Blogger of the Month - April 2012

Each month we highlight a Canadian Blogger

Our April Blogger is:

Kara from the Bookosaur

          1. When and why did you start blogging?

           I'm actually very new to the book blogging world, as I only started my blog in January 2012. In the past five years I've moved a grand total of six times, so it's been hard meeting people who share the same interests as me. My line of thinking was really just to start a blog so I can meet people and talk about books. I've always loved reading, so it seemed the logical thing to do.

          2. What's your favourite genre/style of book?

That's a tough question. I don't really have a favourite. If I take a look at my bookshelf right now there is a smorgasbord of different book genres, from YA to adult fiction, and I've recently started collecting children's books. I read whatever I'm in the mood for!

          3. What has been a blogging challenge for you?

Honestly, the hardest part, especially for newer blogs, is generating enough traffic to make it feel worthwhile. A lot of people say that they blog for themselves, and to some extent I agree, but I think blogging is so much more than that. If you were just blogging for yourself, why post it on the Internet? Why not just keep a journal? For me, the whole point of blogging is to communicate and connect with other like-minded individuals and to do that you need traffic. 

I think every blogger experiences that "what's the point?" moment, when they realize that their latest blog post - a post that they may be particularly proud of and was likely the product of countless hours - has only been read by two people. At this point, you have two choices: (1) you can pack it up, pack it in; or (2) you can call up your parents, thank them for reading your blog, and move on to the next post. Each time you publish a post, you're putting a little piece of yourself out there, so it's hard not to take it personally if you don't elicit the type of reaction you were hoping for. I've realized that blogging involves a lot of hard work and it takes both time and effort to develop and maintain a solid readership.

      4. Are there favourite memes or features that you participate in/ favourite blogs you check out on a regular  basis?

I'm not sure of any memes, but I'm fairly active on Twitter (@bookosaur), where I have met some incredible bloggers. Some of the blogs that I visit frequently are Bella's Bookshelves, Lit Laugh Love, and A Bibliotaphe's Closet.

          5. How do you organize your bookshelves?

My organizational style is haphazard at best. I kind of group my hard covers together - I have an ever-growing collection of Leatherbound Classics from Barnes and Noble - and I do the same with my paperbacks. Of course, my favourite books, like a really cool edition of The Hobbit that I picked up in a used bookstore in San Francisco, and my signed copies of The Night Circus, The Chronicles of Harris Burdick, and R.L. Stine's The Haunting Hour, are on display front and centre.

          6. Favourite review you've written (include a link)

I would have to say the review I wrote for I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella is one of my favourites. It was a fun book to read, but I had an even better time writing its review!

7. What is your biggest book blogger related dream (goal)?

I don't really have an endgame for Bookosaur. Right now, I'm just enjoying reading, reviewing, and meeting other book bloggers. 

Be sure to check out Kara's fabulous blog! And check back later this month for her review. 

If you would like to be Blogger of the Month you can email me - Jen -  librarygal (at) hotmail.ca 

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