Love-a-Thon Mini Challenge #5 - Top Blogging Moments

It's time for Mini Challenge #5 where we discuss our top blogging moments. 

I've been blogging since 2007. After a rough patch in my life I stopped blogging. I just wasn't up to it and I didn't have anything positive to blog. A few months ago, I started it back up and then decided to put all things bookish on a new blog so Little Lovely Books was born.

I haven't had many moments on this blog yet but my favorite things so far are:

1) Just getting back into the game. I took so much time off that I didn't think I'd ever get back to it but I did. And I'm proud of myself for it. I loved blogging and talking about books and interacting with my readers. And even though I am starting over again, it's still been fun.

2) This Book Blogger Love-a-Thon. I love, love, love Alexa's blog so when she first mentioned the Love-a-Thon I was all "sign me up now!" It has been such a fun day!

3) Finding such incredible new to me books. Wow, the number of new books released is mind blowing but having a few favorite book bloggers helps me narrow them down. I've found people that I know will write reviews that makes me almost know for sure if I am going to enjoy a book or not!

4) Finding such incredible new to me blogs. Oh the list goes on and on. There are such amazing book blogs out there!

5) When Leigh Bardugo commented back to me on Twitter. Then when I went completely gushing fangirl after reading Shadow and Bone (review here) and tweeted the link, she read it and responded. Squeal. Fan.for.life.

Love-a-Thon Mini Challenge #5 - Top Blogging Moments

It's time for Mini Challenge #5 where we discuss our top blogging moments. 

I've been blogging since 2007. After a rough patch in my life I stopped blogging. I just wasn't up to it and I didn't have anything positive to blog. A few months ago, I started it back up and then decided to put all things bookish on a new blog so Little Lovely Books was born.

I haven't had many moments on this blog yet but my favorite things so far are:

1) Just getting back into the game. I took so much time off that I didn't think I'd ever get back to it but I did. And I'm proud of myself for it. I loved blogging and talking about books and interacting with my readers. And even though I am starting over again, it's still been fun.

2) This Book Blogger Love-a-Thon. I love, love, love Alexa's blog so when she first mentioned the Love-a-Thon I was all "sign me up now!" It has been such a fun day!

3) Finding such incredible new to me books. Wow, the number of new books released is mind blowing but having a few favorite book bloggers helps me narrow them down. I've found people that I know will write reviews that makes me almost know for sure if I am going to enjoy a book or not!

4) Finding such incredible new to me blogs. Oh the list goes on and on. There are such amazing book blogs out there!

5) When Leigh Bardugo commented back to me on Twitter. Then when I went completely gushing fangirl after reading Shadow and Bone (review here) and tweeted the link, she read it and responded. Squeal. Fan.for.life.

Love-a-Thon Mini Challenge #4 - Letter to My Blogging Self

Time for Love-a-Thon Mini Challenge #4 which is a letter to my blogging self. Although I have been blogging since 2007, THIS is a new book blog so I will be writing a letter to my future self. Talking about the stuff I like so far and what I hope to accomplish in the future. 

Dear Future Dana,

First your blog is awesome. You are doing this because it is fun and because blogging keeps you from having all of your friends eyes glaze over when you gush and fangirl over your latest read. I think that you are going to have quite a few loyal readers but don't worry about that. Don't worry about the numbers. As soon as it stops being fun then take a step back.

Your favorite thing about blogging right now is meeting all these fantastic new friends in the book blogospere. And there are some really great people out there!

Keep it simple and don't forget your voice. 

Dana

Love-a-Thon Mini Challenge #4 - Letter to My Blogging Self

Time for Love-a-Thon Mini Challenge #4 which is a letter to my blogging self. Although I have been blogging since 2007, THIS is a new book blog so I will be writing a letter to my future self. Talking about the stuff I like so far and what I hope to accomplish in the future. 

Dear Future Dana,

First your blog is awesome. You are doing this because it is fun and because blogging keeps you from having all of your friends eyes glaze over when you gush and fangirl over your latest read. I think that you are going to have quite a few loyal readers but don't worry about that. Don't worry about the numbers. As soon as it stops being fun then take a step back.

Your favorite thing about blogging right now is meeting all these fantastic new friends in the book blogospere. And there are some really great people out there!

Keep it simple and don't forget your voice. 

Dana

Love-a-Thon Check In

Mini Challenge #3 has been posted. It's a cool playlist for books. Check it out here and be sure to visit all the participant blogs today to share the love!

I was away from the computer for longer than I expected but I'm back and commenting. Such a fun day!

Love-a-Thon Check In

Mini Challenge #3 has been posted. It's a cool playlist for books. Check it out here and be sure to visit all the participant blogs today to share the love!

I was away from the computer for longer than I expected but I'm back and commenting. Such a fun day!

Book Blogger Love-a-Thon Let's Go!

It's 12:09 AM and I left my warm bed to start on the 2013 Book Blogger Love-a-Thon. It's steady raining here so I'm hearing the rain come down as I type. I'm going to be commenting heavier during the waking hours since 1) I am old. 2) I have to be awake when the boys are. We'll see how long I last. No pressure today, just fun!

Book Blogger Love-a-Thon Let's Go!

It's 12:09 AM and I left my warm bed to start on the 2013 Book Blogger Love-a-Thon. It's steady raining here so I'm hearing the rain come down as I type. I'm going to be commenting heavier during the waking hours since 1) I am old. 2) I have to be awake when the boys are. We'll see how long I last. No pressure today, just fun!

Book Blogger Love a Thon Interview Swap

I was fortunate enough to be able to interview the fun and sweet Lauren from Hughes Reviews. You can follow her on twitter by following @wordyhughes. Here are the interview questions and Lauren's fabulous answers:

1. What is your favorite part of being a blogger?

I love that I've found people who get as excited over books as I do!  I love getting recommendations from people who have my same tastes in books.  There are so many books I probably would not have discovered on my own, but heard about through the blogosphere.  I can't imagine my reading life without other bloggers now... it would be so empty.

2. Would you say that you devour books or savor them? (sip or gulp so to speak?)

I'm a big fan of fast-paced books, so that would probably make me someone who devours and gulps books.  I love when I get so lost in a book that I forget about the real world.  And usually if I'm lost in a book, it means my eyes are flying across the page and hungry for what will happen next.

3. How many books do you read at the same time?

When I was younger, I'd read more than one book at a time, but in the last five years or so, I've become a one-book-at-a-time kind of girl.  I find it keeps me from comparing books or favoring one over the other.

4. What are a few of your favorite book blogs?

The Fake Steph: I've read several books on her recommendation and really enjoyed all of them.  I also love her "Looks from Books" feature.

The Recovering Potter Addict: I fell for Aylee's blog based on its name because I'm also someone who felt a little lost after Harry Potter was over...  She has great taste in books and I've come to trust her reviews!

Small Review: Her Blogging Tips and Tricks were the most helpful thing ever when I was trying to get my blog going.  And she always seems to find great books that no one else has heard of.  And I love that she does a fairly equal amount of middle grade and YA because YA often seems to get all the love in the blogging world.

A Backwards Story: I love how Bonnie always talks about cover design in her reviews.  She often makes me appreciate aspects of the cover design that I never would have noticed on my own.  And a bonus is she's a fellow writer like myself!

Shooting Stars Mag: I love her blend of books, movies, TV shows, and even your occasional live theater musical!  I never know what I'm going to find each week when I stop by her blog, and I love it.

5. What is the biggest tip you would give to a book blogger that is starting out?

Be meaningful and genuine in both your posts and your comments.  You know the saying "Treat others the way you want to be treated" works in blogging too.  Write the kinds of posts that you would want to read.  And write the kinds of comments that you would want on your own blog posts.

Book Blogger Love a Thon Interview Swap

I was fortunate enough to be able to interview the fun and sweet Lauren from Hughes Reviews. You can follow her on twitter by following @wordyhughes. Here are the interview questions and Lauren's fabulous answers:

1. What is your favorite part of being a blogger?

I love that I've found people who get as excited over books as I do!  I love getting recommendations from people who have my same tastes in books.  There are so many books I probably would not have discovered on my own, but heard about through the blogosphere.  I can't imagine my reading life without other bloggers now... it would be so empty.

2. Would you say that you devour books or savor them? (sip or gulp so to speak?)

I'm a big fan of fast-paced books, so that would probably make me someone who devours and gulps books.  I love when I get so lost in a book that I forget about the real world.  And usually if I'm lost in a book, it means my eyes are flying across the page and hungry for what will happen next.

3. How many books do you read at the same time?

When I was younger, I'd read more than one book at a time, but in the last five years or so, I've become a one-book-at-a-time kind of girl.  I find it keeps me from comparing books or favoring one over the other.

4. What are a few of your favorite book blogs?

The Fake Steph: I've read several books on her recommendation and really enjoyed all of them.  I also love her "Looks from Books" feature.

The Recovering Potter Addict: I fell for Aylee's blog based on its name because I'm also someone who felt a little lost after Harry Potter was over...  She has great taste in books and I've come to trust her reviews!

Small Review: Her Blogging Tips and Tricks were the most helpful thing ever when I was trying to get my blog going.  And she always seems to find great books that no one else has heard of.  And I love that she does a fairly equal amount of middle grade and YA because YA often seems to get all the love in the blogging world.

A Backwards Story: I love how Bonnie always talks about cover design in her reviews.  She often makes me appreciate aspects of the cover design that I never would have noticed on my own.  And a bonus is she's a fellow writer like myself!

Shooting Stars Mag: I love her blend of books, movies, TV shows, and even your occasional live theater musical!  I never know what I'm going to find each week when I stop by her blog, and I love it.

5. What is the biggest tip you would give to a book blogger that is starting out?

Be meaningful and genuine in both your posts and your comments.  You know the saying "Treat others the way you want to be treated" works in blogging too.  Write the kinds of posts that you would want to read.  And write the kinds of comments that you would want on your own blog posts.