The Story Behind The Name

Choosing the name for my blog was a long and arduous process, that spanned several days, (hours), and involved two mental break downs, (me wrangling my two cats into my room, and demanding that they come up with some answers and an impromptu “brainstorming dance party” that would’ve made Elaine Benes from Seinfeld proud), and one comatose episode, (me staring blankly into space, binge eating Cheez-its).  I was at a complete loss with nothing to show for my strenuous efforts.  Then, like some “Yoda-fied Angel” my mother came across my body prone in my thinking position, (sprawled across my computer chair like a deflated starfish) and with a pitying glance asked, “How do books make you feel?”  My answer to that simple, but brilliant question was… “Butterfly Claps”.

BUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN? A “Butterfly Clap” is a form of celebration one uses to express only the most extreme levels of joy and excitement.  It’s a feeling that bubbles up from your toes and shoots into your hands, ending in an explosion of sporadic, dizzying, blurred claps, that move as fast as a hummingbird’s wing. Why, do you ask, are they not called “Hummingbird Claps”? Because NO, “I have spoken”. I say butterflies, and these shall be the claps by which I rate the books I read 😜.

My Passion For Reading

With the way I voraciously read now, many of my new friends and acquaintances are often shocked to find out that I haven’t been a life-long bibliophile. My first love was actually movies. I was beguiled by the silver screen by the tender age of five. I was enthralled - like most children - in the magic of Disney, and then when I was older by the latest heartthrobs, the ever-changing development of visual effects, and the crazy talented actors and actresses that made it so easy to loose yourself in an imaginary world. I was able to go to the movies and for those couple of hours I’d escape whatever problems, stress, and chaos that were going on in my life and the world. A couple of hours, I thought that was the best it got. Little did I know there was a whole other universe of not only escapism, but knowledge that I was missing out on. There were small sparks of interest in reading through out my childhood, first with Roald Dahl, then E.B. White, the Wayside School books, Mrs. Piggle Wiggle, and Harry Potter, but it wasn’t until my freshman year in college that I discovered the magic of the written word.

It all started with non other than the Twilight Saga Series. There are some who wouldn’t state that proudly, but I stand firm, in the Twilight series still being one of my favorite to this day. After reading those four books, (and then re-reading them) the match was officially lit, and thrown on 18 years worth of kindling, and the blaze emanating from my metaphorical reading bonfire has been glorious. I now carry a book with me wherever I go, the grocery store, the movies, even to parties, (cough, cough NERD!). You can never be bored when you have a book and I quickly amassed a huge book collection with the help of the dollar bookstore in Long Beach (which alas is no more), Barnes and Noble (affectionately referred to from here on out as BarNobie), and various thrift stores. This blog is just the next step in my book lover evolution, I’m like a stage 3 Pokemon.

Favorite Genres

I wish I could say that I was one of those people who reads everything, it’s something I’m actively working on, but as it is now, (like most of us) there are certain genres I gravitate towards more than others. fantasy, and romance are my number ones, so when they decided to get together and have the baby that is romantasy I was immediately on board. Next up would have to be the cracked-out acid trip better known as FANFICTION. I also like to get down with Sci-Fi, YA, regular old literary fiction, graphic novels, and the occasional memoir.

I can’t say I’ve read any horror novels since my delve into the Goosebumps universe when I was nine. What I learned then, still holds true now, my imagination is far too creative a thing for me to be able to read a horror novel and still plan on sleeping without nightmares within a week long period of it’s completion. Hopefully with the creation of this blog, I’ll be able to expand my tastes a bit more. I’d like to venture out into reading more thrillers, middle grade, and non-fiction. If you have any suggestions on books I should check out and review please feel free to email me at butterflyclaps@gmail.com and I’ll add them to the list.

In My Spare Time

When I’m not reading, I’m re-discovering my love for writing. When I’m not doing either of those things… I spend my time binge watching The Great British Baking Show, cuddling with my two cats Stephan and Simon, journaling, having wine nights with friends, game nights with my family, dabbling in drawing/painting, amigurumi, and going for walks/easy hikes when the weather is nice. I’m a vegetarian Bay Area native, who loves old school music, vintage furniture, cozy sweatshirts, plants, and DIY. My hobbies are legion, and I only hope I have enough time and perseverance to become at least adequate at all of them.