#ArmchairBea-Day 2-Blogger Development and Genre Fiction

Day 2 we talk about how we develop ourselves as bloggers.  Have you branched out into your community? Do you partner with other bloggers?  Have you gone "pro" or begun supplementing your income through your blog?  Are you a long-term blogger, and how has your online personality developed over the years?  These are simply ideas.  Think development and tell us what comes to mind.

When I first started out I got myself involved in a lot of giveaways and blog hops, mostly related to reading for children and teens. It went fast and furious and I was a little amazed at the number of followers I got. But I realized something. It went so fast and furious I didn't really give myself time to truly develop a voice or figure out exactly how I would blog, for who, for why...in other words I did not go much beyond the I knew I wanted to blog because I love talking books, I love helping authors spread the word about the books they write and how they write them. Over the couple of years I did that I began revising the feel of my blog, much like I would revise a book. Out of that grew me knowing I love being part of a community of regular blog posters. Made myself get brave and joined in with something called Marvelous Middle Grade Monday that was developed my Shannon Messenger. From there I got to know many other bloggers and writers of middle grade and the blogging narrowed to just doing it primarily on Mondays...and being okay with that! I also learned pretty quick to just blog as myself. I often found myself thinking oh Deb, your reviews are kind of juvenile, they are not as professional as some are, they do not provide the detail and you are only talking about the books you really really liked. Took me some time to just say...THAT IS OKAY...that is how I want to blog. It's very much how I would be in person if you met me at a bookstore and asked me to recommend some books to you. Plus, with writing and work, blogging just on a Monday is what works best. Right now that is. 

I have taken a couple of leaps, reached out to offer guest blog posts on Marvelous Middle Grade Mondays, organized my own Marvelous Middle Grade Reads and most recently doing a Marvelous Middle Grade May Reading Challenge. Next year I will be doing it in March. Talked to Jill at Owl and she won't be doing it so will be stepping into her shoes with the help of fellow blogger, writer, artist Akoss. Reaching out to this incredible community has served me well. I swear I am becoming less and less shy!



So. 

The most important thing I have learned is to be myself, don't compare. Follow my passion and hopefully it will show on my blog. And if I try something new and it does not work (not talking in terms of comments, cause sometimes I get very few and that's totally okay!) for me and my time, it is all good. Figure I am a work in progress, always will be, therefore so is my blog!

The book-ish focus will be genre fiction.  What draws you to a specific genre?  Do vampires, zombies, or witches float your boat?  Or, do you prefer the heat of romance?  Recommend your favorite genres and/or books and help build reader TBR shelves a bit more!



When I was a teen I thought I would not like fantasy. There was no real reason for it. I just thought it was something I would not like so never really tried it. Same as an early adult. THEN I went to work in youth services for a public library and I was given a required reading list. On it was The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper. Playing Beattie Bow by Ruth Park. The love affair began. I was also shaking my head as I read more and more fantasy. It was something I would have LOVED. These days I read it all. Vampires, zombies (Johnathan Mayberry's series anyone? Rot and Ruin oh yeah baby). Witches, urban fantasy. I am drawn by the worlds, the humour, the absolute realness it all represents when it comes to the human condition, the incredible writing chops of the authors when it comes to character development, themes, settings...world building.

Some authors I recommend:

Holly Black (YA and MG-urban fantasy)
Joni Sensel (MG-fantasy, dystopian, crazy good...just finished reading The Farwalker's Quest)
Heather Brewer
Patricia Briggs (adult urban fantasy)
Cinda Chima (mg and ya)
Anne of Green Gables (oopsies, Anne, you don't belong in this list...but how cool would it be? Can you imagine how much she would love to live in an Urban Fantasy world?!!?)

Ta for now!