Welcome to Books and Movies! I’m Carrie Kitzmiller, the woman behind the words. I’m a bit book-obsessed, which you have probably already discerned. I love to buy books, borrow books, shelve books, list books, smell books, hold books, catalog books, talk about books, trade books, and – of course – read books! The majority of content you will find here at Books and Movies will be about this little obsession of mine.
I am also an avid movie and TV-on-DVD watcher, and so you will sometimes find posts related to my recent viewing.
In my non-book and -movie life, I am a homeschooling mom of four kids: Natalie, age 14; Noah, age 12; Jonathan, age 11; and Josiah, age 9. When homeschooling was a new venture for our family, I blogged about it. Now, it is simply the way we choose to educate our kids and teaching them is simply a large part of my day. It seems so normal that blogging about it would feel like blogging about folding laundry or fixing meals. Yes, I enjoy it – most of the time. No, we don’t hate public school. And no, I don’t wear denim jumpers, hate Harry Potter (we LOVE Harry), bake my own bread from wheat I grew in our back yard, have eighteen children, teach my kids to disrespect other people’s beliefs. There are a lot of other things I don’t do, either, because of the fact that 30 to 35 hours of my week are taken up teaching my children: cook gourmet meals, keep a spotless house, craft, volunteer, can fruits and vegetables – or feel guilty about those things I don’t do.
When I do find free time for myself, I spend that time with my books – either reading them or blogging about them or tweeting about them. I love books because they teach me, change me, stretch me, entertain me, connect me to others, and provide an escape from real life.
When I first started Books and Movies, I was determined to keep it completely book- and movie-related, nothing personal. What I have discovered is that the book blogging community is full of the most amazing people, people I am now honored to call my friends. And I have found that when something of note happens in my personal life – like Natalie’s health issues this past summer – I want to share it with my readers because I know they will keep me in their thoughts and prayers and that they want to know what’s going on with me. So sometimes you will find personal posts here, too.
I appreciate all of my readers and fellow book bloggers who have enriched my life. Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts with me.
If you are an author, publisher, or publicist and are interested in having me review your book, please read my review policy. You can contact me by leaving a comment or using the form below.
Twitter: Arti_Ripples
says:
Hi Carrie,
Links after links, I stumble upon your blog … and what a find! I’ve enjoyed your book and movie talks. Coincidentally, I also write about books and movies on my blog. I’m not a homeschool mom, but still a mom who started a blog upon the prompting of my son 2 years ago. Thanks to him now I’m an addict blogger! Will definitely come back here for more.
Twitter: booksandmovies
says:
Arti – thanks for stopping by and for the kind comments! I’ll definitely be checking out your blog.
I have really enjoyed having a look through this blog, some good book suggestions for me here! Hope you like our blog too.
A homeschooling mom of four who has spare time?????
(Excuse me while I go look for my jaw, which I seem to have dropped.)
How do you do it? I’m just looking through your blog thinking I have to read all these books because they all sound great but if I do I’ll be neglecting my children, my husband, my house, my garden and my writing, (not necessarily in that order), but I know I’ll read them anyway because I can’t help myself. But you read, and you blog, and you homeschool, and you still have spare time????
Sorry, still looking for that jaw. You go, girl!
Twitter: booksandmovies
says:
Kim – I don’t really have spare time, I make spare time.
And I do neglect my house – in fact my husband laughingly says he has to invite people over for it to get a good cleaning, but there’s an element of truth in that. I don’t do our garden – my husband does. And I also read fairly quickly. So yes, i do read a lot, and I blog, and I homeschool – but there are other areas of my life that I have made less of a priority. My husband gets lots of time and so do my kids – my house, not so much. 
My husband says the exact same thing! (Only he’s not usually laughing ;-P) (And there’s more than a grain of truth in it!)
Just a little note to say “Hello,” and to let you know I blog about books and movies too and that I’ve taken up the 100 Shots of Shorts Challenge. Well, technically, I started my own short story challenge “Two-A-Week.” — Figured there was no reason why I couldn’t do both.
Until Next Time…
Blogging Away the Night,
Michael OCD
Twitter: Arti_Ripples
says:
Hi, i came from Bellezza. Your blog name Books and Movies attracted me here. Those are my interests as well and the content of my blog too. I’ll stop by more often to explore your interesting site here!
Just happened to trip on your blog and love the feel of it. That’s awesome that you’re homeschooling 4 kids. I have no idea how you have the time to do anything else.
I just started a new book/movie blog and would love for you to check it out.
Thanks!
I like your blog, Bethany. It’s interesting what you say. Hope you don’t mind my saying but I think, for me, I’d like to see the text a little larger (and maybe the images a little smaller). I believe that would make your page more user friendly. Lovely layout though.
Valerie
Valerie´s last post ..GRAN TORINO (2008)
Twitter: Veejayblogs
says:
I think your blog is brilliant and I keep popping in and out of it on a regular basis. My blog is mostly about DVDs with mentions of books if they connect to the movie by being the inspiration of the movie, or by being inspired by the movie. Being disabled, I spend a lot of time blogging and studying creative writing but I do wish I were like you and could read faster. For some strange reason, I seem almost incapable of reading faster than I speak.
I noticed you also have a Facebook page and I had commented on that. .
Valerie´s last post ..GRAN TORINO (2008)