I’ve been seeing this float around on the blogosphere, and was really looking forward to doing this post. Thanks to the lovely Vane of Book With Chemistry for tagging me!
How long have you been a blogger?
I started blogging on the 13th of June this year, so by the time this is posted my 3rd month blogoversary will be just two days away. It feels like I’ve been blogging for SO much longer, though. I salute everyone who’s been doing this for a year plus, now that I know how much time and dedication this hobby require.
At what point do you think you’ll stop blogging?
I want to say NEVER, but since I’ve only been doing this three months I think that sort of commitment would be way premature. I will never stop reading, though, so this goes hand in hand with blogging – so I think I’ll be around for a long time yet. Not to mention I’ve met so many people through blogging and I’ll miss you all too much if I ever disappear from the blogosphere!
What is the best thing about blogging?
Thing number one is the absolutely amazing and supportive community. I have never met such a pleasant and lovely group of human beings. Every one I’ve met have been so genuine in their passion, their love for books, and their kindness to everyone else in the community. I am well aware that drama exists, but thankfully I’ve never been directly engaged in it. I obviously surround myself with AWESOME people *beams at you all*. I also love that you all collectively make me want to read ALL OF THE THINGS. I’ve also been exposed and educated about a lot of social issues through blogging e.g. diversity and feminism in publishing. I think it’s made me a more aware person, and I love that!
What is the worst thing? What do you do to make it OK?
I think most of my issues with blogging is internal – I sometimes get caught up with worrying about really petty things such as i) stats ii) followers iii) ARC envy etc.. all the usual stuff.
The things that makes me feel better? i) my interaction with everyone in the community, whether on this blog or elsewhere ii) remembering that all books eventually come out, reading it later does NOT make me any less of a fan or a blogger iii) it’s the quality, not the quantity of the followers that counts – and you’re all pretty gosh darn awesome.
My google hangout bloggers are also such a joy to speak to whenever I feel disheartened!
How long does it take you to make/find pictures to use?
TOO BLOODY LONG. I love making graphics for this site, I’m not a professionall graphics designer by any means so this is the only creative outlet I have for Photoshop – but sometimes it’s a pain to make the graphics when the imageries don’t come easily. There’s blogging slump, there’s also graphics slump.
Who is your book crush?
I) Lila of A Darker Shade of Magic, she’s debonair, charming, and sweeps me off my feet.
II) Rowan of the Throne of Glass series, he is the fae prince I never knew I wanted. I usually don’t go for the dark, broody type, but I would totally buck this trend for Rowan.
III) Theron of Snow Like Ashes, a bookish prince with amazing insight and understanding for his lady? YES.
What author would you like to have on your blog?
Though she would intimidate the shit out of me and I would never be able to even look her in the eye, let alone ask questions, I would love to have Catherynne Valente and her beautiful mind featured on this blog. I love her books, I love her personal blog, I just love every single word that she produces.
What do you wear when you write your blog post?
There are no blogging uniform, but let it be known that I always look FABULOUS.
How long does it take you to prepare?
IRL? Like 15 minutes, I love my sleep too much to take ages preparing. My make up routine takes 5 minutes flat 😉 For blogging? I am NEVER prepared, everything I write is pretty much unscheduled, spontaneous, etc… That explains all of the typos XD
How do you feel about the book blogger community?
Precious cinnamon rolls. *clutches you all to chest*
What do you think one should do to get a successful blog?
I am still trying to figure this out, but by observing all my faves I can tell you that it may involve: i) a genuine person behind the screen ii) who cares for the community iii) who’s not afraid to voice their opinion iv) who interacts with their followers in meaningful way v) who blogs because they love to read, and stay true to that cause.
I will tag everyone who has not done this post 😀 It’s been around for so long I can barely keep track who has or has not done it.
Oh god. I have eyegasm just looking at your pretty contents! I feel like you’ve been around for one heck of long time now. You seem to know the ropes of blogging really well!
I love this tag post of yours! I would be severely lying to myself if I said I am NOT jealous of your beautiful graphic skills. In fact, I am green with envy at the moment 😉
I know Catherynne Valente! I read Deathless but had to put it on hold because the book demands a lot of attention! It’s a great piece of work and I got immersed in it. I guess I have to get back to it!
(I can clearly see why she would intimidate you!!)
As an ending note to this comment….. *dramatic music plays.*
I salute thee, O Fair Aentee for thy dedication and commitment to the blogging community.
(I meant to sound really barf-worthy corny 😉 have I succeeded? Are you now barfing all over the floor with my beautiful flattery?)
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EEEP THANK YOU EVEY *CLUTCHES YOU* There is no need to be envious of my graphics skills I AM ALWAYS HAPPY TO SHARE 😀 Also, I mostly make stuff up when blogging but I am glad it comes across that I know what I am doing?
You 100% need to get back into Deathless, it is SO beautiful and heartwrenching and darkly romantic.
*dramatic music continues*
I salute thee, O Lovely Evey, for your wit and humour and adoration of all things slightly creepy and horrifying such as myself
*rolls in barfworthiness*
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I hate worrying about views and stats too. Lately I have less of a care about it though and I think that’s best. Too much pressure to produce 100 views a day >.<
And YES for Rowan. Back off girl, he's mine! ;D
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My love for Rowan WILL NOT be moved by friendship *scoffs* NO WAY JESSE.
IKR. I sometimes get 400 pageviews a day randomly, so my bar graph trend is all out of whack XD I TRY IGNORE IT NOW. It makes me eyetwitch.
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400 views sometimes??? Blogger envy…..
Back to Rowan. I will fight for him so you know. 😛
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Aw, lovely story on how you got into book blogging! Glad to have discovered your blog and all the graphics you’ve created looks really wonderful 🙂
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Thanks so much Thuong! I am so glad to have found you and your GORGEOUS ART and beautiful blog of book thoughts as well *hugs* ❤
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I agree with all of your answers! I was just nodding at everything. INCLUDING THE BOOK CRUSHES! (Except I would switch out Lila for Will Herondale. Of course.) Even if you disappeared from the blogosphere (please never leave!), I will hunt you down and fangirl over Rowan and Theron with you.
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Even if I leave the blogosphere, I would STILL come and visit you and eat ALL of the watermelon cakes in Sydney ❤ ❤ WE ARE FOREVER.
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Omg Aentee, no doubt you’re gorgeous while writing your posts. 😀 or anytime, really.
I’m never prepared for blogging either so go us for improv!
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THANK YOU AILA. I know you would look fabulous wherever you are as well ❤ AND HI FIVE FOR IMPROMPTU POSTING 😀 Procrastinators unite!
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Loved your answers and your graphics are always on point ☺. *Fangirl squeels* Rowan!! 😍
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ROWAN IS THE BEST. I am glad to discover you have such fine taste 😉 ❤
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Thank you for all of your amazing posts! I look forward to them every week, and I hope that you will never stop! Also, your graphics are always fantastic!
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Thanks so much for your kind words, that makes me so happy ❤
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oh Rowan ❤ I can relate to that…
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I am pleased at how many Rowan followers there are out there, I plan to have a ToG week next week on the blog and it will be 100% rowan fangirling tbh
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😀 ohhh, that’s AMAZING!!!! Rowan is amazing ❤
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Haha, I love this post! And wow, only three months? You’re handling it REALLY well. And btw, I know I’ve said this plenty of times, but I. Love. Your. Graphics. They’re so OMG beautiful! I wish I had your skills! 🙂
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Thank you Vane! I hope I can hold on and make it to a year like you did. And thank you for loving my graphics ❤ ❤ Practice makes perfect! If you want to do graphics, just keep making tons of them 😀 Maybe do the wallpaper thing I do?
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I love this so much! Your blog is amazing! 🙂
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Aw thank you so much! That means a lot ❤
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In the wise words of Brett: “Joentee” — although I’m also partial to Brentee or Aentt (WHICH BASICALLY SOUNDS LIKE YOUR NAME ALREADY SO YOU ARE A WALKING SHIP LOL).
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I REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR ABSURD SHIPPING.
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LMAO.
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your graphics and the way you lay out your posts look so good it doesnt even look like you’ve only been blogging for three months! by the way, if you started blogging this june, then we’re definitely started around the same time yay! #twinning
I LOVE HOW U LOVE THERON TOO *swoons*
ice like fire is definitely going to break your heart! *evil laughs*
you only take 15 minutes to put on make up? teach me your ways. it takes me about 25 minutes hahah. but then because i do the contouring and stuff lol.
i’ll definitely be doing this tag too 🙈 great post, aentee!
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Thanks so much Isha, your Instagram and Tumblr are all so on point this is seriously high praise.
I AM NOW SCARED FOR ICE LIKE FIRE.
I basically just do lipstick and brows tbh bc I am lazy XD I have never tried contouring, my face is so flat there is no saving it tbh.
Looking forward to your post ❤
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NEVER LEAVE. JUST NEVER LEAVE OKAY?? I always love reading your posts (shh.. I’ve never read Throne of Glass yet) *gasp* I loved reading all of your answers and have to agree that NO I don’t have a uniform while I’m making my posts and will lie right now and say that I always look flawless. That is all. And keep up the AWESOME work girl! It’s not always easy but you’ve got a fan in me. ♡♡
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YOU MUST READ THRONE OF GLASS! You’re a romance fan? You are missing out on so many ships ahahaha.
We wll always look flawless together, thanks, Keionda ❤
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Love this tag. I can’t believe you have only been blogging 3 months!!! Insane! Your kicking some serious blogging ass.I totally agree the book blogging community is amazing!
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Thank you so much Grace, I am just thankful to all my commenters and followers like yourself who have been OVERWHELMINGLY AWESOME ❤ ❤
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Ooh thanks for tagging everyone! I’ve been blogging for only a month and I totally understand worrying about stats, followers, etc. It’s crazy that you’ve only been blogging for 3 months! You’ve already accomplished so much! 😀
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Aw thank you so much ❤ I basically had NO ONE visiting my site at one month so you are definitely doing a lot better than I was, good luck with your blogging journey!
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I can still hardly believe that you’ve only been doing this for three months. THAT’S CRAZY. I hope you stay around for a long, long time. And believe me, that ARC envy and follower envy fades…after a while 😉
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I hope to be hang around and cling to y’all forever as well! I want to at least reach your state of zen and non ARC and follower envy hahaha. TEACH ME.
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Have you really only been blogging 3 months?? That’s crazy!!! I will try and remember to do this as it’s such a cool and lighthearted post! 😉
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This post was heaps of fun to write! I hope you’ll get a chance to do it!
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OH MY GOSH. I can’t believe you’ve only been blogging for three months. You are such a natural Aentee – I could have sworn you’ve been blogging for a few years. Thanks for sharing this post though – it was great reading your answers! ❤
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Thank you so much Zoe, though I’m mainly just stumbling aimlessly from posts to posts haha, it heaps of fun for me, though ❤
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You’ve made me hungry for cinnamon buns! 😊
You are such a lovely lady, really. I’m so glad to have met you here on the blogosphere! Your graphics are such a weakness for me, not only does it motivate me to create my own graphics (which I’m hardly close to your level yet) but it motivates me to write blog posts!
And honestly it’s amazing that you’ve only been blogging three months. I would have thought you had been blogging for at least a year! This proves just how amazing your blog is!
Love you!
xoxo 💜
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Me too, Josie! Though I would have bound to come across you sooner or later because you are one popular lady 😀 Aw thank you so much, I am glad you like my graphics so much, I actually adore the ones you have on your blog as well! *HUGS* ❤
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So impressive for such a new blog, honestly I love your site and I’m so glad I found your reviews! I think you’re doing very well, so whatever you’re doing to have a successful blog, just keep it up! 😀
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EEP Thank you so much Mogsy, Bibliosanctum is pretty much my blogging goal since you and your cobloggers are all so eloquent ❤
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Ooh, I’ve been tagged for this one too, I’m hoping to get to it soon! Your blog is so amazing for three months — I didn’t discover the blogosphere until a year into blogging :S It’s so important to voice our opinion (respectfully, of course) + interact with followers/commenters/other book people as bloggers.
I think that we’re all kind of like “looks like they could murder you, is actually a cinnamon roll”. So many of us try to rule the world and murder people. XD I love your graphics for every post! And Lila = fab. Actually, ADSOM = very fab.
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Blogging is not quite blogging without the rest of the other people, is it? That’s why commenting and interacting = A++ like you said.
I think I will content myself with being Cait’s minion when she eventually takes over the universe, I am too lazy haha. I APPRECIATE YOUR ADSOM LOVE, I DO.
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Less than three months!?!? No. NO! This is impressive stuff. I ALWAYS wear my blogging uniform though, so you might want to make sure you are wearing yours 😉
I am the same with spontaneously spewing stuff onto the blog. Seriously, I’ll be playing around on Twitter or something, then oops, it’s 10:00, better throw something together. Glad I am not the only one 😀
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Thank you Shannon! If by blogging uniform you mean PJs then I am right there with you XD
I know, I should stop leaving my posts to the last minute but TWITTER IS SO FUN!
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I loved reading all your answers! Your blog is amazing! I always look forward to your posts and graphics. It’s pretty much impressive for a three month blog. Happy Blogging! 😀
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Thank you so much for your support, Raven ❤
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Love this!
Your blog is beautiful Aentee and happy belated blogoversary!!! ❤
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Thank you so much, Faith ❤
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I am so hungry right now and there are no cinnamon rolls to be had. 😦
Wonderful anwsers, Aentee! 🙂 I heartily agree with your first two book crushes and am checking out the last one because I haven’t read the book yet.
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I know, I have one banana left in this house, I will have to go and find some food before the end of the day *sobs*
Rowan and Lila are just the best, aren’t they?! I think you’ll like Snow Like Ashes if you’ve read and loved Finnikin of the Rock!
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Thanks for sharing, I can’t believe you only blog for three months! As always gorgeous graphic, Aentee!
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