Blogger Interview: Paul from Audio Book Reviewer and Giveaway! #MayhemFeature

Welcome to another blogger interview. This time I'd like to introduce you to Paul, from Audio Book Reviewer. I found his website about a year and a half ago and visit it regularly for recommendations. He and his team always have something reviewed that catches my attention!! 

About Paul 

Paul is a quiet man who shares his passion of books through reviews assisting others select books through honest and professional reviews. Having built a team of professional reviewers, Audiobookreviewer (ABR) is the result of his passion of reading/listening of books. His family consists of a wife, 2 cats, and 2 African Grey parrots (https://www.facebook.com/tuckertheafricangrey). More frequently than not, you will see Paul plugged into the audio of his technology listening to books while riding his bike 100+ miles, tending to a huge fruit and vegetable garden, growing bonsai trees and operating his own largest online bonsai magazine (http://ofbonsai.org).

Website: https://audiobookreviewer.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AudioBookReviewer
Twitter: http://twitter.com/AudioBookRev
Audible: http://www.audible.com/listener/A1XJZCJTQFEU8D?mode=Reviews

Blogger Interview: 

1) Tell us a bit about yourself?

I am a former meat eating vegetarian with vegan tendencies. I am a quiet man who shares my passion of books through reviews assisting others select books through honest and professional reviews.  Having built a team of professional reviewers, Audiobookreviewer (ABR) is the result of my passion of reading/listening of books.  His family consists of a wife, 2 cats, and 2 African Grey parrots (https://www.facebook.com/tuckertheafricangrey). More frequently than not, you will see Paul plugged into the audio of his technology listening to books while riding his bike 100+ miles, tending to a huge fruit and vegetable garden, and growing bonsai trees.

2) How and why did you get into reviewing audiobooks?

I was blogging for years on different subjects and loved it. Mostly because it helped me keep my web design and coding skills up to date. I stumbled across Patient Zero by Jonathan Maberry and devoured it. I couldn't get enough. I went looking for sites to help me decide on the next one I should get and found very few audiobook review blogs. So I started one.

3) Can you tell me some of your strengths that really helped you in blogging?

Somehow, even though I thought I was being a rebellious punk rocker, had a ridiculous work ethic instilled into me from my parents. Along with the ability to lead people along a mutual beneficial path. Even though this is also my downfall. Sometimes I work too hard and get tunnel vision and forget to respect others.

4) How do you manage time to run your blog efficiently?

Just go, go, go, almost non-stop. I am very fortunate that my day job allows me to be on the interent all day and take a few moments to do personal things. In the beginning I spent a lot more time than I do now on the blog.

5) Tell me about your reviewing style and how long it takes you to write up a review?

My style has evolved a lot over the years. But a couple of general things has stayed constant. 1. HONESTY, without being mean, I am not out to make friends. I am here to help other find an audiobook that they might like. Then I always try to go over these four things about each book. 1. My thoughts, or preconceptions, going into the listen. 2. A very very brief plot summary. 3. The narration, I am reviewing audiobooks and the narration is just as important if not more so than the writing. 4. Anything that stood out to me as particularly brilliant or surprising or the like. Oh and 5. No spoilers if at all possible.

6) Who has impacted you most in blogging and how?

When I first started I followed The Guilded Earlobe (https://theguildedearlobe.wordpress.com/) he helped me immensely. He pushed me to promote ABR in places I didn't know about such as The Audiobook Jukebox (http://audiobookjukebox.com). He also helped me get connected to publishers for review copies of audiobooks.

7) What is your greatest achievement outside of blogging?

Really, with the life that I lived in my youth. I should be dead or in jail. Not sure how either of those didn't happen. So I guess my greatest achievement may be the huge number of experiences that I have had. I mean I went from being homeless to a business owner. I have traveled over seas. I have been part of many questionable situations.

8) What was the most challenging moment in your blogging journey so far?

Trying to keep the blog fresh and interesting. Not getting bogged down with review requests. Managing all those requests. Managing others. Making connections. As most bloggers know. Blogging is not easy. Some days it is a challenge to think about blogging other it is hard to stop.

9) What do you find the most frustrating aspect of blogging?

Finding like minded enthusiastic folks that love audiobooks.

10) Did you have any professional help or did you created the blog yourself?

I created ABR out of my imagination and continue to develop it in different ways. The only help I get is from the team of reviewers that contribute their reviews to the site.

Favourite book/s?

The entire Joe Ledger, Adrian's Undead Diary, Zombie Fallout series and The Martian. To name a few.

Favourite narrator/s?

Oh man, I know I am going to forget a couple but here are my go-to's: RC Bray, Luke Daniels, James Foster, Stefan Rudnicki, Ray Porter, Julia Whelan, Cassandra Campbell, 

What do you like to do when you're not reading?

Honestly not very much.

Some Get to know me Questions:

What’s your favourite rainy day movie?

I have quite a few, movie are my next favorite next to audiobooks. My wife and I watch several every weekend. Here are some that I own and will watch with very little prodding.

Star Wars, any of them.

Highlander

Road House

Dredd

True Lies

If you could be any age again for a week, which would you choose and why?

Nope, somehow I made it this far and am still alive. And maybe that is my reward, so no going back for me.

What's you favourite place to read?

This is almost a trick question. I do not read, I can, but I prefer to listen. So, my favorite place to listen in on my bike. Either to or from work, or around town, racing down the bike path with not a care in the world except for what is right in front of me and right in my ears.

When you walk into a book store, where do you head first?

Honestly, I do not do this very often. But when I do, I usually head to the cookbooks. Because I love to cook or the magazines, because there is so much variety.

If you had a million dollars, what would be the first thing you would buy?

I would probably start some sort of animal sanctuary. Either pigs or parrots or farm foul or something. I just know that I love animals in a way that few others seem to. Then I could work there and continue to listen to my fill of audiobooks.

Thank you Paul for stopping by!! You should check out his blog and reviews! Paul also publishes his grandfathers books, check them out here: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/368044.Bill_Stokes. 

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