The Liebster Award 2.0

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WHAT?!?!! ME??? Another Award???!!!

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I’m so honored. Really. My heart is full of warmness.

I want to say a HUGE thank you to the amazing Jordan @ The Heart of a Book Blogger for nominating me and just being an amazing human being in general. If you don’t know who she is, you need to go check out her blog! You don’t know what you are missing out on.

I actually got nominated for this over a year ago, and did a post then (which you can check out here), but I’m seriously cringing so hard at it, so maybe don’t go read it? Idk… either way, welcome to my Liebster 2.0 award! I’m so excited to answer Jordan’s questions! And, hopefully when I look back at this post in a year, I won’t cringe so hard.

Rules of the award (because rules are important and stuff):

  • Thank the person who nominated you.
  • Answer the 11 questions they gave you.
  • Nominate 11 blogs.
  • Give them 11 questions to answer.

And now, for my answers!!! To Jordan’s questions!!! YAY!

1. What book got you hooked on reading?

I don’t really remember… I’ve just always been a reader.

2. When did you begin your blog?

February 2016

3. Why did you start blogging?

Because I loved the idea of being a part of a community of book lovers! (And it’s been amazing so far!!)mmmm

4. What’s your Hogwarts house?

Gryffindor!

5. Tea, coffee, hot chocolate?

I mean, I drink coffee every morning, but I think it really depends on my mood.

6. Favorite book read in 2017?

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas. Also, keep your eye out for my review (of the series) because I’m going to be doing a huge giveaway!!

7. What’s one book you bought because of the cover?

The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury (and gosh was that a great book!!)

8. Who are some of your auto-buy authors?

Kendare Blake, Sarah J. Maas, Jenn Bennett, and Elizabeth Norris

9. What’s one movie/TV show adaptation you liked better than the books?

Honestly I liked the Mortal Instruments movie more than the book (but I think the TV show is the worst of all). Also the Vampire Diary TV show is better than the books…

10. What’s your most anticipated release for the rest of the year or 2018?

I’m excited for SO MANY. I can’t pick a favorite.

11. What are you currently reading?

At this very moment? Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas and Hunting Prince Dracula by Kerri Maniscalco.

I nominate:

  1. Cole @ Teenage Book Reader
  2. Stacy and Daisy @ Two Gals and a Book
  3. Jessica @ Reading with Jessica
  4. It’s Fine
  5. Darque Dreamer Reads
  6. Fernanda @ The Wanderlust Reader
  7. Jessica @ The Mortal Jessica
  8. Lindsay @ Singer of Stories
  9. Rendz @ Reading with Rendz
  10. Amber @ The Literary Phoenix
  11. Taylor @ Taylor is Reading

My questions for you:

  1. What is the first thing that comes to mind when I say orange?
  2. Righty or lefty?
  3. Can you type without looking at the keyboard?
  4. What is your favorite thing about the blogging community?
  5. What book do you think is overrated?
  6. What book do you think is underrated?
  7. How many books do you usually read a month?
  8. Pineapple on pizza: yes or no?
  9. Favorite color?
  10. Favorite food?
  11. How hungry are you right now?

Thanks for reading!! 

The “Get to Know Me” Tag + Facing one of my Biggest Fears + Trying out a New Look

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I saw this tag over at Awkward Aris and decided to do it. Why? I don’t know. Why not? I’ve been blogging for a year and a half, there are now more than 500 of you amazing people following me (don’t forget to enter the giveaway here before it ends!!), and I’ve never really done a “get to know me” thing. Better late than never… right? RIGHT????

Hahaha anywayyyy….

I have a fear of sharing my personal life on the internet. Why? Maybe because I watch too many Sci-Fi movies about scary internet stuff. Or because of how I was raised… Who knows.

But guys: I’m inching out of my shell for you, because I love this community so much and want to get to know all of you and make some amazing book-loving friends that I can geek out with. And the first step of that is letting you know more about me, so here goes nothing. Time to face my fears.

The Get to Know me Tag

(I am hiding under my bed while you are reading this)

Part 1: Vital Stats

Name: Emma. I was actually named after the Jane Austen book, and was almost named

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This throw back accurately captures the sibling dynamic

Elizabeth (after Pride and Prejudice).

 

Nicknames: Oh gosh, I’ve had so many… A lot of people call me Em (which I like). One of my little brothers calls me Queenar (as in Queen Enar), and my other little brother just calls me Enar. Don’t ask me why cause I have no idea. My dad calls me Scooter, but only he is allowed to call me that. Here is a list of the rest of my nicknames (that I can think of) through the years:

  • Emsie
  • Memsie
  • Me-me (like saying “me” twice… not meme)
  • Ems
  • M&M
  • Puppy/puppy love/pups
  • Leh-her (because nobody can pronounce my last name… and the mispronunciation stuck)
  • I’m sure there are more, but I can’t think of them right now

(That’s 11 nicknames I can think of… I didn’t realize I’ve had that many?!)

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Unfortunately for me, my brother’s birthday is Nov 22nd, which means he usually gets the Thanksgiving day celebrations

Birthday: November 28th! Sometimes my birthday falls on Thanksgiving, which is pretty cool. I love having a fall birthday, but sometimes (like the last two years) it falls on the first day of exams (2 years ago) or the first day back from Thanksgiving break (last year) which kind of sucks. Happy birthday to me.

 

Star Sign: Sagittarius!! I love my star sign. I am the archer. I am the warrior. I once hit a bulls eye with a bow and arrow (don’t worry, it was a total fluke, but I forever have bragging rights in my family).

Occupation: Ummm… Blogger? Volunteer Librarian? Student? Camp Councilor? Baby Sitter? What do you want me to say?

Part 2: Appearance

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AKA me whenever I try to put makeup on

Hair Color: Dark brown (but still very far off from black)

 

Hair Length: Down to my waist until a few weeks ago when I chopped it off to shoulder length. I’m still getting used to it.

Eye Color: Hazel. Sometimes they look brown, and sometimes they look green. But once I was told they looked orange which will forever go down as my favorite description of my eyes in the history of me.

Best Feature: HAHAHAHAHAHA idk.

Braces: Nope! Never needed em. My teeth grew in straight and I will be forever grateful for that.

Piercings: Just your normal one in each ear. Although I did have a second piercing in one of my ears (I think it was the right? I can’t remember), but I let that close up years ago. I do want to get some cartilage piercings though. My phone is full of inspo pics.

Tattoos: Nope. I’m not sure if I want any either… not that I don’t like them, just that I have commitment issues (see: let my piercing close up) and the permanence of them scares me. But…. if I were to get one it would be something small and meaningful on the side of my rib cage (cause bring on the pain suckahssss)

Right or Left Handed: Right. But I am kind of ambidextrous. I broke my right arm twice in 2 years, so I had to do a lot of writing with my left hand. I was really good at it for a while too.

Part 3: Firsts

Real Holiday: Yeah not really sure how to interpret this. I’m pretty sure I was born on a Sunday, so I think that means I missed Thanksgiving… so maybe New Years.

No, wait. I know what my real first holiday was: MY BIRTHDAY (that counts, right?)

Best Friend: Um, well the first best friend (other than my big bro) that I remember was named Kessie and she moved away when I was like 5, but we follow each other on Instagram. We haven’t talked in forever. But, I did learn how to read with her (we homeschooled kindergarten together), so that’s pretty cool I guess.

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Kidding! My first sport was reading, because that 100% counts. #BookJocksFTW

Award: Ummmm…. sports related or school related? And I don’t remember for both. Probably something for participation.

 

 

Sport: Soccer. I was on a co-ed team with my older brother pretty much as soon as I could walk. Kessie was also there for that, just fyi.

Concert: I mean, I grew up playing piano (ya know, cause my family is so original), so the first concert I was at was probably one I played in? That being said, I’ve never been to a full on concert. Just classical stuff and some stuff at festivals which I don’t count because that was more of a “stop for a second and watch before I move on” type of thing.

Part 4: Favorites

TV show(s): If I listed all of my favorite TV shows this post might never end. I am the

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Why is there no “Favorite Person” question? Cause that would be my big bro #BestiesForLife

kind of person who binges one TV show at a time… and one after another. So I always have a new favorite. Right now, I’m binging Royal Pains (which is amazing and funny… plus a doctor show ).

 

Color: Pink. Pink for now and pink for always. But, I wear a lot of blue and make everything blue. But my favorite color is pink. (Yeah, I’m weird)

Song(s): Hahahahaha this is even longer than my TV show list. But if I had to pick one all time favorite, it would be Breathe (2 am) by Anna Nalick. That song speaks to me on a spiritual level.

Restaurant: Setta Luna (aka the most amazing Pizza Place). I wish I still lived near it, but then again if I did, I might not have any money left. Oh, also if we’re talking fast food, I love Taco Bell and Subway. I don’t eat any other fast food.

Shop: Barns & Noble. It’s been my favorite store forever. When I was little, I made a 9378297jingle for it during a car ride. My brothers and I still sing it whenever we see a store.

Book(s): Okay so I thought my lists of TV shows and songs are bad. This list *lets out long, low whistle*. But, if I had to pick one book, it would be Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake. This has been my favorite book since I found it (at Barnes & Noble!!) in 2012, and I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve read it.

Shoes: Yeah, not really a shoe person. You can find me in my blue Asics sneakers or flip-flops from Walmart (what? They’re like 85 cents a pair! Who am I to say no to that?).

Part 5: Currently

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Halloween has always been my favorite holiday.

Feeling: Super nervous to publish this post (my stomach is twisting), and also nostalgic because of all the old pics I’m putting in this post.

Single or Taken: Single

Eating: Nothing right now, but I made myself an egg sandwich for breakfast a few hours ago that was delicious. And I don’t even like eggs that much…

Thinking about: How scared I am to post this. Also:

  • what I’m going to have for lunch
  • finding time to finish my millionth re-read of Anna Dressed in Blood
  • I need to do laundry at some point today
  • How long can cooked lobster stay in the fridge? Also how should I eat it?
  • My WIP
  • How hard it is to come up with good names for my characters.
  • I really want to see a pink dolphin and a blue penguin one day.
  • And a bunch of other really random stuff

Watching: Season 2, Episode 11 of Royal Pains.

Wearing: My dad’s old shirt (which is bright orange and incredibly soft), baggy green sweatpants from Pink, and mismatched socks. I’m so sexy in my PJ’s.

Part 6: Future

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At the Sea Coast Science Museum AKA pretending to be a serious biologist.

Want Children?: Yes!

Want to be married?: Yup.

Careers in Mind: Writer, Geneticist, Biologist, Doctor/Surgeon… Something else entirely… I have no idea.

Where do you Want to Live?: A suburb or a college town. Preferably on the east coast of the US where all four seasons are present.

Part 7 (last part, I promise): Do You Believe In…

God: Nope. I believe in the Greater Unconsciousness.  Or at least that’s what I call it. It’s kind of like karma.

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Not love at first sight, but my first crush! Also he gave me roses that day. Also check out the sword on my brother’s belt.

Miracles: Nope. But my theory of the GU has something like them.

 

Love at First Sight: No. But I believe in lust at first sight. And I have had that electric-current-when-you-first-see-each-other feeling and it is amazing and he was a great boyfriend… but it was more of a physical attraction than anything else, and, needless to say, it didn’t work out.

Ghosts: 100%. Maybe not the kind of ghosts popular in fiction/supernatural stories, but I do believe that somebody’s consciousness can remain whole after they die, if there is something left for them. Again, it has to do with my GU ideas, which would take wayyy too long to explain.

Aliens: Yes. I refuse to believe that we are the only beings that exist. There has to be something else out there.

Soulmates: Kind of. I like the idea of soulmates, but I don’t think there is just one for each person. I think that there are tons of people out there that can relate to each other on a deep level, and that kind of connection is what coined the term “soulmate”

Heaven: nope.

Hell: Just for people I don’t like. Lol, just kidding. Nope, I don’t.

Kissing on a First Date: If it feels right, I see no problem with it

Yourself: I have my moments

And. That. Is. Me. Ta-da. I can hear my heart pounding right now. Why is this so hard for me?

Also if you liked this post and want to see more like it, tell me that too… or ya know, if you don’t want to see anything else like this then that’s cool too.

Now I need to tag people:

Okay, so I really want to get to know everyone, so if you are reading this, consider yourself tagged. I tag you.

If you already did this tag (even if it was a million years ago), leave me a link so I can go check it out!

Or, if you want, you can just answer the prompts in the comments below!!

Thanks for reading!!

Book Blogger Blind Date

A few weeks ago, Jillian over at Rant and Rave about Books proposed a Book Blogger Blind Date. Basically what that means is book bloggers could be signed up (via google docs form) and then based on the answers we gave, she would pair us up to do interviews with each other and get to know each other.

I happed to love the idea, so I signed up!

I got paired with a wonderful blogger named Ashley. She blogs at Inside my Minds. We decided to ask each other some random questions that require some thinking to answer. Over all we had a great time! Below are the questions I asked and her answers!

 


Q: How do you choose new books to read? What is the strangest way you have found a book you love?

A: I watch a lot of BookTube and from those videos if I see a book that seems interesting, I’ll go to the Barnes and Noble website and read the synopsis.  I’ll also look up the ratings and read reviews on Goodreads.  I know this might seem like a boring answer, but I haven’t found any books that I love in strange ways.

Q: Do you prefer hard copy books or eBooks? How strongly do you feel about your preference?

A: I’m 50/50 when it comes to hard copies and eBooks.  I love how hardcovers and paperbacks feel in my hands, but I love the convenience of my Nook.  For a really long time I was reluctant to get an eReader, however now that I have one, I really love it.

Q: If you could assemble a team of 3 book characters to be stranded on an island with, who would they be and why?

A: Harry, Luna and Hermione because Harry and Luna have the DATD skills and Hermione has the book smarts.  Plus, Harry can always summon his broom too!

Q: If you were the main character in a book, what kind of book would it be and what challenges would you face?

A: It’s a toss up between Harry Potter and The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe.  I would want to face the same things the main characters did, just to experience them for myself.

Q: What would you do if you found out that you are actually a character in a book and our reality isn’t real?

A: I’ve been mulling over this question for a while, and this is one question that I don’t have an answer for.


A

Ashley also gave me a short list of random facts about herself! Here they are:

  1. I’m a Bostonian
  2. Baseball is my favorite sport to watch
  3. The Red Sox are my favorite team
  4. I did gymnastics for eight years, and competed for six and a half
  5. My favorite book to movie adaptations are Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings
  6. I’m definitely a PotterHead
  7. I’m part Greek and yes I know how to make Baklava
  8. I’ve always been a reader
  9. I still shop in the kids department and I’m 28 years old, but I’m also 4’11…
  10. I love yoga and I use the Fit Star Yoga app
  11. Lilacs are my favorite flower
  12. I come from a big family so I’m family orientated
  13. I’m lactose intolerant, and yes I can still have some dairy
  14. The MLB All-Star Game is my favorite to watch, because the outcome of the game actually means something.
  15. I don’t eat seafood

I want to thank Jillian again for organizing such a fun event! I had a great time getting to know Ashley, and I hope we can do it again some day!

Head on over to Ashley’s blog, Inside my Heads, to check out my interview!

Author Q&A- K. M. Weiland

Today I had the pleasure of interviewing the lovely K. M. Weiland. She is the award-winning and internationally published author of the bestselling Outlining Your Novel and Structuring Your Novel. Read the interview below.

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Q: How long have you been writing? Why did you start?

A: Stories have always been my mode of interpreting and communicating with the world around me. I made up characters and told myself stories from a very young age, but I didn’t start writing them down until I was about twelve. During high school, I edited and published a small newsletter that featured short stories and informative articles. From there, it was a natural progression to novels.

Stories are like breathing. Life without a story in my head is one-dimensional, stagnant, vapid. I love the life God has given me, but I think I love it better because I’m able to live out so many other lives on the page. I’m more content to be who I am because I’m not trapped in that identity. When I sit down at my computer and put my fingers on the keys, I can be anyone or anything, at any time in history. I write because it’s freedom.

 Q: You have written many fictional books as well as non-fiction books. Tell me a little bit about what it is like writing in these different genres.

 A: Most of my stories fall into under the headings of historical and speculative fiction (and sometimes a combination of the two), but, in general, I dislike pigeonholing myself in a particular genre. As a reader, I enjoy many different types of fiction. If it’s a good story, I’ll love it, regardless of genre. And that’s pretty much how I feel about my writing. I’d love to write something in every genre before I’m finished!

Q: Where do you get the inspiration for your books? Do you have a muse?

 A: I like to say that inspiration is everywhere—and it really is. I’ve picked ideas from such disparate places as the dust on my windowsill (I’m a terrible duster) to my pets to the grapefruit I had for breakfast. It’s really just a matter of being open to whatever you’re experiencing at the moment.

But I will say that most of my inspiration is usually the result of other people’s art. The three big ones are most definitely:

 

  1. Books
  2. Movies
  3. Musi

I feed off other people’s stories and glean little tidbits that inspire stories of my own. The characters and themes in books and movies and the half-answered questions in songs are endless sources of inspiration for me.

Q: What advice to you have for budding authors and bloggers?

 A: Write for the love of it, first and foremost. As Anne Lamott says, “Being published isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. But writing is.” Write the stories of your heart, not the stories you think the market wants. Write the story you’d want to read if you were one of your own readers.

Q: What is something you want the world to know?

A: That sometimes starting is the hardest thing you’ll ever do. But it only takes five seconds of courage, and it only gets easier from there.

Find K. M Online:

K.M. Weiland’s Bio

Twitter

Website
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