Blogging NaNoWriMo

We're only about 3 weeks away from National Novel Writing Month, more popularly known as NaNoWriMo. If you've never heard of NaNoWriMo, it's where people from around the world try their hand at completing a novel (at least 50,000 words) in 30 days or less during the month of November. It's crazy and tons of fun. You can chat with other NaNos on Twitter using the hashtag #nanowrimo, meet up with fellow NaNos in your area for write-ins, race in "word wars" with other NaNos to boost your word count, follow writing prompts if you're stuck, and read excellent "pep talk" essays by established authors. I've participated in NaNoWriMo for the past two years and highly recommend it to anyone who's thought about writing a novel, because there's so much support available that you won't get during the rest of the year. Plus, it's a freaking blast.

But. What if you don't want to write a novel, but still want to get your writing on? You could turn NaNoWriMo into NaBloPoMo, or National Blog Posting Month, by challenging yourself to post to your blog every day in November.

Sound crazy? Worried about how you'll think of a topic every day? Don't be intimidated. BlogHer hosts a NaBloPoMo every month of the year (including November) with writing prompts and themed topics. You can also use one of the many random topic generators found on the interwebs, including the three I recommended in Tips for Dealing with Blogging Block.

If blogging every day of the month sounds intimidating, just imagine how the people about to write a novel in a month feel! It is overwhelming and sounds nearly impossible, but that's the point: to challenge yourself to something you're not sure you can do. Whether you succeed or not, you'll have fun and learn a lot about yourself along the way.

Are you participating or have participated in either NaNoWriMo or NaBloPoMo? Let us know in the comments!

Meet Kay of What Me, Read?

Today please welcome Kay, who blogs at What, Me Read?



What's the meaning behind the name of your book blog?
It's a play upon Alfred E. Neuman's "What, me worry?"  My friends and relatives know that I read all the time.  "What, me read?"


How long have you been blogging?
Since January 2012


Tell us a bit about your book blog. What makes it unique?
I read all kinds of things, fiction and nonfiction.  I mix it up to keep my various readers interested.  I also try to write reviews for ordinary people while still mentioning concepts that a person with a background in literature might be interested in.


What genres do you write about most, and why?

I don't purposefully read and review in any one genre, but I do tend to pick up a lot of historical novels, not usually the romances, and mysteries.  I also love the Victorian novels.  Lately, I've been picking up more postmodern novels.

What's your earliest memory of reading?
I don't actually remember this, but my mother said I used to try to read my books upside down in my playpen.  I remember distinctly when I was about four thinking I couldn't wait to find out what all those mysterious marks were in a book.


What was the first book you read over and over, or the book you've reread the most?
The Secret Garden


Writing in books: Yes or hell to the no?
No, I don't write in books.  When I was in college, I thought for awhile that I was supposed to highlight things, but then it bothered me too much that I was marking up my books.  So I stopped.


What's your favorite place to read?
Anywhere


Do you have any reading accessories you can't do without?
Special bookmarks.  I have one beaded one that my ex-sister-in-law made me that I especially like.  Otherwise, I just need the book, or my iPad!

Finish the sentence: My bookshelves are...
loaded.


My TBR pile is...
Huge.


To DNF or not to DNF?
I usually finish books, but as I've gotten older, I refuse to invest that much time in something I am not enjoying.

What's one book that intimidates you?
Moby Dick was one, but I read it this year!


If you could go to any literary destination, where would you go?
The Brontes' house


How about non-book related hobbies? What do you do when you don't feel like reading?
Genealogy, cataloging family pictures, writing novels and plays


What's your favorite book to movie adaptation?
Sense and Sensibility, or To Kill a Mockingbird


What are 3 of your must-read blogs?
Vulpris Lupris 
One Little Library
You're History


Thank you for joining us today, Kay! Remember to check out Kay's blog, Who, Me Read?, and leave a comment or question.

Emma from Words and Peace

Today please welcome Emma, who blogs at Words and Peace.

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What's the meaning behind the name of your book blog?

I love puns and words. Reading is a great source of comfort and peace to me. So having a pun with all this and a masterpiece of Russian literature was fun. I think it came to me in the shower!!

How long have you been blogging?

Words And Peace officially celebrated its 3rd blogiversary at the end of September.  I had started a year earlier, but nothing really serious.

Tell us a bit about your book blog. What makes it unique?

I read a lot of different genres, including religion topics. It's getting more and more historical fiction reviews, and mostly, it has a strong French focus, with a meme and a reading challenge on books set in France or written in French.

What genres do you write about most, and why?

Historical fiction, which I have come to enjoy more and more recently.  I also especially enjoy historical mysteries.  I love history and I admire how some writers manage to insert lots of very serious homework into a great novel or mystery.

What's your earliest memory of reading?

I believe I started reading around 4, in the newspaper! There were not many kids' books available in the tiny French village I grew up.  I enjoyed the series on Martine by Marcel Marlier, but I had to be a bit older.

What was the first book you read over and over, or the book you've reread the most?

The book I have reread the most is Le rêve [The Dream], by Emile Zola.

Writing in books: Yes or hell to the no?

Absolutely not!  I have been used to read books from libraries, so even if I own one, I prefer to write down favorite quotations. I have a whole bunch of notebooks full with books' passages that I wrote down by hand!

What's your favorite place to read?

On a chair on our tiny porch, with bird songs in the background.

Do you have any reading accessories you can't do without?

Paper and pen, to copy favorite passages, or to take notes. When there are lots of characters, I need to make a diagram of who's who and how they are related. Otherwise I'm lost or confused to write my review.  My Nook Color is getting also close to indispensable, as I receive a lot of egalleys - thank you publishers!

Finish the sentence: My bookshelves are...

full of books received for virtual book tours or won at giveaways - thank you fellow book bloggers!

My TBR pile is...

My Goodreads TBR is insanely high - 600 today, but could be much higher by tomorrow, lol.

What's a book that's changed your life?

The Rule written by Saint Benedict in the 6th century.  I lived trying to follow its directions for many years.  Benedict also has recommendations on how to read: slowly, and from A to Z, so no, I'm not peeking on the last page of the book when I start a book, lol!

One book you like that no one else seems to, or vice versa?

I would not say that no one likes The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver, but I have read a lot of severe reviews of it. I loved it a lot, like all the books by Kingsolver.  I hate Jane Austen, and many book bloggers seem to enjoy her writings.

To DNF or not to DNF?

Yes I DNF some books: there are too many awesome books waiting for me out there to waste my time with a book that I find sloppy in its writing or plot.

What's one book that intimidates you?

War And Peace, though I usually enjoy very long books.

If you could go to any literary destination, where would you go?

Shrewsbury Abbey, in western England (Brother Cadfael's abbey, in The Chronicles of Brother Cadfael, by Ellis Peters).

How about non-book related hobbies? What do you do when you don't feel like reading?

I always feel like reading! It must be a kind of disease, lol.  But I also enjoy Birding, Hiking, and Painting on rocks (and I can listen to audiobooks when I paint!)

What's your favorite book to movie adaptation?

Favorite book to movie adaptation:  A Beautiful Mind, about the life of John Forbes Nash, Jr. Because for once, the film is much nicer than the book, embellished but less nasty than real life!

What are 3 of your must-read blogs?

Devourer of Books
Caravana De Recuerdos
A Guy's Moleskine Noebook
Under My Apple Tree
Roof Beam Reader
Reading The Past

What is your reading personality? (via quiz at http://www.bookbrowse.com/quiz/)

the exacting reader and the eclectic reader.

They must have spied on me to write their descriptions, they fit me so perfectly:

"The expression 'so many books, so little time!' sums up your life. You love books but you rarely have as much time to read as you'd like - so you're very particular about the books you choose."

"You read for entertainment but also to expand your mind. You're open to new ideas and new writers, and are not wedded to a particular genre or limited range of authors."

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Thank you for joining us today, Emma! Remember to check out Emma's blog, Words and Peace, and leave a comment or question.

Lady Vowell Smith from The Snail on the Wall

Today please welcome Lady Vowell Smith, 

who blogs at The Snail on the Wall.

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What's the meaning behind the name of your book blog?

The Snail on the Wall comes from Virginia Woolf's essay "Mark on the Wall." In the essay, the narrator sees something on the wall of her drawing room and then lets her mind wander on all the possibilities of what it could be: a leaf, a nail hole, or a crack. And this makes her reflect on some serious subjects, from war to history to life. At the end, the mark turns out to be nothing more than a snail. So, basically, one small snail on the wall can inspire some unexpected thought and conversation.

Tell us a bit about your book blog. What makes it unique?

I used to teach literature and writing to college students, so blogging is an outlet for the teacher in me. I use my blog as a place to share ideas about literature, from contemporary fiction to classics and poetry, and I hope it opens mental or emotional doors for people who may not have read a particular book, or may have even read something and not liked it. Rather than doing book reviews, I tend to explore personal or cultural connections with what I'm reading and writing about.

What genres do you write about most, and why?

When it comes to genres, I don't discriminate. One day, I might be writing about Modernist poetry, and another I might be posting about my kindergartener's favorite picture book. As a longtime student of literature and a former professor, I love what we've come to call the classics. So I can't resist trying to get people to share my passion for Victorian novels, the Romantic poets, or Elizabethan drama. But I mix it up at The Snail—you never know where the discussion might lead.

What's your earliest memory of reading?

I can remember reading my mother's cookbooks while she made dinner, and I wrote in the margins then as much as I do now!

What was the first book you read over and over, or the book you've reread the most?

The Awakening, by Kate Chopin. From my first reading in college, the ambiguity of the ending hooked me: in drowning, does Edna accidentally let herself slip from life to death, or does she selfishly choose to leave her family behind and willfully commit suicide? I love that several different people can read this book, and have several different opinions. And I love that even the same person could read it at different stages of life and reach different conclusions.

Writing in books: Yes or hell to the no?

Absolutely yes—I believe books are meant to study and interact with. But I do practice more restraint these days. When I look back to my copy of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein from my days as an undergrad, about half of the text is underlined. There's such a thing as too much.

Do you have any reading accessories you can't do without?

Sticky notes and a pen. I know I've enjoyed a book when it ends up a colorful mess of sticky notes on important passages that I want to return to, reread, and write about.

Finish the sentence: My bookshelves are...

Embarrassingly organized. I keep my books in sections by geographical region (British, American, world), some by genre (poetry has its own section, as do anthologies), and, of course, alphabetical within each section. I confess to being type A, below!

My TBR pile is...

Big and growing bigger all the time. Now that I've entered the blog world, I spend my time reading many, many other book blogs, which means I discover books I never would have known about before. Thanks, fellow bloggers!

What's a book that's changed your life?

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking, by Susan Cain. It's been on the bestseller list for a while now, and for good reason: it's a validating book for the one-third of us who are introverts, who feel like we spend much of our lives swimming upstream in an extroverted culture. (It's worthwhile reading for extroverts, too, because it will help you understand all those quiet people in your life.)

One book you like that no one else seems to, or vice versa?

Anything by Henry James: Portrait of a Lady, The Ambassadors, etc. Most people don't like his style of using 100 words when you could use 10, but I feel love to get lost in his long, convoluted sentences.

To DNF or not to DNF?

Until recently, my type-A personality always made me a book finisher; even while hating a book, I would insist on finishing it so that I could offer educated reasons about my opinion. But after I hit the age milestone of 40 a few years ago, I've noticed that I can put a book down in the middle. That old cliché about life being too short is true.

If you could go to any literary destination, where would you go?

Although I spent a year in Dublin studying Irish literature, I didn't have the chance to visit England. British literature is my specialty and my passion, so I have a whole host of sites in England to visit, from London to the Lakes District.

How about non-book related hobbies? What do you do when you don't feel like reading?

Singing, playing the piano, listening to music of all kinds, acting (only occasionally), cooking, eating, raising my three kids, being active in my community.

What are 3 of your must-read blogs?

The Millions 
Book Riot
Bookslut
Fuse #8

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Thank you for joining us today, Lady Vowell Smith! Remember to check out Lady Vowell Smith's blog, The Snail on the Wall, and leave a comment or question.

Kelsey from Ketch's Book Nook

Today please welcome Kelsey, who blogs at Ketch's Book Nook.

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NAME OF MY BOOK BLOG:

The name of my book blog is Ketch’s Book Nook. My review schedule, interviews, and guest posts are mainly posted on Wednesdays and Fridays. Book hops, tours, blitz, cover reveals, and giveaways I participate in are throughout the week. I also post on Mondays on a group blog called YA Bound.

I HAVE BEEN BLOGGING SINCE:

May 30^th, 2010. Yeah, hard to believe it’s been that long. LOL.

GENRES COVERED MOST ON MY BLOG: 

I mostly read and review Young Adult novels, but recently, I have been doing a bit of New Adult as well. Within these, I focus mainly on Fantasy—I especially love anything involving Egyptian and Greek Mythology—Science Fiction, Paranormal, or anything that’s a Mystery/Thriller. I’ve also read a few pure contemporary romance, but not as many.

FIRST BOOK I READ OVER AND OVER: 

Ah, that would be Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. I was in high school, the first movie was about to come out, and I wanted to know if it was worth watching. So I picked up the novel and ended up reading all the HP books available. Then I read them again. And again. And again. I think by the time the seventh book came out, I had read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone four times. It’s still one of my favorites.

MY FAVORITE PLACE TO READ: 

Right now, my soft, brown, comfy chair with my Union Jack pillow. It’s my favorite spot to read in the entire house.

MY MUST-HAVE READING ACCESSORIES: 

Ah, do my cats count? LOL. Whenever I’m reading in my comfy chair, one always drapes himself over my shoulders and purrs in my ear while the other curls up beside me, loving the natural spectrum reading lamp. Otherwise, I just need my novel (or nook), a bookmark, and my Goodreads App so I can update my status.

MY BOOKSHELVES ARE: 

Too few and too small. LOL. I live in a townhouse with a flatmate, and really, we don’t have much space. So to make space, one of the things I feature on my blog is a monthly raffle where a winner can choose two books from my Book List.

MY TBR LIST/PILE IS: 

Piled high. I have 85 novels on my TBR, and with my average of reading 53 novels a year, I might not get to all the novels I want to read. But I do my best with the time I have.

A BOOK I DON’T LIKE THAT EVERYONE ELSE SEEMS TO LOVE:

I just did a review like this recently. I LOVE Jennifer L. Armentrout’s Lux series (<3 Daemon!), so when people started recommending the Covenant series and sharing how much they loved all the books, I thought, “Hey, why not?” Well, I enjoyed reading Half-Blood, but Pure? Yeah, I just wasn’t that thrilled with it. I found the characters a bit annoying or disappointing, especially Seth. And I was sick of all the inaccuracies. I even had to put the book down for a while, I was getting so frustrated. In the end, Pure averaged out to be a 2 star, and I do still plan to continue the series, but it definitely did not appeal to me.

You can read my full review on my website.

IF I COULD GO TO ANY LITERARY DESTINATION I WOULD CHOOSE: 

The Eagle and the Child tavern in Oxford, England. It’s were J.R.R. Tolken, Charles Williams, and Hugo Dyson met as a writer’s group to chat about their novels. Even C.S. Lewis was there, later, in the 1950’s. I got to visit once for a short time, but I wish could’ve stayed for a while, read a novel and/or wrote in my journal.

MY FAVORITE NON-BOOKISH ACTIVITY: 

I love art, and my skills lean toward graphite sketches, watercolor paintings, and now, I'm even trying oil pastels. Most of my inspiration comes from scenes in my favorite books. I even sent a few pieces of my works to my favorite authors and friends.

MY FAVORITE BOOK TO MOVIE ADAPTATION: 

StarGate!! Ha, bet you thought I was going to say Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Hee Hee. Well, I liked that one too, but StarGate was my first love. I know, I’m such a geek!

MY MUST-READ BLOGS (PLEASE LIMIT TO 3): 

Hmm… That’s really a tough one. I have a lot of Must-Reads, including YA Bound, but since I blog for them, and if I was going to choose my top three, I would say: Jenna{does}Books, The Cover Contessa, and Mostly YA Book Obsessed.

Jenna is awesome! I’ve been following her blog, Jenna{does}Books, for over a year and a half now, and we always seem to have the same tastes in Young Adult novels. So if I start hearing hype about a book I want to read, I visit her blog first to see what she thought of it. She hasn’t steered me wrong, yet, and I totally trust her judgment.

The Cover Contessa, Brooke, is a blogger I met through one of my posts and have been following her ever since. She’s totally a cool person, and I love reading her posts, especially her reviews. A lot of times, they’re on books I never heard of before, which I love. I like exploring new authors and novels and branching out.

Mostly YA Book Obsessed is run by a fellow YA Bound blogger: Nereydra. I first met her through a mutual friend on twitter, and she is another blogger who has tastes similar to mine in young adult. Though, lately, I notice she’s branched more into contemporary New Adult.

MY READING PERSONALITY (http://www.bookbrowse.com/quiz/) IS: 

LOL. Apparently, I’m an All-Rounder! My personally fits equally into all four categories:

Involved Reader: You don't just love to read books, you love to read about books—This is true! I do love learning more about a book and discussing them with people.

Exacting Reader: You love books but you rarely have as much time to read as you'd like - so you're very particular about the books you choose—Definitely! But not only do I not have as much time as I like, I’m a slow reader because of my trouble reading during my younger years. I never quite caught up.

Serial Reader: Once you discover a favorite writer you tend to stick with him/her through thick and thin—Mostly, yes, but as you can tell with Jennifer L. Armentrout, I don’t necessary love all their work.

Eclectic Reader: You read for entertainment but also to expand your mind. You're open to new ideas and new writers, and are not wedded to a particular genre or limited range of authors—Again, true! I love discovering the new and unusual.

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Thank you for joining us today, Kelsey! Remember to check out Kelsey's blog, Ketch's Book Nook, and leave a comment or question.

Back-up Your Blog: Blogger Edition

Do you ever worry about your blog disappearing?  All that hard work you have put into it, gone within a blink of an eye?  I know I do!  This is why it is so important to back-up your blog on a regular basis.  I have always used Bloggiesta as a way to remind myself to do this crucial task, but let's be honest ... this is a task that needs to be done more than twice a year.  While I was participating in one of the most recent Bloggiesta chats, Rebecca from Love at First Book gave me a wonderful idea, something that I was shocked that I didn't already figure out on my own.  She recommended setting a reminder on your calendar to back-up your blog on a monthly basis.  Simple, yet brilliant, right?!?

Let's take a quick look at the specific steps you need to take to make this happen.  Please Note:  This is for Blogger only.  

How to Back-up Your Content

1. Go to Settings.
2. Go to Other.
3. Click on Export Blog.
4. You will receive a notice, explaining what Export Blog means.  Select Download Blog.

Your content is now on your hard drive!  However, this just includes the content, not your actual template and design.  Let's now look at how to back-up that material as well.

How to Back-up Your Template

1. Go to Template.
2. Select Backup/Restore.

Your template is now saved as well!  If you were to lose your blog for one reason or another, you can now sleep at night knowing that your work is saved!  BUT, before we sign off, let's also take a look at scheduling those reminders in your Google Calendar.

How to Schedule Reminders on Google Calendar

1. Select Create in your Google Calendar.
2. Name your Event.  I simply call it Back-up Blog!
3. Check All day event.
4. Check Repeat.  This will bring up another box with additional information.
5. Repeat Monthly.  Repeat every 1 Month.  Repeat day of the month.  Starts on (choose date).  I select the first of every month.  Ends Never (unless you choose otherwise).  Click Done.
6. Set your Reminder. I personally select an Email reminder 1 day in advance.
7. Save.

Special Note:  I create a special calendar devoted strictly to my blogging tasks in order to keep them separate from my personal and family events.

Voila!  You are set!  Now, go back-up your blog!

Do you back-up your blog on a regular basis?  What other blog tasks do you set regular reminders for?

Kris from Murder Lab

Today please welcome Kris, who blogs at Murder Lab.

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What's the meaning behind the name of your book blog?

Murder Lab is a workshop for the mystery/thiller genres. "Murder" because ... it's for mysteries and thrillers. "Lab" because a) I like thinking of mystery and thriller writers like mad scientists in a lab cooking up literary Frankensteins. And also because I am a mad scientist in my day job.

How long have you been blogging?

My first blog was a travel blog detailing a solo trip to Egypt that I took in October 2010...sort of like an online diary that I kept just to keep myself sane on the trip. After that, I was hooked.

Tell us a bit about your book blog. What makes it unique?

As mentioned before, Murder Lab is a niche blog, strictly focused on the mystery and thriller genres. The blog is fairly interactive; we have a very cool, loyal following and discuss everything from plot and character development to book reviews to ins and outs of publishing and marketing.

What genres do you write about most, and why?

Mysteries and thrillers

What's your earliest memory of reading?

When my brother was 5 and I was 3, he was in kindergarten and thought it would be funny to teach me how to read. So every day he came home from kindergarten and worked on it with me, which we kept secret from our parents. One day I went in and showed my mom that I could read. She thought I was some kind of child genius and didn't believe me when I told her my five-year-old brother had been teaching me for the entire school year.

What was the first book you read over and over, or the book you've reread the most?

I don't tend to re-read books. There are always so many new ones!

Writing in books: Yes or hell to the no?

Hell to the no. 

What's your favorite place to read?

On the couch, by the fire, in the winter, wearing sweats, with a cup of something hot next to me, covered in sleeping dogs.

Do you have any reading accessories you can't do without?

Not really.

Finish the sentence: My bookshelves are...

Overstacked.

My TBR pile is...

Too high.

What's a book that's changed your life?

Angels and Demons, by Dan Brown. I was already into reading mysteries and thrillers and writing mysteries and thrillers, but this book really was the one that made me want to write historical thrillers. So it's fair to say it shaped my focus.

One book you like that no one else seems to, or vice versa?

I can't think of one, or rather, I can always find someone else as freaky as I am to like the same book.

To DNF or not to DNF?

Sob. I always finish books, even if I hate it. Annoys me.

What's one book that intimidates you?

Anything by Khaled Hosseini. Even though he's outside of the genres that I normally read, I absolutely love his books and they make me feel like, "wow, just when I thought I could write..."

If you could go to any literary destination, where would you go?

I have to agree with the previous blogger who said "The Great Library of Alexandria." This place features prominently in my own novel, and shaped the world as we know it, and yet, we don't even know what it looked like or exactly where it was. Damn. I would love to visit Alexandria in its heyday, browse through the library, and climb the lighthouse.

How about non-book related hobbies? What do you do when you don't feel like reading?

Writing. Oh, wait...

Hanging with my husband and my dogs, watching movies, walking on the beach, having a drink somewhere with a cool view...

What are 3 of your must-read blogs?

Mystery Writing is Murder
Murder is Everywhere
Sisters in Crime

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Thank you for joining us today, Kris! Remember to check out Kris's blog, Murder Lab, and leave a comment or question.