RIFFLE - THE PINTEREST OF COMIC BOOK DISCOVERY HAS ARRIVED

Now if you take the word 'Rifle', and then cross it with the word 'Ruffle', do you get the word 'Riffle' by default? Furthermore, and this is to be case, what does 'Riffle' actually mean? Well, my mate Bongo-Bingo hasn't got a clue. Although I have a sneaking suspicion that my other mate, Gina Rodriguez, does. Here, check out this conversation we both had only the other day, whilst ruffling some red-necks with rifles from the wrong side of the road.





1) What are your own origins Gina? Plus what path did you take in life before you got to where you are today?   I'm a Jersey girl who did my undergrad in Massachusetts, before, eventually, finding a wonderful job in the contracts department at a literary publisher in 2011. While there, I started attending graduate school and am now finishing up my MFA in fiction writing at NYU.

In late 2012, I got the chance to work with Riffle, and I've been loving it ever since!

2) In your own words how would you describe ‘Riffle’? And what is your roles within this organisation?   I am the Comics / Graphic Novels editor for Riffle Books. I create lists of must-read books and curate content for the Riffle Comics Twitter, Tumblr, and Pinterest pages. I also work with comics bloggers and serve as their point person if they have questions about how to use Riffle or best adapt it for their needs.

What is Riffle? It's a book discovery tool: a simple, fun way to find new books to read and share recommendations.

3) What have you learnt about yourself via this endeavour? And were their any unforeseen obstacles you had to contend with?   I've learned that I have quite a lot of books left to read! I thought I was a huge comics fan, but one of the challenges I've encountered is that there are SO MANY great comics published every year, I just want to champion them all.

I love my Tumblr and Twitter communities because they're always turning me onto something new, and Riffle is an easy way for me to share my finds.

4) If ‘Riffle’ was a song, what song would it be and why?   Riffle would be a remix, definitely. A remix is about combining disparate elements to create a fresh sound; and Riffle is also about mixing up books and combining them to create exciting "playlists" of books.

Remember when Sean Kingston sampled "Stand By Me"? Listeners were able to discover his new version and at the same time learn about an old classic. That's what Riffle wants to give to readers, too.

5) If you could get a celebrity – either living or dead – to promote your tumblr site, what person would you get, and why would you want to choose this particular person?   Kristen Bell once said, "Comic-Con junkies are the taste-makers of tomorrow. Isn't that funny? The tables have turned." For that very reason, I'd love to have her on board.

6) What smell would you say best represent ‘Riffle’, and why would this be the case?   The smell of warm chai. Because Riffle is about books, which are best enjoyed on a lazy afternoon with a comforting mug of tea. Coffee works, too. Nothing like a great 'cup of Joe' in the morning accompanied by a gander at Riffle!

7) How easy is it to use ‘Riffle’, plus what’s the biggest difference between this site compared to others of it’s ilk?   Publishers Weekly called Riffle "the Pinterest of book discovery." What does that mean? It means that unlike many other sites, Riffle looks gorgeous. It's streamlined and easy to navigate. You won't find the noise and chaos of other sites here. You'll find great books, period.

8) If a film was ever made about the people in ‘Riffle’, what actor would you say would play whom?   The Riffle team has experts in YA, Graphic Novels, Memoir / Biography, and Mystery -- among many others! I'd love to have a superhero flick about our team, and these four categories could be played by Jennifer Lawrence (Katniss from Hunger Games!), Thora Birch (Enid from Ghost World!), Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln!), and Robert Downey, Jr. (Sherlock!), respectively. 

Please click here to check out the full editorial team.

9) If your tumblr site had a motto, what would it be?   The day is long enough for just one more comic!

Ha! I couldn't have put it better myself, Gina. And I'm sure my readers think exactly the same thing too. So go on. You know what you have to do, folks. Tweet-Tweet. Tumble-Tumble. Plus for the first 100 lucky bookworms who'll click on this link here, please prepare yourself for the invite only sharing site called Riffle. Shazam!!!!!