It’s Book Blogger Appreciation Week! AKA BBAW – September 12-15. Book bloggers everywhere are sharing their love of books and blogging with each other and their followers, but, as an author, I wanted to share my love of book bloggers in my own way. Why? Because I wouldn’t be where I am without them. Seriously.

Today I introduce to you Amy at A Simple Love of Reading. Amy’s enthusiasm for my books really helped to spread the word on her blog and on Twitter and I’ve sincerely appreciated everything she does, not just for me but for all the authors she features and supports.

So let’s get to know her!

KC: Tell us about yourself in 10 words.
A: Mother, book-lover, photography-lover, cookie-lover, animal-lover, movie-lover, slightly OCD and married.  🙂

 
KC: If you tweeted a general message about your blog, what would it say (140 characters or less)?
A: Hey Everyone, come on over and get comfy with my simple love of reading!  Reviews, Giveaways and more!

 
KC: What’s your favorite genre to read?
A: Paranormal Romance, although I do enjoy a variety of others.

 
KC: What are your favorite blogs to follow?
A: That is a really hard question.  I follow so many that I love…but a few are:

…And so many more, I could keep going and going!

KC: Have any bloggers inspired you or your blog?
A: Oh, definitely!  I have read some wonderful reviews and they inspire me to do better with my own.

 
KC: How did you get started blogging?
A: I found that I was reading my books too fast!  I would go through almost a book a day and needed a way to slow myself down, so I started my blog.  This way I would have to take my time reading in order to think about the books and the characters so I could write down my thoughts, as simple as those thoughts may be they still require some time to sit down and blog them.  In the beginning I would just talk very briefly about the books, but as my blog has grown so have my reviews.  I can only hope that I have improved and will continue to do so as time progresses.
KC: What is your favorite part about being a blogger?
A: Talking to authors.  I’m still amazed when authors welcome doing an interview or guest posting on my blog!  And getting to know my fellow bloggers through their own writing.  One more thing I love to do is share my books with some of the others that can’t always afford to buy their own books.  Some of the amazing bloggers I follow are pretty young, and don’t even have jobs yet!

KC: What’s the hardest part of being a blogger?
A: I guess, for me, that would be always coming up with new things to say in my reviews.  I keep mine simple but there are still times when I find myself to be repeating something I have said before.

KC: What do you do when a book you agreed to review just isn’t working for you?
A: When an author offers me a book to review, I promise them an honest review, and if it just so happens that it’s not working and I can’t finish the book (although I feel terrible) I contact the author.  I explain to them why the book is not working for me, I keep the conversation between the author and myself because I do not feel it is fair for me to judge the book in any way if I did not get very far into it in the first place.

On the other hand, if a book isn’t working but I do manage to finish it, I always try to be as fair as possible in my review.  I say why I didn’t like it, but also talk about the things that kept me reading the book to the end.
KC: Do you ever get reviewer’s block or in a reading slump?
A: I can be lucky enough to say that I have never experienced a reading slump (*knock on wood*).  But there are times when I sit and just stare at a blank page wondering how I am going to get my thoughts about a book into some sort of understandable review!  I usually pull through in the end, but I’m not always sure I’m satisfied with the end results.  I’ve never had any complaints…but maybe people are just too nice!  😉

 
KC: How can we connect with you?
– Email: simpleloveofreading@rogers(dot)com
– And of course my blog: http://simpleloveofreading.blogspot.com/
Please check out Amy’s reviews and other posts. You’ll find lots of great stuff, including giveaways.

Have a question for Amy? Go ahead and ask!