Interviews, and Opinions From U.L. Harper

Q. For many bloggers, blogging doesn’t pay the bills, at least not all the bills. So tell us a little about yourself. What else do you have going on in life?

A. I’m still a student—an English major at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah—so I’m not really into the job world yet. I plan on writing for the rest of my life, and because that doesn’t pay the bills either, my ‘day-job’ plan is to work in a book or movie store, which I can see being very creatively and professionally inspiring. Teaching is also a possibility.

Q. How do you manage your blog and daily life?

A. Good question! I usually get back from classes in the late afternoon, so at some point in the evening I make myself a grilled cheese sandwich or pour a bowl of cereal and try to whip out a somewhat-decent blog post before going back to studying.

Q. What turned you onto blogging? Don’t be shy.

A. To be perfectly honest, what first got me interested in blogging is the social networking/publicity aspect of it. I am currently working on a novel, and I think having a widely read blog would be an amazing marketing tool. Having said that, I am finding blogging in and of itself incredibly rewarding, and I love the connections and interactions I have had already.

Q. I’ve been to your blog a few times and it didn’t seem like you reviewed books? Could you tell us a little about your blog?

A. I have talked about a few writers/books, and I plan on doing more of that in the future, but my blog covers more than books. Writing is my medium of choice, but I think any art form and pretty much anything in life can be creatively inspiring, and I write about all those things. I write about everything from movies to the Olympics and what writers and other artists can learn from them. It has been really fun and enlightening for me to try to find lessons in the things I experience every day.

Q. Just trying to get in the mind of a blogger, you have had some success in getting your writing accepted. First off tell us who published you and under what format, and give us some words on your experience in being accepted for publication

A. One of my poems called ‘Night Terrors’ was recently accepted by the Tipton Poetry Journal. Needless to say, I was ecstatic. I have had some success locally, with things at my university, etc., but having my work accepted by an outside literary magazine was incredibly gratifying. I have been writing and submitting for several years, so I want to say to all the aspiring writers out there that all the work does pay off, just keep writing and submitting. I still plan on lots and lots of work and disappointment ahead of me. But for now, one poem being published is fantastic!

Q. Some bloggers believe in writing in short spurts while others believe in a more extended style. What are your thoughts on the subject?

A. I think both approaches work, and try to use both in my own blog. If I’m short on time but feel like I need to post something, I will just write up something short and sweet. Or if the subject only needs a little amount of elaboration. But it’s fun to sometimes come up with a big sweeping theory or idea that you can think about and talk about for a good long time.

Q. What genre do you prefer to write/review and why?

A. Any of the creative genres are exciting to me. Short story, poetry, novel, script, lyrics, anything like that. I’ve tried a lot of those genres and plan on continuing to do so, though I think my main focus will be novel and screenplay. I usually don’t enjoy writing non-fiction as much, except creative non-fiction like personal essays, but I may try that out sometime too. Anyone interested in collaborating?

Q. How do readers effect the content of your blog?

A. I definitely keep track of which topics are most popular/useful/interesting, and try to keep hitting on those kind of topics. I’m just writing about my own ideas and experiences, so the fact that anyone finds it helpful and at least somewhat interesting is wonderful.

Q. As far as your blog goes what has been successful for you?

A. In my mind, blog success is determined by the size of readership I am able to reach, and in terms of that sites like Facebook and Twitter have been very useful. I also try to give useful comments on other blogs that link back to my own blog, and that has worked very nicely too.

Q. How many electronic books do you think you read in let’s say a 6 month period.

A. I am sorry to admit this, but I am not an e-book fan. I’ve never read one. I can definitely see their use in terms of things like text-books, but they just aren’t as much fun to curl up with, in my opinion.

Q. As a blogger you must have set some goals for your blog. What has been successful so far and why do you think it has been successful.

A. My biggest goal has been to just keep my readership growing as fast as I can, and things have been progressing beyond my expectations. I have had so much fun doing this, and hope to keep making connections and keep my audience growing.

Below is what I’m going to deem the big five. You can answer all of them or none of them. It’s up to you.

1. Your blog address is:  http://fromsarahwithjoy.blogspot.com

2. What is the next book you are reading and whom is the author? The Return of the King by J.R. R. Tolkien for class, but also fun. Purely for fun, Pride and Prejudice or Bellwether by Connie Willis.

3. How long have you been doing this blogging thing? Not for very long, actually. Since the end of last October.

5. Give the blog address of one blog you truly enjoy.

Helpfulness: http://jetreidliterary.blogspot.com/

Guilty Pleasure: http://whataboutmichaelemerson.wordpress.com/

extra credit: What’s the album that’s in the player right now? Be honest.

The Glee CD’s, both 1 and 2. Gotta love it!

Q. Any last words?

A. Thanks for this wonderful opportunity! If you’re interested, check out:

            BYU podcast where I got to read a 100 word flash-fiction story: http://wordofmouth.byu.edu/sounds/13.mp3

                My poem called ‘Pet Diaries’ published in BYU’s literary magazine, Inscape: http://inscape.byu.edu/winter2009/allen_pet.php

Q. For many bloggers, blogging doesn’t pay the bills, at least not all the bills. So tell us a little about yourself. What else do you have going on in life?

 A. In my non-blogging life, I’m a library director, which allows me plenty of time to read! I also have a husband, a cat and a house to manage, so blogging sometimes gets pushed to the side.

Q. How do you manage your blog and daily life?

A. My library doesn’t open until 10 a.m. at the earliest on weekdays, so much of my mornings are spent writing reviews, visiting other blogs and reading books for review. Some days, though, my house needs a little more attention than my blog, so I just don’t even turn on my computer because I know I’ll get sucked in too easily.

 Q. What turned you onto blogging? Don’t be shy.

 A. Last December, I was searching around for book challenges. I don’t know what compelled me to do so, but I was pointed toward several great blogs hosting reading challenges. From there, I just created my own blog to keep track of what I was reading. It’s really blossomed in the last few months into something I’m really proud of and always working on improving.

 Q. After the book has arrived at your house, how long does it take you to post a review? And could you tell us about your review process?

 A. It really depends on the timeline for the review as to how quickly I’ll get to it. If it’s a book that’s been sent to me for a blog tour on a specific date, I usually open those first. If it’s an ARC and the book is set to come out on a specific date, I’ll get to those before the release date. Books that don’t have a specific date, though, get put in a pile in the order in which they came to my house. I’d like to say it only takes me a couple of weeks to get to a book, but that doesn’t always happen.

 My review process is pretty simple: I get an overall impression of the book (Like or dislike) and start from there. Did I like/dislike the characters? The writing? The plot? If I liked a book, I usually try to find one thing that I didn’t like so well so I can keep from just gushing the whole time. If I didn’t like a book, I try to find at least one thing that I did like. Constructive criticism always works better than just bashing!

 Q. Just trying to get in the mind of a blogger, tell us about how it feels for publishers and authors to actively try to contact you.

 A.Since I’m fairly new to blogging, it actually feels really great when publishers and authors actively contact me. I got my first review request when my blog was only a couple of weeks old, and it was a great feeling. Even though I love being asked to review a book, my favorite thing is when I hear from the author, either in comments or e-mail, about my review. It makes me realize that book bloggers are really seen as a force in the reading world.

 Q. Some bloggers believe in short reviews while others believe in a more extended review. What are your thoughts on the subject?

 A. I prefer a more extended review. I’m not sure why that is, but I like to say what I liked/disliked and why. Short reviews are great for when there isn’t a lot of time for the blogger to write or the reader to read a review, but I prefer a little more meat to my reviews.

 Q. What genre do you prefer to review and why?

A. I really don’t have a specific genre that I prefer to review, but I do have a few genres that I don’t like to read at all. Chick lit and murder mystery/thrillers aren’t usually my cup of tea, so I’ll only pick them up if they’re part of a book challenge.

Q. How do readers effect the content of your blog?

 A. The readers don’t influence the kinds of books that I read or the reviews that I write at all. My blog is for the books I like to read, and no one’s going to change that. The readers do, however, influence the discussions on my blog through comments. I love comments and I love responding to what everyone’s saying about my reviews.

Q. As far as your blog goes what has been successful for you?

 A. The posts that have been really successful are the ones I’ve written on either classics or little-known books. There are a lot of book bloggers out there, and so many of us are reading the latest and newest thing. I think a lot of people like to see that there are people out there reading books that they remember from high school.

 Q. How many electronic books do you think you read in let’s say a 6 month period.

A. I don’t read electronic books at all. I can’t stand sitting at my computer to read a whole book, and I refuse to invest in an e-reader for various reasons.

 Q. What are your thoughts on reviewing ebooks?

 A. Reviewing ebooks is not for me, but I know a lot of people like them!

 Q. Michelle, sometimes while blogging a blogger might wonder if people are reading what they write or if they care. However, on your blog it seems that you’re having fun with your readers. One might think you don’t hold the insecurities of wondering about being read. Tell us about how that relationship developed.

 A. At first, I worried about not being read. The blogosphere is so jam-packed with people with interesting things to say that it can sometimes feel as if you’re shouting into a vacuum. But, I started commenting on other people’s blogs because I wanted to get involved with the community in any way I could. Most of the bloggers I’ve met that way have been really great and have reciprocated the visits. Twitter has also become a great tool for me to develop a relationship with bloggers. Sometimes, it keeps me from reading or doing other work because I’m having too much fun!

 Q. As a blogger you must have set some goals for your blog. What has been successful so far and why do you think it has been successful.

 A. I think the format and depth of my reviews has worked really well. I definitely plan to keep that up. In the future, though, I really would like to start writing more posts about books and reading in general, instead of just reviews. Those types of posts always generate the best conversations on other blogs, and I have opinions to share!

 Below is what I’m going to deem the big five. You can answer all of them or none of them. It’s up to you.

 1. Your blog address is: http://literarilyspeaking1.blogspot.com

2. What is the next book you are reviewing and whom is the author? I have a pile of 5 books sitting here waiting to be reviewed! The book on top, though, is Claude & Camille: A Novel of Monet by Stephanie Cowell

3. How long have you been doing this blogging thing? I started blogging regularly in December of 2009, but I’ve had the domain since May or June of 2009.

4. Name one living author you would love to interview? Salman Rushdie. No contest.

5. Give the blog address of one blog you truly enjoy. www.findyournextbookhere.com Jenners is so funny and her reviews are awesome.

extra credit: What’s the album that’s in the player right now? Be honest.

 So many! I’ve been listening to The Shins and Muse a whole lot, and I was listening to The Cure last night.

 Q. Any last words?

 A. Good luck with the new Web site!

Q. For many bloggers, blogging doesn’t pay the bills, at least not all the bills. So tell us a little about yourself. What else do you have going on in life?

A. Well at the moment there is quite a lot going on in my life and not enough hours in the day to fit it all in.  Things that are keeping me busy at the moment are full-time work typing up court transcripts, studying a library course part-time, housework, family life, spending time with my two babies (Labradors Karri and Bella Blitz), keeping up-to-date with various Goodreads groups, blogging, organising interviews with authors, reviewing books, trying to find time to read books, getting a bit of “me time” when I can pinch it and the list goes on and on and on.

Q. How do you manage your blog and daily life?

A. To be honest sometimes I find it quite difficult.  You know when you have those really busy days and just want to flop down on the couch and do nothing….that would be great but then I think about what needs to be posted on my blog and that downtime on the couch must be put on hold.  I try to post a few times a week and try to keep my life in balance with all the other day-to-day things.  Sometimes you do have to say to yourself okay, that’s enough, knock off for the night now.

Q. What turned you onto blogging? Don’t be shy.

A. I wanted to share with others my thoughts on what I had been reading, sometimes there is quite a bit to discuss and it just seems a shame to keep that inside your head and not flesh it out.  From there I have been contacted by various publishers and authors to review their books and some are very willing to participate in author interviews, which is great for readers because you get to see the author for who they are and how they came to be where they are and I get to ask questions I would like the answers for.  So, yeah, book reviews started it all and I would do them for Goodreads anyway and thought why not, just do it!

Q. After the book has arrived at your house, how long does it take you to post a review? And could you tell us about your review process?

A. Hm, this depends on how many other books are waiting in line.  I do try to read them on a first in first review basis but there are exceptions to that rule.  I probably average about a book a week when I’m busy with other stuff but sometimes two books a week can be possible.  Once the book hits my doorstep I post the blurb on my blog, get to reading it, after reading it I like my thoughts to simmer for about a week before I write the review – I really think this helps to review more thoroughly.   If the author is willing to participate in an interview I put together the interview questions when I am nearly finished the book or just finished then send them on, once they are answered and posted on my blog that’s when I will review that particular book.  So without an interview probably looking at 2 to 3 weeks if there are no other books in line and with an interview perhaps 5 to 6 weeks.

Q. Just trying to get in the mind of a blogger, tell us about how it feels for publishers and authors to actively try to contact you.

A. I love it!  It makes me feel what I have to say interests others.  Reading is my passion and to be contacted by publishers and authors to read and review books is like a dream come true.

Q. Some bloggers believe in short reviews while others believe in a more extended reviews. What are your thoughts on the subject?

A. Each to their own is probably my short answer to that.  I think whatever you feel comfortable doing is the right thing for you to do.  I tend to swing between short and long reviews and couldn’t really give you an exact reasoning for that.  Ideally I think between 3 to 6 paragraphs would be good, enough to give others an insight to the book and your feelings without rambling on too much.  Sometimes I do get carried away but a new goal of mine is to keep them a little shorter than has been, it’s all about quality rather than quantity.

Q. What genre do you prefer to review and why?

A. Tough question.  I am open to reading and reviewing any genre.  I do like my crime novels and chick lit for quick comfort reads, they’re not always the best stories that are told but a nice in between journey whilst reading other genres. 

Q. How do readers affect the content of your blog?

A. Besides me wanting to give the readers something interesting to read they don’t really affect my blog otherwise.  My blog is about how I feel and I don’t sway that to fit in with other readers and I hope the readers don’t sway their opinions to fit with mine.  It’s all about putting my thoughts out there and hopefully readers will find something different that they might not have picked up on and gain another insight into how they appreciate what they have read or are reading.  I often find discussing books with others they will pick up on things I hadn’t thought of and it opens a whole new door to me, which I truly appreciate.

Q. As far as your blog goes what has been successful for you?

A. My blog is still only in its early stages as I only began it January this year but so far the response has been fantastic, I have had publishers and authors contact me and many hits from the blogging world, people I don’t know and also friends.  I must say I do love the interviews with authors and have been so pleased that many authors are very thankful to participate in an interview.  It’s all about getting your name out there and I like to hope that I can help authors become more recognised and boost their sales.

Q. How many electronic books do you think you read in let’s say a 6 month period.

A. I have only read one so far, Double Out and Back by Lisa Lipkind Leibow.  I must admit I was a little put off reading an electronic book from my computer screen but thoroughly enjoyed this one and it has brought me to the conclusion that if the book is captivating enough then electronic books can be enjoyable.

Q. What are your thoughts on reviewing ebooks?

A. Personally I like the feel of a book in my hands and being able to read it wherever I want to, which means I would spend more time reading it rather than being stuck in my chair at the computer.  I don’t have a kindle so this is the only way I can read ebooks.  I understand authors need to get their work out there and this method is probably quite effective to begin with, easier to deliver and cheaper for the reader.  However, the book with pages is always a winner with me and always my preferred way to read.  So I guess it is easier to review a book because I would read it faster and the story will continue along smoothly, whereas with an ebook I wouldn’t always read it, perhaps opting to read it in sections whilst reading another book at the same time, therefore sometimes thoughts can get jumbled and the story doesn’t go as smoothly.  Just personal preference there really.

Q. Mandy, you have something called Wordy Wednesday on your blog. Explain to us what this is and what it’s all about.

A. I often come across passages in books and quotes I like.  I frequently learn new words whilst reading books and some words I just like the sound of.  I wanted a place to share these instead of just posting something when I came across it so Wordy Wednesday was born and now every Wednesday I’ll post something, well, wordy.  In fact my first Wordy Wednesday was a short story, I just really loved the twist and I wanted to share it.  Sometimes it takes me a while to choose what to put up but I must admit I do love Wordy Wednesday.

Q. As a blogger you must have set some goals for your blog. What has been successful so far and why do you think it has been successful.

A. What has been successful?  Hm.  I guess the whole thing has really because my hits are pretty much spread across the board.  Well, actually I think the interviews get a bit more attention and I can fully understand that.  I personally love reading author interviews and I’m glad my readers do also.  I am quite chuffed with the success really, there is not a day goes by that someone somewhere checks out my blog, usually quite a few someones somewhere.  Maybe it’s successful because it’s easy on the eye, not too much going on (I hope) so therefore the readers may feel comfortable navigating around for a while.  Who knows?

Below is what I’m going to deem the big five. You can answer all of them or none of them. It’s up to you.

1. Your blog address is: http://mandythebookworm.wordpress.com/

2. What is the next book you are reviewing and whom is the author?  The Life in the Wood with Joni-Pip by Carrie King.
3. How long have you been doing this blogging thing? Only for 2 months so far.
4. Name one living author you would love to interview? Lee Child.
5. Give the blog address of one blog you truly enjoy. I’m going to be naughty and give two:

http://thenextbestbookblog.blogspot.com/

and

http://boofsbookshelf.com/

extra credit: What’s the album that’s in the player right now? Be honest.

It’s Olivia Chua, she sings covers of a lot of great songs and I just love listening to this one and singing along.

Q. Any last words?

A. Thank you for this opportunity, U.L.  Also, thank you for providing a copy of your book The Flesh Statue and participating in an interview with me, it has been fun.  All the best to you and your future work.

Guidelines For Rejects from Ryan J slaney on Vimeo.

To better themselves Stan and Barney are trying to quit something everyday. But what happens when they have to quit their clothing and their jobs? Find out in this half hour short Guidelines For Rejects.

Produced by Pure Life Productions

Q. For many bloggers, blogging doesn’t pay the bills, at least not all the bills. So tell us a little about yourself. What else do you have going on in life?

A.  I am a retired social worker, so the two pensions seem to pay the bills.  And occasionally I get some royalties from my books online (five on Amazon), and I do the occasional book signing.

Q. How do you manage your blog and daily life?

A.  I’m an early riser.  A habit from ‘way back, which began when I was working full time as a social worker.  I liked getting into the office early (by 7 a.m.), so that I could do all the paperwork before the phone calls started coming in.  Then later, I would get up early to write (my manuscripts) before going to the office.  Now it’s like my inner clock wakes me up by 5 a.m., because of those instilled habits.  So I blog for awhile, which means posting whatever meme or other event that I have in mind for the day, and then visiting other blogs and commenting on posts.  By 9 a.m. or so, I’m ready for the rest of my life, which usually includes some babysitting (of my youngest grandson), errands, reading, meeting up with friends, etc.

Q. What turned you onto blogging? Don’t be shy.

A.  What may surprise some people is that I only had one blog until June of last year. (I now have seventeen!).  I started that first one (Creations by Laurel-Rain Snow) on Blogger.com, at the suggestion of an Internet Marketing specialist provided by my publisher.  He thought it would be a good way to get my name out there (to sell books!)—you know, that word of mouth thing.   Then I added the second blog, because I was having technical difficulties with the first one…and also, I thought it might be fun to do something different.  (Incidentally, the technical difficulties were simply things that had changed on the site that I had to figure out!).

But then last year in June, I joined one of those “ning” sites called Book Blogs.  On that site, I met some people who were serious bloggers…among them, Sheila, from Journey Through Books.  She interviewed me, and in studying her blog, I was motivated to start another blog (Explorations) on Word Press (where she had her site), because I noticed some features there that I really liked.  By the end of the summer, I had added five additional blogs on Word Press (Potpourri, Collections, Miles to Go, Stardust Dreams, and Embrace the Whirlwind).  Three of these sites spotlight my published novels.

Then I decided to give Blogger another try, because in my various visits to blogs, I learned that I could do some interesting things there—like create my own headers, add Amazon buy buttons, and do other interesting things with widgets.

Each of my blogs has served some purpose (at least in my mind!), and I find tremendous satisfaction in creating and tweaking these sites.  It fulfills some unfulfilled artistic need, I guess.  Like decorating a house, changing things on my blog allows me to express something creative that is not met by writing alone.  The writing, of course, is another draw for me.

Q. After the book has arrived at your house, how long does it take you to post a review? And could you tell us about your review process?

A.  On some of my blogs, I participate in “memes,” and one of these is “It’s Monday: What are you reading?”

I list the books I plan to read that week, posting links and book cover photos, plus a short synopsis.  This helps me organize my reading week.  I post reviews on the same day that I finish reading the book, unless I finish it in the middle of the night!  Then it’s first thing the next day.  I’m kind of obsessive that way, which is probably why one of my blogs is called Obsessions and Compulsions!  LOL.

I try to plan my books for the week based on priorities that might make sense only to me.  My TBR piles have a priority, as do the Amazon Vine reads.  Books received from authors come next, unless the authors give me a deadline.  Usually they don’t, but I do like to honor these commitments fairly quickly.

Q. Just trying to get in the mind of a blogger, tell us about how it feels for publishers and authors to actively try to contact you.

A. I’ve only recently started receiving requests from authors, and that’s probably due to some changes I made on my blogs during Bloggiesta—one of which was adding a “Review Policy” page to my sites.  I also posted my e-mail address under my photo on my sidebars.  I do state my preferences in my review policy, and that I will read and review books according to my time constraints.

Q. Some bloggers believe in short reviews while others believe in a more extended review. What are your thoughts on the subject?

A.  My reviews are a few paragraphs, and include critical information, such as a brief synopsis of the book, making sure not to include spoilers, followed by some of my own reactions to the book.  I post all of my reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, and then add them to one of my individual blogs.

Q. What genre do you prefer to review and why?

A.   I prefer literary fiction, women’s fiction, mystery novels, and books that deal with social issues.  Over the years, I have discovered that there are some books that I don’t enjoy, and I made a vow (at some point) to choose to focus on my enjoyment, since there are so many books out there and there isn’t time to read them all.  I will occasionally venture out of my comfort zone (certainly I had to do that in high school and college!), but only if there is something uniquely compelling about a specific book.

Q. How do readers affect the content of your blog?

A.  Like many bloggers, I think I notice what others are doing and try to bring my own unique voice to some of the same topics.  Of course, I noticed that readers really respond to “memes,” so I try to do one or more of these each day.  This opens my “blog door” to potential new readers, who might linger and check out my other articles.

Q. As far as your blog goes what has been successful for you?

A.  My book reviews seem to attract positive responses…and also, I have had a good response to some of my quirkier stuff that I post in Obsessions or Potpourri.  My eldest son is a photographer in Berlin, and I post many of his photos here and there, which people seem to enjoy.  My Collections blog attracts some readers, too, because here I spotlight all those unusual or cute items that surround me in my daily life.

Recently, I started a blog called Creative Moments, in which I document my progress each day (usually) toward completion of my WIP.

On my Creations blog, I sometimes post excerpts from my short stories.

Q. How many electronic books do you think you read in let’s say a 6 month period.

A.  I must admit that I do not enjoy reading on a device (I barely could stand reading my own PDF files on the computer while proofing my books before publication!).  But I do have one of my books on Kindle…a response to what I observed to be a need out there for this format.  So the answer, I guess, would be NONE.

Q. What are your thoughts on reviewing ebooks?

A.  As you probably gathered from the previous question—not my preference!

Q. Laurel, correct me if I’m wrong but not too long ago you began doing author interviews and guest posts. What were the challenges here and how did you overcome them? Seeing that you have so many blogs I might be incorrect in my assessment. So also in your answer could you tell us about the differences in you blogs and how many do you have? I know. Long question.

A.  I began doing author interviews and guest posts as a way of bringing new readers to my blogs, and I have enjoyed it tremendously.  I have seventeen blogs in all—nine on Blogger.com and eight on Word Press.

Probably the most challenging aspects would be keeping active content going on all the blogs.  Some have more activity than others.  I have specific blogs that I do certain memes on, but sometimes I change this up, just so readers can check out different sites.  When I do author interviews or guest posts, the biggest challenge is probably deciding which blog (of mine) would be the best venue for showcasing an individual guest.  I try to match their books/interests with my blogs.

Five of my blogs are dedicated to my five published novels (Miles to Go, Chasing Stardust (Stardust Dreams), Embrace the Whirlwind, Web of Tyranny Chronicles, and An Accidental Life, so these are often the likeliest place to focus on an author.  I’ve also done interviews on Creative Moments.

 I decide what to post where because of the nature of specific blogs.  Potpourri was developed as a catch-all kind of place to put all kinds of quirky things.  Obsessions and Compulsions came about because—you probably guessed this!—I tend to be obsessive-compulsive, and I wanted a place to freely express some of that…Rants, I guess.  Rainy Days and Mondays came to be when hearing that song from a long time ago—Rainy Days and Mondays Make Me Blue—and thought to myself:  hey, what cheers me up when I’m blue?  A good book!  So the tagline for that one reads:  Books, books, and more books:  Laurel-Rain’s prescription for the blues.

Snow Impressions is another “creative expression” place that is also a play on my name.  Plus, I feature a snowy blog header with my two granddaughters playing in the snow.

Curl up and Read is my go-to place for documenting my progress through my TBR stacks, which are huge.  When I started this in November, there were 166 books on the stacks.  I have whittled it down to 136 (and remember, I’m reading other books besides these, so reading is a big part of my life!).

Moonbeams and Rainbows is a fairytale site, which began as a place to document my reading in the Alice in Wonderland Challenge.

My Seasons site is kind of self-explanatory.  I like to change the look of a blog, and this one I can whimsically recreate and reinvent with the changes of the seasons and to spotlight holidays.

I also belong to a group blog, with five contributing writers, called Dames of Dialogue.

Q. As a blogger you must have set some goals for your blog/s. What has been successful so far and why do you think it has been successful.

A.  That’s really hard to say, but I found two things that brought more readers to my blogs:  memes and contests.  I did some contests on my blogs that grew out of my books, with the prize being a copy of the book.  I got lots of comments and visitors during the contests.  Plus, I got some nice reviews afterwards.

And the memes bring readers to those blogs, but most especially the memes like “What are you reading?” and “Teaser Tuesdays.”

Below is what I’m going to deem the big five. You can answer all of them or none of them. It’s up to you.

1. Your blog address is:

 Seriously?  Okay, I guess I’ll give you all seventeen!

     http://laurelrainsnowcreations.blogspot.com/

     http://laurel-rainsnowsreflections.blogspot.com/

     http://laurelrainsnow.wordpress.com/

     http://rainysnowday.wordpress.com/

     http://chezraine.wordpress.com/

     http://lindsaymalone.wordpress.com/

     http://chasingstardust.wordpress.com/

     http://embracethewhirlwind.wordpress.com/

     http://laurel-rain-snow.blogspot.com/

     http://weboftyranny.blogspot.com/

     http://laurel-rainsnowsaccidentallife.blogspot.com/

     http://snowimpressions.blogspot.com/

     http://rainysnowyobsessions.blogspot.com/

     http://seasonsbylaurelrain.blogspot.com/

     http://curlupandread.wordpress.com/

     http://moonbeams-rainbows.blogspot.com/

     http://laurelrainsnowswonderland.wordpress.com/

    Then, the group blog:  http://damesofdialogue.wordpress.com/

2. What is the next book you are reviewing and whom is the author?

     I just started reading Barbara Walters’ Audition, which will probably be the next one reviewed.  It’s been on my TBR stacks, so I’ll be reviewing it on Curl up and Read.

3. How long have you been doing this blogging thing?

I created my first blog in April 2008, and that was my only one until June 2009, when I started the second one.  As I said, I had several more within the next few months.  I would say the serious blogging didn’t start until I created the third one at the end of June 2009.

4. Name one living author you would love to interview?

 Oh, my!  There are so many possibilities, but I guess one of my favorites has to be Jodi Picoult, followed closely by Sue Miller.  Then I’d like to interview Marge Piercy and Joyce Maynard.  I guess you get the picture…I have lots of favorites.

5. Give the blog address of one blog you truly enjoy.

Oh, again, there are several I really enjoy for very different reasons, but one that I visit everyday is Sheila’s Journey Through Books at http://bookjourney.wordpress.com/

extra credit: What’s the album that’s in the player right now? Be honest.

Barbra Streisand’s “Love is the Answer.”

Q. Any last words?

A.  Seriously?  I think I went on and on, so I’ll just close by saying that I love the whole blogging thing so much that when my computer went down a couple of times in the past few months, I thought I was going through withdrawal! 

Also…my blogging really picked up when I networked my blogs on Facebook.  That is a way to attract more readers and it is so much fun to see my stuff on various pages.

The Flesh Statue is about emotional revolution and forgiveness. Check out the details inside the adjoining website. Click visite website to find out more about The Flesh Statue.

Q. For many bloggers, blogging doesn’t pay the bills, at least not all the bills. So tell us a little about yourself. What else do you have going on in life?

A. Well, life is actually very hectic at the moment. As well as being a Mother to a 3 year old boy I am also a full-time University student who is not only studying one full-time course but two. I am studying a Bachelor of Arts (History & Politics) with Macquarie University and I am also studying a Diploma of Proofreading, Editing and Publishing with the Australian College of Journalism. All this while reviewing books and building websites for the businesses of friends and family. I am currently a very busy woman!

I might also add that, when not studying, mothering, web building or reading, I am also trying to write my own manuscript. It is the story of a woman who has been through an array of traumatic events all through her life and throughout all of them she has had a best friend by her side, a best friend that she inevitably destroys with one bad decision. However, don’t look for it on the shelves any time soon because it has a long, long way to go.

Q. How do you manage your blog and daily life?

A. It is actually fairly easy to slot blogging into my daily life (most of the time). I enjoy reading and I would be reading the same amount of books whether I was blogging or not, so it is easy to slot in the half an hour of reviewing time. It actually helps me when I am reading because I have found that I appreciate the books more. I used to just pick up a book, read it, enjoy it, move on but now I take the time to really delve into the story, take notes and think.

Q. What turned you onto blogging? Don’t be shy.

A. Since I first started University I have really gotten into reading. Before University I was never much of a reader, I just read what I needed to. I blame this on the High School English curriculum because, in all honesty, I think the Australian Board of Studies goes out of its way to pick the most monotonous, uninteresting books they can find. But then the first book I had to read for University was Marion Zimmer Bradley’s “The Mists of Avalon” which, to this day, is one of the best books I have read. From that point I surrounded myself with books, never leaving the house without a book in my handbag. Once I would finish a book I would put up a sentence or two on Facebook about the book, but I never got any comments back and no one really seemed too interested. Then I started reading other book review blogs and thought to myself, “I can do this”.

Q. After the book has arrived at your house, how long does it take you to post a review? And could you tell us about your review process?

A. The time it takes to review a requested book depends on how many books are in the works. At the moment I have five requested books sitting on my coffee table and to get all of them up and on the blog will take between 2-3 weeks, maybe 4 if any distractions appear.

My review process is quite simple; I read the book with a notepad and pen in hand. Every time I find a quote I like I write it down, or any time I have a thought I would like included in the review I write it down. Then when I have finished reading I immediately sit infront of the computer, while the book is still fresh in my mind, write up my plot summary and then I read through my points one by one and construct the review.

I try to always be honest in my reviews and pride myself on my veracity, but in the instance of a not so “cheery” review I do try to end on a positive note.

Q. Just trying to get in the mind of a blogger, tell us about how it feels for publishers and authors to actively try to contact you.

A. I will admit that you (U.L. Harper) were the first author to contact me and it did put me on a bit of a high! Since then I have had several authors contact me with requests to review their books and it is so nice to be appreciated and it is wonderful to know that these people want to hear my opinion and value it.

I was also very excited a few weeks ago when best-selling author, Tracy Quan, contacted me to tell me how much she enjoyed my review of her book “Diary of a Jetsetting Call Girl”. The email from her left me feeling a little star struck!

Q. Some bloggers believe in short reviews while others believe in a more extended review. What are your thoughts on the subject?

A. Well, I always start my blog post with a book summary, which is usually around 100-200 words, and then the review is as long as it happens to be. As I said earlier, I make notes as I read the book and when it comes time to write the review I write point by point and the length of the review depends on how many points I have made. I do try to stick to no more than 500 words, because I have found that people tend to be put off by large chucks of text (yes, even those people who read chunky 1000 page books).

It really is up to the person when it comes to review length. I prefer to read longer reviews because it gives more of an insight into the book, as well as the reviewer, which allows me to make a more educated decision as to whether I will read the book or not.

Q. What genre do you prefer to review and why?

A. I really enjoy reading everything, so I enjoy reviewing everything, but if I had to pick a favourite it would be books with a bit of comedy because then it gives me the opportunity to use my sense of humor while writing the review.

Q. As far as your blog goes what has been successful for you?

A. I have actually found that readers respond more to the negative reviews. Out of all the reviews I have written the few bad reviews are the ones which get the most comments; either people disagree, or they want to know more, some even just want the opportunity to write a funny comment about how honest I have been.

Q. How many electronic books do you think you read in let’s say a 6 month period. What are your thoughts on reviewing ebooks?

A.  I cannot read ebooks, they give me a terrible headache. I think it is the artificial light. When I read I tend to sit and read a book in the one sitting and I find that reading off a computer screen, or an iPhone, or a kindle doesn’t agree with me.

I actually have 2 ebooks waiting for me to review, the first and last ebooks I will accept for review, and I am going to have to print them off to be able to read them. Firstly because I don’t want the headache and secondly, I don’t think I can give a fair review of the story with the headache.

Q. Nicole, you recently added an interesting wrinkle to your blog–a panel of reviewers. Explain to us how this works and what it’s all about.

A. Well I didn’t actually set up the panel of reviewers. I went to the filming of 2 television shows called “First Tuesday Bookclub” and “Jennifer Byrne Presents; Books to Film”, which air on the ABC, and then I did a series of 3 posts about the filming and the books and subjects covered. On the shows they had a panel of guests and I just quoted these panelists.

Q. As a blogger you must have set some goals for your blog. What has been successful so far and why do you think it has been successful.

A. Honestly, my only goal when I first started the blog was to put up my thoughts, have people read them and then maybe have some discussions with like minds, but since I started blogging it has lead me into so much more.

Before the blog I was studying to be a High School Teacher but since the review requests have started coming in and I have had people emailing me to compliment my blog I have realised that teaching isn’t for me. This is why I am now studying Publishing and can see myself going into Publishing. The question is not what blogging goals I have reached, but what goals blogging has established for me.

Below is what I’m going to deem the big five. You can answer all of them or none of them. It’s up to you.

1. Your blog address is:

http//bookywooks.blogspot.com/

2. What is the next book you are reviewing and whom is the author?

Well I am currently reading “Sensitivity 101 for the Heterosexual Male” by Philip Nork, which is an author requested review. I am about half way through and it is a great read so far, about a young man growing up and realising what it is that woman want and how to give it to them.

After this I will be reading and reviewing, on request, “72 Virgins” by Avi Perry. A fictional story about terror attacks on US soil.

3. How long have you been doing this blogging thing?

Mine is just a relatively new blog, which has only been going for a few months.

4. Name one living author you would love to interview?

I would have to say Marion Zimmer Bradley because her book, “The Mists of Avalon” is the book that changed my life. It is the book which first lead to my love of books, which lead to blogging, which has now lead me into the pursuit of a career in publishing.

5. Give the blog address of one blog you truly enjoy.

This is the blog and blogger from whom I take the most influence;

http://www.findyournextbookhere.com/

extra credit: What’s the album that’s in the player right now? Be honest.

With music, like books (and movies), I have a very open appreciation of almost everything, So in my 6 stacker CD player I currently have an eclectic mix of The Clash, Pink, Johnny Cash, Alter Bridge, Queens of the Stoneage and Katy Perry.

Q. Any last words?

A. Bloggers like to know that people are reading and enjoying their blogs so all I can say is comment, comment, comment!