirdo.You really have to read it woman! I guarantee that you'll love it. That's right, I guarantee it!
LikeLike
I am definitely more of a cat person. I'd have 10 of those little fuzzballs if I wouldn't be arrested, ha!You are more than welcome to visit! We'll go up in the big fish, eat some cheese, drink some beer…it'll be a hoot 🙂
LikeLike
I can understand Hyenas,they are bit weird looking and vicious…but poodles? Is it the size that does it? I think all poodles look strange but that's because they look ridiculous with all that hair. (Maybe I'm immune because my grandparents use to have one).Also that giant fish is just way too awesome! I wish had a giant statue, someone else mentioned having a cow statue in their town and it made me realize we are without wildlife statues here.
LikeLike
There's a small tale behind my fear. I didn't know that GIANT POODLES existed. I saw a pair of them (this was when I was a wee lass) and I thought they were freaking aliens or something. Ever since then…yucko.
LikeLike
I hope you do like us 😀 We sure like you guys! I think about moving to Canada now and then. ;)I'm excited to get going on Golden Boy too, I've heard great things!Thanks for visiting 🙂
LikeLike
I'm so glad to see that I'm not the only one! LOL, like I replied to someone else: we need a support group! Nice to meet you too Danielle!!
LikeLike
I've absolutely know where Sheboygan is! It's one of my favorite Wisconsin cities to say out loud, lol. We have some crazy names in this state 😉 Hayward is WAY up north. I know how you southerners don't think anything above Eau Claire exists, ha ha! I'm like you, I feel all the local love for fellow Wisconsinites! Thanks a million for following me! 😀
LikeLike
There are so many of us! I never knew! I thought I was all alone 🙂
LikeLike
Hi, Jennifer! It's nice to meet you. 🙂 And yeah, hyenas are scary. It all started with The Lion King, I kid you not. That incredibly large fish is definitely something to brag about. Don't stop being proud of it! 😛 There's a huge yellow dino statue a few hours South of me, and it's a realllly big deal. 🙂 – Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl
LikeLike
Poodles? Really? I don't like them or anything, but they don't creep me out.
LikeLike
Hayward! One of my great uncles had a cabin resort up there. We went several times but I was little and don't remember the giant muskie, but last year I did catch part of a documentary about roadside attractions that included that fish. Do locals have a nickname for him/her? One of the girls I went to message school with is a lumberjack and competes in the Lumberjack World Championships. It's a small world after all.
LikeLike
Fun post Jennifer! A black poodle was my childhood pet. She was a rotten little thing though, very hyper! And she had the poodle hair cut …lol…with the puffs. Only during the holidays though.
LikeLike
Hi Jennifer! Love the world's biggest Musky LOL. Even though I'm actually in Canada I think you may be farther north than I am! I totally think the lumberjack world championship would be fun to watch.
LikeLike
OK, good to know you were early! I thought I was more behind than I am. You inspired me to post a picture of the huge (tacky?) statue in my city as part of my introductory post. And, yes, everybody must read The World's Strongest Librarian RIGHT NOW!
LikeLike
Ha ha! I happen to adore monkeys! 😉
LikeLike
I'm pretty sure it's the size. The little ones are fine but the big ones make me feel very uneasy 😉 Isn't that fish something else? I haven't run across the giant cow post yet, lol. I can't wait to!
LikeLike
Nice to meet you too Jana 🙂 A huge yellow dino?! I need to see it, lol!
LikeLike
I'm a weirdo, I admit it 😉
LikeLike
Shut up! I love these kind of crazy coincidences. Next time you get to Wisconsin you'll have to look me up! 🙂
LikeLike
Thanks Naida! Was your poodle one of the big scary kind??? 😉
LikeLike
You're not the first Canadian to say that to me today! We really are up there, lol. I should see about dual-citizenship 😉
LikeLike
Oh yea, a day early, lol. Whoops! Maybe I was just too excited? I can't wait to see the statue from your city now! Definitely! That book is so wonderful, I just love it!
LikeLike
I completely understand your aversion to BOTH of those animals! YUCK! I've wanted to read Under the Dome for a while (I bought it when it first came out), but the length just keeps turning me off… same reason why I haven't read The Stand and some of his others. I do enjoy King's books, though.
LikeLike
Hello Jennifer! thanks for dropping by my site :DI love to watch the lumberjack world championship on tv I really find it fascinating and nerve racking I can't even…and that fish :O hands down!
LikeLike
Oh my word! You're description of the town you live in is hilarious! I loved it! Seriously considering visiting their just to see the gaint fish!! Thanks for stopping by my blog! Oh, and my friends/family were the same way about spamming them with bookish stuff on facebook!
LikeLike
It's a jumbo book, that's no lie. If not for this readalong I don't know when I would have picked it up! It will be fun to read with a gang 🙂
LikeLike