Michelle

Hi!  I’m Michelle –  book blogger, tv addict, techno-geek and all around nerdy girl.

There is nothing more important to an educator than than getting books into the hands of readers.   Using over ten years experience in instructional technology and distance education , my longed experience in product marketing, and love of reading I enjoy encouraging the same in others.  Passionate about education, technology and literacy I’m a dedicated community builder who uses this blog as a platform for active engagement in young adult and children’s literature.  Hoping to positively impact the field of education and as such serve as a liaison among publishers, authors, classrooms, and libraries in an effort to encourage literacy I hope to also spark early buzz by putting books into the hands of deserving educators and their teen readers.

I am an organizer of The Book Blogger Convention and the newly formed National Children’s Book Festival.  I am a member of The eLearning Guild, The American Society for Curriculum Development, The American Library Association, Young Adult Library Services Association, The Assembly on Literature for Adolescents, International Society for Technology in Education, and The National Book Critic’s Circle.  I was a judge for the 2010 Cybils Award for Young Adult literature, 2009 Nerds Heart YA tournament and participate in various outreach and philanthropic efforts.  Actively engaged in the book blogging, educational and technology communities I leverage social media and to promote books and reading.

I’m certain I’ve rambled on enough for you so if you would like to know anything more specific about me personally email me at michelle [at] galleysmith.com or if you’d like to know more about my professional background please visit me on Linked in by clicking the “in” button in the sidebar to the right.

Andi

I’m Andi and this is my first foray into the world of book blogging.  I have been reading and reviewing books for leisure and Michelle has kindly offered to host me and let me be a contributor on her blog.

I read all sorts of books, but have been focusing mostly on young adult contemporary and dystopian.  There is something to say about losing yourself in a world that isn’t your own or in someone else’s head.  To me there is nothing more satisfying then finishing a book in a whole day because you just couldn’t stop reading and I find that YA novels leave with that feeling more then any other genre.

When I’m not reading I’m either at work complaining about my job or at home watching TV, and what a TV watcher I am!  I have gotten better, but there are some shows I just can’t miss and I’m very okay with that.  And I am a Boston sports fanatic.  Red Sox, Patriots, Bruins.  Sunday’s you will likely find me in front of my TV decked out in a Patriots shirt calling them every name in the book and then rooting them on.  It’s what I do to show my love. J And don’t even get me started on my love and hate of the Red Sox.  I don’t have that much time.

Really, that’s all I got.  I’m going to try to make Michelle proud and do the best reviews I can.  If you want to know more about what I like to read and what I do for work personally you can contact me at andi@galleysmith.com or on twitter at @andi_s13.

Laura

Books make me smile, giggle, cry, think, and make my credit card bill look really scary at times! I have been a reader my whole life, but these past couple of years books have really rescued me.  The pages pull me out of my world into places filled with passion, people, magic, and more that capture my heart and imagination. Young Adult books especially make my heart happy.  I will read anything and everything, but YA books have become my passion and obsession.

Let’s see….what should you know about me?  Hmmm…Sarcasm is my BFF!  It is hard to make me laugh out loud.  Horror is my first love in any form—film, YA, comics.  Zombies make me smile and sad.  I would not be walking around without coffee running through my veins.  I consider pizza to be food of the gods.  And….I keep an active and updated best book boyfriend list within reach at all times.  Anything else we can share, gossip and gush about later!

Book gossiping is one of my favorite things to do in this world, so please give a shout my way on any book or topic!  I look forward to it.

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Privacy Policy

Given the nature of this blog it is sometimes reasonable to expect that a person’s email and other personal information may be collected (ie: for giveaways or as part of requirements for posting a comment).  Because I take my own privacy seriously I respect yours as well.  At no time will personal information be shared with any outside source.  The exception to this rule being any internet bots that search this site.  If you post your information as part of a comment it could be reasonably expected that such technology may catalog and further distribute it.

As it relates to giveaways and contests on Galleysmith, if you are a winner you will be expected to provide me with your full name and mailing address in order to receive a prize.  This will be done privately via email and any information shared with me will not be made public at any time.  For those participants under 13 who win a prize I will expect honest disclosure of your age and a parent to provide me with permission to forward your prize to you.  Should any winner lie about their age so as to avoid the rules I will not be held responsible.

I encourage any reader or reader’s parent to contact me via email at michelle[@]galleysmith[.]com with any questions or comments you may have.