With more than 80 reviewers on their staff, an average of 200 book reviews a month, and close to 2,000,000 visitors a year, Amchair Interviews is currently one of the most successful book review sites on the net. I recently had the opportunity to chat with one of its owners, Andrea Sisco. In this interesting interview, Andrea talks about the challenges of maintaining a book review site and about print publication reviewers vs. online reviewers.
Please tell us about your book review site, Armchair Interviews. How and when did it get started?
My business partner and best friend, Connie Anderson and I reviewed books and interviewed authors on television. We had both retired, but mourned the loss of the richness that format brought to our lives. Connie attended a conference in Los Angeles where she birthed the idea of reviewing books and interviewing authors and posting them on the internet. I picked her up from the airport, she shared the idea with me and I assumed she wanted me to make this journey with her (actually, I said she wasn't going to do it without me).
January 2008 will be Armchair Interviews third anniversary. Wow! I hadn't realized that! And in 2006 and 2007 we were named by Writers Digest as one of the Best 101 Websites for Writers.
What makes Armchair Interviews stand out among so many other online review sites?
Our knowledge of books and our excitement and passion for the idea of Armchair Interviews was the beginning of creating a great site. 
We placed ourselves in the able hands of Paul Larson of Creative Arc in Minneapolis and he patiently worked with Connie and me to design an attractive, user friendly site. We then began to add other things like audio and written interviews, contests, a reader's page, an author's page, etc. for our visitors.
But it's the reviewers. They're passionate about the written word. They're good writers, responsible people and oh so much fun. They work hard. They work with us, not for us and that's the difference I think. They are Armchair Interviews. And we've gained new friends from around the United States and the world through Armchair Interviews. They simply are the best. Check out our site and then other sites and you'll see what I mean.
What is the most challenging aspect of running a review site?
Time. It's primarily two people (Connie and I) running Armchair Interviews with some help from Paul Larsen (our go-to guy for web help) and Jeff Foster who does some marketing for us. Connie has a business (that pays the bills) and must give that time. I am a writer, I travel a great deal with my husband, we live in MN and AZ (which is a time and logistic challenge) and we have numerous children and grandchildren I want to spend time with. Connie and I always want to do more and wonder where we'll get the time.
Article comments
1 - Desmond Evans
I have contacted Andrea and Connie a few times since August of last year 2007 when I first come across this great website. As a Brit I must congratulate these two wonderful ladies for the uniqueness of the site. We have no comparison with it in the UK. It's a bit late in the day for me to create a sort of sister site over here, but I hope some enterprising person will do so. What I can do is promote the site on my small website that I shall be re-designing over the next few weeks. I hope shortly to take part in the Blogs and hopefully contribute something meanigful.
My best wishes to all.
Desmond Evans