Posts by Nichole

Oh my goodness…I can’t believe we’re already at Day 12. There are only 3 more days after this! Sucky, cause I have actually really enjoyed this challenge. Hopefully all of you have, too! This challenge is hosted by April over at Good Books and Good Wine. Head on over there to see the other participants and to link up yourself!

Today’s topic is How do you fight blogger fatigue?

Blogger Fatigue is something that I’m very familiar with. I’m a full time student, I volunteer at a Literacy Program, I do Story times on Friday’s, and I’m usually not on the computer after 5 p.m. on the weekdays, and I’m hardly ever on during the weekends unless I use the laptop. So, I’m pretty busy most of the time. And, honestly, when I have downtime I’m reading.

Also, sometimes blogging sounds like a lot of work. That’s often why there will be no post for the day here and there or why I’m not consistent with my posts. It’s something that I’m trying really hard to work on, but I haven’t mastered the “bloggers skill” yet. I’m a lazy person. I admit it.

I don’t really have an answer for how to fight it….I mean…I just admitted that it happens to me pretty constantly. I think the best thing to do is to blog when you want to. And when you have a few hours straight to blog, do it. Blog as much as you can…set up a couple weeks in advance and then have some down time. That is the best thing that I can recommend. Blogging is more relaxing when you’re not posting for the very next day. When you know that you have the next 2-4 weeks scheduled with posts, you will be one happy camper.

There’s no real answer on how to fight blogger fatigue but my advance should help people if they follow it. If you have all this downtime to blog…good for you! I’m jealous of all you kids out there who are on summer break. Fortunately, I will be taking a year off starting in September, and I AM SO EXCITED. I’m sure I’ll have a LOT more reading time and scheduled posts for that year [=

What about you? How do you fight blogger fatigue? Let me know in the comments section below!

Hi everyone! I meant to have each individual day of this challenge post but life got in the way, so I’m going to be grouping up days 7 through 11 in this post. I’ll be scheduling the other days right after this, so everything else will have their individual posts. But it just makes it more fun for you to get a bigger post! [; This challenge is hosted by April over at Good Books and Good Wine.

Day 7: Talk About Your Blogging Quirks

Oh goodness. Ok. Well, First of all, I have a calendar that sits right next to my computer, and I write down all of my scheduled posts on it. I can’t function very well going on to WordPress and eyeballing it. I’m a very organized person, and I have to have my schedule handwritten.

I usually can’t have the TV on when I’m writing a post. I’m breaking that rule right now, so I’m expecting some typing errors to occur. I love Switched at Birth, though, so it’s worth the risk [;

I absolutely cannot write a post without saying it out loud as I type. If I don’t read it out loud, then I think it sucks.

I’m really bad at staying consistent with my posts. Like keeping up on IMM or TTT or What Should I Read Next Post. Those are the hardest posts for me, which is hilarious because they take no time at all. I’m trying to slowly fix that.

I can’t think of any more quirks atm, but I’m sure I have more [;

Day 8: Quick! Write 15 bullet points of things that appeal to you on blogs!

1. A good design. I like color

2. Politeness! Some bloggers have really rude contact information or rule guidelines for submissions. You don’t have to be rude to lay out your guidelines. I tend to prefer bloggers who are classy.

3. Pictures. I love sidebar pictures of favorite books. I don’t know how to work WordPress except for writing posts. So every time I want something done like that, I have to bug Ivy lol.

4. Currently reading list. We have one of these on one of our tabs, but I love the blogs that have it upfront and center on the blog.

5. Current giveaway sidebars. Some blogs are doing this. They’re showing pictures with links to their current giveaways. I think that’s an awesome idea!

6. Books to Pine For and Ebook Deals: As far as I know, The Story Siren is the only one who does Books to Pine For, but I LOVE IT! I also love the ebook deals that a lot of bloggers seem to be doing. I don’t usually purchase the ebooks, because I have an obsession with library books, but I always look at those.

7. Originality: Be original! Have a different design or a different set up. Make yourself stand out!

8: Personality: I have this horrible habit of thinking that I am the most boring blogger in the universe. Hopefully you guys don’t think so! I love bloggers who are comical or just full of personality. That will draw me to you.

9. Animals. Not a lot of bloggers do this, but I love when they show their animals on their blog. I am such an animal person. I could just stare at them all day long.

10. Sign up forms/ big events: The best thing a blogger can do is have some big event during the year. I’ve started doing that this year, and I’ve joined a few events this year, as well. It’s such a great idea!

11. Interesting interviews/guest posts: I SUCK at writing interview questions and coming up with guest post topics, so I love to see unique ones from other bloggers.

12. Indie Authors: I understand why some bloggers don’t host Indie authors on their blogs, but I’m personally against that. I think everyone deserves a shot, and I love to see bloggers host Indie authors on their blogs.

13. Comments! Getting comments is one of the hardest things ever! Viewers! If you want to make a bloggers day…leave a comment. [;

14. Passion: I love to see bloggers get so excited over books and authors and whatever else is on their mind. It’s the best way to get me to come to your blog.

15. Dedication/Consistency: If you want me on your blog, you need to be having a post come out almost daily. It’s ok to miss a few days here and there. I completely understand what that’s like! But you need to stay consistent. I’ve seen a few blogs this year that haven’t made posts since like February. I probably won’t be going back to those blogs.

Day 9: Why do you blog about books?

This isn’t going to be very long…..I love books. I love authors. I love promoting books. I just love books. Why not blog about one of the things that I love most? It’s my passion.

Day 10: How do you choose what book to read next?

I am all about the cover. If I don’t like the cover, I probably won’t read it anytime soon. This is sometimes different if I already love a series and the cover sucks, although I can’t recall such a situation. But, yes, it’s all about the cover. And sometimes it’s just about how popular a book or series is.

Day 11: Show off 5 of your best blog posts.

Uh……you guys…..I’m going to go against the rules and pass on this one. I’ve written a lot of posts….and I love so many….and I’ve written so many that I can’t remember a lot of them. I was pretty proud of the Debut Authors Bash post that I recently did, because I took a chance and organized that all by myself. I know I have a lot of reviews that I love…but I just have way too many posts to choose from.

Whew! That was hard work! Sorry for not having these days in individual posts, but I hoped you enjoyed them! Let me know your thoughts and own opinions in the comment section and make sure to link me to your own posts!

# 1 New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Jennifer L. Armentrout Lives in West Virginia.

All the rumors you heard about her state aren’t true.

Well, mostly. When she’s not hard at work writing, she spends her time, reading, working out, watching zombie movies, and pretending to write.

She is the author of the Covenant Series (Spencer Hill Press), the Lux Series (Entangled Teen), Don’t Look Back (Disney/Hyperion) and a yet untitled novel (Disney/Hyperion), and new YA paranormal series with Harlequin Teen.

Jennifer also writes New Adult and Adult romance under the pen name J. Lynn. The Gamble Brothers Series (Tempting the Best Man/Tempting the Player) and Wait for You. Under her pen name, she is published with Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

City or Country?
Somewhere in between.

The Host or The Mortal Instruments?
I probably won’t end up seeing either at the theater, but more interested in TMI.

Pepsi or Coke?
Pepsi

Nashville or The Vampire Diaries?
Vampire Diaries

Ian Somerhalder or Matt Bomer?

Is that a serious question? Ian.

Romance or Paranormal?
Paranormal Romance

Vampires or Werewolves?
Vamps

Twilight or The Hunger Games?
Uh… I haven’t read The Hunger Games. Gasp. I know.

Sweet or Savory?
Saucy

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB over at Should Be Reading!

To participate all you have to do is:

•Grab your current read

•Open to a random page

•Share “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!

(make sure what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

Today’s teaser comes from All the Truth That’s in Me by Julie Berry

Release Date: September 26th, 2013

Published by: Viking Juvenile

Four years ago, Judith and her best friend disappeared from their small town of Roswell Station. Two years ago, only Judith returned, permanently mutilated, reviled and ignored by those who were once her friends and family. Unable to speak, Judith lives like a ghost in her own home, silently pouring out her thoughts to the boy who’s owned her heart as long as she can remember—even if he doesn’t know it—her childhood friend, Lucas. But when Roswell Station is attacked, long-buried secrets come to light, and Judith is forced to choose: continue to live in silence, or recover her voice, even if it means changing her world, and the lives around her, forever. This startlingly original novel will shock and disturb you; it will fill you with Judith’s passion and longing; and its mysteries will keep you feverishly turning the pages until the very last.

“The final explosion dwarfs the others.

The shouts and cries I heard from the riverbed will echo in my mind forever and make me wonder if my choice was good.

Is it comfort enough to know that they’d have done it to us if they could? And were it not for the miracle you’ve wrought today, they would. Good war-makers we are, you and I. (ARC pg 71.)

“I cry to my willow tree: robbed of years, robbed of dignity, language, tranquility.

Last of all, cruelest, robbed of you. (ARC pg 21.)