Armchair BEA [Day 4]: Looking forward to books Giveaway (US / INTERNATIONAL)

Fourth day of Armchair BEA, by now I've already introduced myself on Wednesday, talked about Social Media, and given some blogging tips yesterday. Today I get to share the bookish love. Here is the actual question:

You host the giveaway on your own site and link it up here for all our participants to come and visit. Don’t forget to give Armchair BEA a little love when advertising, but you can choose your own guidelines and deadlines.

Okay So today's giveaway is just for some books I've been looking forward to and hope you are too. here they are below: (linked to goodreads)

OPEN INTERNATIONALLY

ONE WINNER WILL BE CHOSEN AND WILL BE ABLE TO PICK ONE OF THE BOOKS ABOVE

GIVEAWAY ENDS JUNE 13TH AT 11PM.

TO ENTER JUST ANSWER THE QUESTION BELOW IN THE COMMENTS AND LEAVE ME YOUR EMAIL!!

THAT'S IT! DID YOU JOIN ARMCHAIR BEA THIS YEAR? LIKE ANY OF MY RESPONSES, LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS!

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Armchair BEA [Day 3]: Blogging Q & A

Back again today, So I already introduced myself on Wednesday and Yesterday I talked about Social Media, and how IMPORTANT IT IS. But today's topic let's me spread the inch of wisdom I have gained in my 3 years blogging. Here is the actual question:

Blogging 101. All kinds of tips and tricks to get you started or keep you going. Talk about ARCs, reviewing in general, web design, etc. What blogging platform do you use? How do you network? What are some of your favorite web designs? Or maybe you want to talk about your own blogging journey, and how you got to where you are now. Either way, we want you to share your knowledge with the rest of the community!

Well, I obviously us blogger but I've tried wordpress, back when everyone was scared google would shut them down, but didn't like it (too confusing for me) , so blogger is the only platform I have used. I honestly love blogger, Its easy to code, post, and make it your own. Now for the good stuff, the TIPS. I have been blogging for a while now and have definitely grown as blogger and person. But here are my essential tips for bloggers.

#1 - BLOG DESIGN: I know getting right to the meat of things but this is important. An easy laid back design can inspire you to write and fill your blog with new and exciting content (believe me, it helps me). Give your blog design a personal touch and identity, don't use generic blog designs found online, try and do it your way. Even if it's simple it's you. You don't have to know how to code to make an amazing blog designs (I didn't when I started) but should really be open to learning how to code, it helps. Having a good design also helps in attracting readers. Also make your header your own and don't over complicate your design or layout. It can get hectic on where to place things, but simple and clean is better.

Below is my first blog header, EVER! I made it on picnik.com, when it was around, and it's simple and black. I thought of using a generic one but hated the ones out there. They didn't scream me. I had this for a few months i believe, until I learned to do better XP

#2 - JOIN A MEME: When I started blogging there were a lot of meme's to join, I didn't know what they were but they looked fun. The first meme I ever joined was IN MY MAILBOX, which had been hosted by the Story Siren, back in 2012. It helped me connect with other bloggers who had just started too and I made some good blogging friends. Join a meme you like . Below is the button for my first IN MY BOOKBAG, which I just deviated the name to fit me.

#3 - BE PERSONAL: Make your blog readers feel like they matter (which they do) and aren't just another number on your GFC follower count. If someone comments don't be like "okay, thanks!" when the other person wrote a huge comment saying they thought the same as you on a post. Comment back and engage with the person and ALWAYS ALWAYS try to personalize by adding that person's name at the end, like so: "THANKS FOR STOPPING BY AND COMMENTING HANNAH, MUCH BLOGGY LOVE" I know I like it when people reply to my comments and remember who I am.

#4 - REVIEW BOOKS: I remember when I got my first review request from an author, I was SUPER EXCITED, and accepted. Then a few more requests came in and I was reading way more review books than the beautiful books I had just bought T_T Don't overwhelm yourself (like I did) take your time and review books you WANT to read or REALLY interest you, or else you might find that blogging can get rough.

#5 - TAKE YOUR TIME: Blogging isn't something to get famous for, it's mostly to share thoughts with other people who think like you or read the same books as you. Don't expect to be super popular overnight. It takes time to learn the ins and outs of blogging. Dedication and persistence are biggie's. Consistently putting out content for your readers and even getting people to stop by and comment is hard at first. Don't count followers, I did and I just felt so depressed no one wanted to follow me. BUT, I soon realized that people WHERE coming to check me out and stopped worrying about views and followers, I wanted people to come to my blog because they liked what I thought about books. Don't rush things that will happen on their own.

I'm no expert at blogging and I still have lots to learn but I think I'll start a series of posts on Blogging 101 because I have more to share.

THAT'S IT! DID YOU JOIN ARMCHAIR BEA THIS YEAR? LIKE ANY OF MY RESPONSES, LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS!

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Armchair BEA [Day 2]: Social Media

Back again, SUPER LATE POST, but I was at school and didn't see this didn't post in time @_@ Yesterday I introduced myself and today's topic is social media, which I most definitely use!Here is the actual question:

How do you use social media to expand your blogging/writing horizons? Social Media is all about networking and connections, and utilizing today's technology to the fullest. Make sure you mention your own social media pages. Do you have another blog, maybe a Tumblr? Have a Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook? Or maybe there's an underrated social media program that you like.

I was never on any social media platforms when I started because I rarely used my own personal facebook at the time. Then I got some great advice from Vicky @ Novel Publicity, when she was there, back in 2012! She gave some great advice, such as the importance of social media. If you're not out there spreading the word you have a new post up, no one is going to know about it, hence they won't come to your blog. You have to get the word out somehow. Social Media helps me do just that :) Enough babbling, lets answer the questions.

I promote on all the regular social media places like twitter, facebook, instagram, and (the one bloggers don't always use) the google + page. But one HUGE thing that many bloggers don't use and is readily available to them, is the sharing bar at the end of there posts! Here below:

Honestly I use the stuffing out of those buttons and always promote my posts on my social media sites through that. Another thing I do besides promoting on the typical social media sites is my google page. I know it might not be the typical social media site (if it is one at all) but IT REALLY DOES WORK. People click on it and view my posts. So yeah I think thats all i have in me for today. I could go on and on.

Since todays topic was about social media, you can follow me through the places below, just click the buttons!

THAT'S IT! DID YOU JOIN ABEA THIS YEAR? LIKE ANY OF MY RESPONSES, LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS!

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Armchair BEA 2015 [Day 1]: Introductions!

Hello! So I couldn't go to BEA this year because I fell extremely sick (actually everyone in the family did, no one was spared) and my BEA dreams were crushed. But I remembered from A LONG TIME AGO, I actually took part in ABEA 2012 and introduced myself then too. So I decided to join this year again! Day 1 is just to introduce ourselves and we had to pick 5 questions to answer out of 12, here are mine.

QUESTION 1: Tell us a bit about yourself: How long have you been blogging? Where are you from? How did you get into blogging?

I'm Lisseth, I'm 21 and have been blogging for more than 3 years! I'm from NY. I got into blogging because my little sister suggested I make a blog, after I read 200+ books the summer of 2011, and wouldn't stop recommending her books to read (she's not a reader). So that's how I got into blogging.

QUESTION 2: Why do you loving reading and blogging?

Like my blog header says, I read to escape, when I was smaller I went through a lot and books always helped me find a safe happy place where I could escape. So reading has always been something I've loved. As for blogging, I do it because I love sharing the love of books I have with others.

QUESTION 3: What is your theme song?

This was a tough one! I would have to go with My Chemical Romance's "Teenagers" because I'm always going to be stuck in my teenage rebellion stage, I tend to rebel against a lot of things, so these two are my theme songs.[Video below, enjoy!]

QUESTION 4: What is one book everyone should read?

I will never stop recommending UGLIES by Scott Westerfeld! It was my first YA book and I reviewed it here. It got me out of my 2 year reading slump back in middle school and I fell in love with the YA genre and read the whole series around 5 times, though Uglies I've read more than 5.

QUESTION 5: What book are you reading right now?

More like books. I'm read "Bride by Mistake" by Nicole Helm, which is an adult romance book and "A Court of Thorns and Roses" by Sarah J. Maas, which is YA. I'm enjoying both of them right now and yes I multi-read (is that a thing? IDK)

THAT'S IT! DID YOU JOIN ABEA THIS YEAR? LIKE ANY OF MY RESPONSES, LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS!

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