Hey y’all! No new blog post this week : ( I’ve been busy working the Iowa State Fair and haven’t been able to devote much time to writing a quality piece and I don’t want to give you guys something half written when I was half asleep.
In light of this issue, I have cooked up a thought: What if I ask you guys to help?
I would love to be able to feature you as a guest poster on my blog! And I don’t mean just the fancy writers out there, I mean YOU. Whether you’ve written thousands of articles or not a single one!
Some more information you may need:
topic of literary, writing, reading, or study/productivity in any capacity
no limit on how many you send in
try to keep reading length between 5-10 minutes (it’s okay if this varies a bit)
if you want to include specific pictures send me those along with a link or citation for the source (don’t wanna get in trouble!)
this will be an unpaid post, but byline will be included (picture and social links if you wish as well)
I’m hoping to do this regularly, but interest will decide how frequently!
Jeanotderivative work: Ju gatsu mikka (^o^) appelez moi Ju (^o^), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
IF INTERESTED:
Send to: emma.conley@againshewrote.com | GUEST POST in the subject line!
MUST Include:
Name you wish for the byline
Where people can contact you at/primary social media
Optional Additions:
Attach each photo (labeled) and include the sources in the email body
Commercial use or your own
Author Picture for the byline
Additional social media handles
Preferred Pronouns
For a Book Review:
Full Title
Author
If a series, which series
Genre
Overall Rating out of 5
If you want to follow my review guidelines, I try to discuss Characters, Writing, Style, Enjoyment, and Plot. You do not have to follow this, it’s just a guideline if your stuck!
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure for more information.
Hello there! I thought it would be cool if you (yes you!) knew a little bit more about Emma (that’s me!), the person behind the words you see! Since this is a literary blog, I went searching for a set bookish related questions to answer so you can get a feeling of me and my preferences.
In that search, I discovered the A-Z tag on ZeeZee with Books, however the original creator was Jamie at Perpetual Page Turner if you want to go check them out!
With much anticipation: the A-Z Book Tag!
A – Author you read the most books from:
I can’t recall one specific author I read much more than others, but I do enjoy Ruta Sepetys books!
To stay the most up to date on my current reads, friend me on Goodreads or follow the Instagram!
D – Drink of choice while reading:
I don’t have a preference, but usually it would be water or Mr Pibb.
E – E-reader or Physical Book:
While I love the feeling of having a physical book in my hand, I love how portable my kindle is, making reading on the go much easier!
F – Fictional Character You Probably Would Have Actually Dated In High School:
Honestly, I didn’t really date in High School, so I don’t feel like there is a character that I would have dated. However, I would have totally had a crush on Jem from The Infernal Devices.
G– Glad You Gave This Book A Chance:
I’m going to switch this up slightly by stating a genre of books, and that is non fiction. I used to hate reading non fiction, but lately I have find myself picking out more non fiction that fiction books to read!
I read this in 8th grade for our historical fiction unit and I absolutely fell in love with it. It is the first book I remember pulling an all nighter to finish.
I – Important moment in your reading life:
I’m going to switch this one up a bit as well with an important moment in my writing life. And that would be when I decided to take Creative Writing my sophomore year of high school!
I had an amazing teacher (who is still supporting me years later! Shout out to Mrs Trier!). The creative writing classes with her were what helped me to see that I could actually do what I love!
J – Just finished:
Why She Wrote: A Graphic History of the Lives, Inspiration, and Influence Behind the Pens of Classic Women Writers by Hannah K. Chapman and Lauren Burke, Illustrated by Kaley Bales
K – Kinda of books you won’t read:
I like to think I’m pretty versatile when it comes to reading, I’m not completely opposed to any single genre. However, if I had to pick an answer, I would say I tend to not read books on agriculture, just don’t enjoy the topic much – weird for someone living in Iowa 🙂
L – Longest book you’ve read:
According to Goodreads, at 729 pages, the longest book I’ve read is:
I don’t remember the last book I became completely immersed in after finishing. I’ve been on a non fiction kick lately!
N – Number of bookcases you own:
1 cubby bookcase, 1 bookcase attached to my bed, and 6 additional shelves of books on my wall (plus another small cubby bookcase for my dorm!)
O – One book you have read multiple times:
The False Prince by Jennifer A Nielsen (this will not be the first time you will hear about this book on this blog)
P – Preferred place to read:
Cuddled in the corner of the couch with a blanket and my dog next to me. Although, lately my family has also been spending time just reading in our basement together and I quite enjoy that time also!
Q – Quote that inspires you/gives you all the feels from a book you’ve read:
“There is more to living than not dying.” ― Cassandra Clare, Clockwork Princess
R – Reading Regret:
The first memory I have of Harry Potter was the graveyard scene in The Goblet of Fire. It terrified a young Emma, and so I had refused to read Harry Potter because I thought it was too scary. I regret that so much now that I actually watched and read them!
S – Series you started and need to finish (all books are out!):
Dread Nation by Justina Ireland. I’ve read the first one, but haven’t gotten around to reading the second… even though I own it.
T – Three of your favorite all time books:
U – Unapologetic fangirl for:
The False Prince…. I told you.
V – Very Excited For This Release More Than All The Others:
The Butcher and The Wren: A Novel by Alaina Urquhart coming September 2022! I listen to Morbid, Alaina’s true crime podcast and when I heard about her upcoming novel, I immediately pre-purchased it.
W – Worst Bookish Habit:
Buying more books when I don’t have the time to read them all.
X– X Marks The Spot: Start at the top left of your shelf and pick the 27th book:
I JUST went to Barnes and Noble yesterday (at the time of writing this) and bought a few notebooks along with an anxiety workbook and God is Not One by Stephen Prothero, a book for one of my fall classes.
Z – ZZZ-snatcher book (last book that kept you up WAY late):
The last time a book kept me up late was actually a college life hack book I was reading on my phone!
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure for more information.
Stuck on what to read next? Since it is a brand new (okay its been a week, but still new!) month, here are the 4 books I am planning on reading for the month of August. You are, of course, completely welcome to read this with me as well!
Why: A graphic novel about some of the greatest women who wrote in history? Sign me up! It was actually the question posed in the summary got me interested: in a time when being a woman writer often meant being undervalued, overlooked, or pigeonholed, why did she write?
Why: I have been dying to see the movie, but I know I would regret not reading the book first. I like comparing how I imagine the characters to the film. How about you? Do you have to read the book first or can you just go straight to the movie?
Why: This year I am doing the 52 Book Challenge created by Liz over at The 52 Book Club (highly recommend checking it out!). One of the prompts is Title Starting with “F”.
One of, if not the most, popular tools among readers is the website, Goodreads. Goodreads allows users to track reading, rate books, connect with other readers and authors, and recommends books all in one place.
A new Goodreads account starts with three exclusive shelves, Want to Read, Currently Reading, and Read. Because these are mutually exlusive, books can only be on one of these shelves. Any book can be on an unlimited number of non-exclusive shelves.
However, Goodreads requires a book to be in one of the original shelves as well, and a book I started but didn’t finish doesn’t really fit in those categories. Wanting to Read: I don’t really want to read it anymore. Currently Reading: I’m not. Read: I didn’t read it and I don’t believe it should count for my reading goal if I didn’t finish it.
The only seemingly valid answer: create a new Did Not Finish exlusive shelf. Here’s how I did it.
First,
You’ll want to get to MY BOOKS on Goodreads.
It should be noted that you have to do this on a web browser as opposed to the app.
When you get there, you’ll want to select the (Edit) next to Bookshelves
Next,
Create your “Did Not Finish” or another shelf name.
When you are at this point, Goodreads also has a section on additional information about exclusive shelves!
Lastly,
Simply select the box marking your new shelf as exclusive!
And there you have it, it really is that simple! Oh and, while you’re at it, you might as well friend me on Goodreads here!
If you have any tips or tricks to Goodreads, let us know in the comments!
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure for more information.
Picture this: You drive to Barnes and Noble. You mind yourself “I am only here for 1 book (insert book you saw on booktok or bookstagram) and I will only be getting that 1 book”.
Of course, the book would be at the very back of the store. As you head over you walk by the New Arrivals and see one of your favorite author’s new book came out last week. You grab it, one extra book won’t hurt and you were going to get it later anyways.
Then you pass the classics and spot that one you keep saying you’ve been wanting to read is on sale. Maybe if you have it you’ll finally get around to it, so you grab it.
And the process repeats itself over and over again until you end up with 16 books, 3 cute notebooks you definitely won’t be writing in, and a tote that says My Weekend is All Booked. . .
Keeping up your book collection can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be.
While kindle unlimited costs $10 a month, you gain access to over 1 million titles of books, magazines, and audiobooks.
BONUS: Squeeze win extra reading times out and about by downloading the kindle app, available on IOS, Android, Mac, and PC!
Goodwill and Other Thrift Stores
It never hurts to check out the books donated at Goodwill or other thrift stores when you get a chance. I have gotten so many books in pretty decent conditions for as little as $1. My copy of Pride, Prejudice and Zombies I got for $1 and I found a word cloud copy Pride and Prejudice for $2 (at different times)!
Shop at Local and Used Bookstores
Shop at smaller, local or used bookstores. Used books are cheaper, yet just as good as a new book. I actually prefer getting my books used when I can. After all, the beat up books are the most read and loved.
Your Local Library
The easiest and probably best way to save money on reading is simply, utilizing the library. They will most likely have the book you want to read, especially if it’s a more popular book. Most libraries are apart of interlibrary loan where they can contact other libraries to borrow it from for you to read. The best part? Absolutely free, you just got to remember to return it on time!
Your library may also have accounts with apps for your phone. My personal library uses libby, which allows members to checkout ebooks and audiobooks!
Do you have any other tips to reading on a budget? Share them to help other book nerds on a dime!
