During this sixth week of Mountain Springs House Publishers (#MSH) #blog #tour I have the pleasure of hosting a fantastic author, #Kathy Ree. The subject of this week’s sharing is all about blogs: which ones do you like, which ones do you follow, why do you follow them, and, of course the most important question–what is your goal with your own blog?
Aya: Kathy, welcome to my #author blog! I am really looking forward to your insights into what pulls you into a blog.
Kathy: I’m not much of a blog follower, really. This is the time of year when I work in my yard–happily, mind you. (BIG SMILE)
Aya:I can certainly understand that. I appreciate that you took time for this #interview. As a wildlife habitat manager and designer, this time of year I spend a lot of time outside. Other than time constraints, are there any other reasons you don’t tend to read a lot of blogs?
Kathy: I spend most of my work life in front of a computer, so it isn’t my go-to activity at home. And when I do spend time in the glow of my laptop, I’m usually deleting e-mails(over 3800 in one month alone) or writing book reviews/author #interviews.
Aya: So, when you do read blogs, they must be pretty special. How do you tend to find out about the blogs you become interested in?
Kathy: The blogs I follow show up in my e-mails, so I always check them out.
Aya: Once you check them out, what types of blogs hook you in, have you subscribing to them?
Kathy: Let me give you an example. There is a blog, http://www.funnylifestories.com, that is absolutely hilarious! What G.K. Adams can do with .gifs is such a hoot! It is a great way to get my day going.
Aya: I’ll have to check that one out. Like you, I enjoy blogs that have entertainment value to me. What else hooks you into a blog?
Kathy: One of my favorite blogs is http://www.indiesunlimited.com. This is a multi-admin blog dedicated to resources, contests, tips, etc. for the independent author. A lot of useful information there, and some very humorous stuff as well. I always look forward to getting that in my mail every day. Another informative, and entertaining, blog–one I just picked up on today is http://www.dieselelectricelephant.wordpress.com . This guy, Ian Hutson, writes the most creative, most hilarious author interviews I have ever seen. Here’s me, waving my hand in his audience, wanting an interview from him–just from what I read today. He writes like Terry Prachett–crazy funny! And then there are blogs by our own elite group of Mountain Springs House authors.
I’ll only mention a few here, just enough to let your readers get a taste for the wonderful talent that Mountain Springs House Publishers have gathered.
http://www.mickihess.wordpress.com
http://www.writingsbykrystol.blogspot.com
http://www.angelastclair.blogspot.com
http://www.veronicacronin.com
http://www.codymartin.blogspot.com
http://wwww.iangeorge.larmani.com
http://www.mountainspringspublisher.com
http://www.allisonbruning.blogspot.com
Aya: What about your blog, Kathy? What can you tell my readers about it?
Kathy: Well, I have two. One is my book review/author interview/whatever else I can think of blog. It’s called “Kitty Muse and Me”. I see that blog as a forum for both author/book exposure and a creative outlet for myself. The address is: http://www.kathyree.wordpress.com . People seem to appreciate what I write, so it gives me warm fuzzies as well.
My other blog is my author blog at http://www.krmorrison325.wordpress.com . This is where I post for the Blog Tour. I haven’t had it up for very long, so I haven’t really had a chance to use it for anything else, yet. I’ll be posting short stories there in the future, and letting people know when I have books coming out.
Aya: Your blogs are very focused on giving to the reader, but what about you? What do you hope to receive from your blog?
Kathy: What I will get, besides a creative outlet, is really unclear at this point. I like providing exposure for other authors. Their success means success for me, too. I fully invest my own feelings for my little family into their happiness as well as my own. Of course, the blog will help readers learn about my writings, when my books will be coming out, and they’ll even get a taste of my style once I begin to post the short stories.
Aya: It certainly sounds as if your readers will receive a number of benefits from visiting your blog. I think that about wraps up our interview for today. Thank you, Kathy, for being my guest.
Kathy: (BIG SMILE) Okay, with the questions answered and the coffee finished off, I go forward into the late morning with promises of future margaritas dancing in my mind. Have a great Fourth of July weekend, everyone!