Howdy, Bookworms!
As always happens, Tuesday has rolled around yet again. This week, the ladies of The Broke and the Bookish have asked us to list our deepest, darkest secrets. It’s time to hit the book blogging confessional! I’m a little nervous, kids. I hope y’all still like me at the end!
1. I rarely read author interviews. I feel like I ought to have some interest in author interviews, but I really don’t. They always turn into long discussions of the writing process and I just get kind of bored. I want to read author interviews that ask the things I’m interested in… Weird, stupid, hypothetical beauty pageant type questions are more my style. Explain to me what animal you’d be and why, and I’ll totally read your interview.
2. I normally don’t enjoy award-winning books. Pulitzer, Nobel, Man Booker… I often haven’t read anything on the short lists for these prizes. I am a story gal, pure and simple. Language alone is not enough to hold my attention. I feel like a book failure for admitting this, but me and literary fiction have a tempestuous relationship.
3. I’m terrible at commenting on other blogs. LIFE, you guys. It just keeps happening regardless of whether or not I’m commenting on other blogs. Much of the time it’s all I can do to read and put together my own posts, but then I feel like a grade A jerkface because so many other bloggers are so awesome at commenting on MY blog. Other bloggers who read more and work more and have children to take care of. I have no excuse and ALL THE GUILT.
4. I’m bad at keeping tabs on publishers. You guys, it would be a rare thing indeed if I could tell you who published most of the books I read. I pay no attention, unless I’m trying to track something specific down. (I know that Rainbow Rowell is with St. Martin’s Press and that Emma Donoghue is with Little Brown, & Co. and that’s only because I begged for ARCs of their latest books. I’d know Diana Gabaldon’s publishing company too, if they bothered with ARCs.)
5. Hey, jealousy! I get jealous. I see other bloggers talking about having free reign over entire publisher catalogs and getting all kinds of traffic and I get a bit green. Then I remember that I’m too lazy to pay attention to who publishes what, and that I can’t be bothered to make much of an effort, and it all makes sense. I’m REALLY GOOD at mediocrity. Wahoo!
6. I intentionally avoid blogging about controversial topics. I know that tackling controversy is a great way to generate traffic, but I just can’t bring myself to do it. I have opinions on plenty of things, but I have no desire to get into fights on the internet. Is Amazon the devil? Did Goodreads ruin a cool platform with censorship? Should adults be embarrassed to read YA? My answers are no, maybe, and sometimes, though not necessarily in that order. If you were to meet me in person, I wouldn’t discuss politics or religion with you either. Well. Maybe I would, but probably only if I had an idea where you stood on the issues. I don’t like conflict, okay?
7. I’m terribly suspicious. I’m not deluded enough to think that I’m a big important blogger. That said, sometimes I’ll be approached to join an event or promote something that sounds a little shady. I will often consult with a circle of blog pals to see if the things I’m being approached to participate in are on the up and up.
8. I tried and failed to read The Lord of the Rings
9. I really value my regular readers. That doesn’t sound like a confession, it just sounds obvious, but seriously. If I’ve seen you around and commenting for a while, I get attached. Sometimes I have more physical books on my shelves than I need. Sometimes I get something cool and want to share it. Sometimes I send people presents just because I like them. (Although ALL THE TIME I send EVERYONE BOOKMARKS if they want them. You want a sweet Words for Worms bookmark? Email me your address!)
10. I don’t pay much attention to cover art. All due respect to my favorite #coverhos, I don’t usually get very excited about book covers. I do most of my reading digitally, so the cover art isn’t really part of the experience for me. I like pretty things, so I don’t mind reading the occasional post showing people’s favorite book covers, but the idea of a “cover reveal” is beyond me.
Anybody out there want to join me in bookish or blogging confessions? Please?
*If you make a purchase through a link on this site I’ll make a small commission. Confession: I suffer no ethical conundrums over making a few dollars off of this blog.*
Monika @ Lovely Bookshelf
I use your bookmark ALL THE TIME! Well, as you’ve probably noticed from Instagram. LOL
#1 and #4 oh gosh, me too! I have to look up the publishers. Always.
And #8? Also me. Except I didn’t even make it through the ones you did. I just can’t seem to read fantasy, as much as I think I want to.
Words For Worms
It makes me super happy every time I see it! 🙂 Of course, I know your little one probably has a say in that, which confirms my suspicion that she and I are kindred spirits. I’m glad I’m not alone with LOTR, oye. I have read and enjoyed some fantasy, but Tolkien, man. I just can’t do it.
Shannon @ River City Reading
How did I not think of #1?? SERIOUSLY. I don’t even bother to click on them. If there’s an author that I think is interesting and I want to know what they think, I’ll seek an interview out…but random author? Nah.
Words For Worms
I always feel bad about it because tour operators will offer Q&As with the author a lot and I just have no interest. Though, maybe I should take an interest… I’m not sure the author would like answering the questions I’d pose, but it would be amusing.
Quirky Chrissy
I don’t read as much as I would like.
Words For Worms
It happens.
ThatAshGirl
I get emails to submit content, or promote products, or better yet, the ones that want to write content for my blog. Yeah big no. Only one I responded to was the guy who wanted to interview moi for that online magazine and I was all over that because I could totally Google it and it was legit.
Joules (from Pocketful of Joules)
Oh my gosh, I love the people that email and tell me that they’re going to provide me with a blog post for my blog. Um… no.
ThatAshGirl
And they claim to be marketers that’s the hilarious thing. I’m like, um, I work in Marketing, we don’t do that….EVER.
Words For Worms
RIGHT?! Like, yes, of course I want to run your random post about brake pads on my BOOK BLOG. WTF, guys?!
Megan M.
Love this post Katie! I love author interviews but I’m really interested in the writing process, so I’ll read interviews of authors whose books I haven’t even read. That’s just how I roll. Award-winning books are great and all, but I think it’s much more important to read what genuinely interests you. And does anyone really pay attention to publishers? I doubt it very much. I absolve you of all of your book-related guilt.
I have to confess that I am a total hypocrite when it comes to book recommendations. I love to recommend books to people and then hear that they read them and liked them, but when people recommend books to me? I very rarely read them. If I read the book description and it does not sound interesting to me, then I’m all “ain’t nobody got time for that.” Also, the classics. There are tons of classics that I am sure are wonderful but… I am just not going to read them. Sorrynotsorry. You can’t make me!
Words For Worms
LOL, Megan, I feel I’ve gotten off too easy receiving absolution without penance (though that’s probably latent Catholic guilt rearing its ugly head.) I get you on the classics, too. I’ve tried to read a Tale of Two Cities twice now and it made me fall asleep… The second time was on audio and I was driving, so when I started getting drowsy I had to switch to radio dial surfing. There are too many books I want to read to force myself through things I find dull. It’s okay, Dickens and I will always have A Christmas Carol.
Girl
Mine is going to make me sound like a creeper (maybe?), but I read almost everything you blog about. At our library we have a section called ‘Gen Lit’ – but I have read almost everything in the section. So I basically go through your blog and read everything you post about.
I just read Slammerkin, One Plus One, and The Storied Life of AJ Fikry. I have Frog Music, The Mad Scientist’s Daughter on my shelf, and Landline and Prototype on my hold list. And this is in the past week. So if I went back further, I would just list most the books you have reviewed.
In super creepster confessions, I saw you looked at my LinkedIn, and got all excited. We live a little close, so I was all like – maybe we can be friends! But then realized I was in creeper territory. -_-
I don’t have a blog, but my confession is I have tried to make one several times, but I am not consistent in what I am doing. So for a month I will read a novel every day or two. Then for a month I will focus on yoga. Then for a month I will focus on looking nice. Then a month of being outside. So my blogs always got too diluted and I gave up. But I like to pretend if I did not have to already sit at a computer all day, I could have an interesting blog about lots of stuff. But, it probably will not happen.
Words For Worms
Girl, I am so glad you left this comment! I felt like the BIGGEST creeper for checking out your linked-in! I was like CRAP, SHE WILL SEE THIS, YOU SHOULD RESPECT PRIVACY, KATIE! Whew. I’m glad you didn’t mind. And heck yeah we should be friends. I’m a little embarrassing to be seen with in public, but you know, if you lack shame, then bring it on!
Andi (@estellasrevenge)
First, the pics on this are STELLAR. And next, no offense from the #coverhos. And also, JEALOUSY! Yes, it happens to me too.
Words For Worms
LOL, Andi, I bow to you, the queen of amusing selfies, but I’ll gladly accept a lesser title. Princess or duchess of amusing selfies perhaps? Also, ANDI, you’re so many different shades of amazing, you have no cause for jealousy. FACT. XOXO
Melissa B.
I loved reading your post! I totally agree with #8. My husband and daughter like those books but I am not a big fan.
Words For Worms
I wanted so badly to love them, but no. It just isn’t going to happen. I do love Game of Thrones though, I guess I’ll have to relegate all my pop culture fantasy references there instead.
Rhian
Yours is the only book blog I read.
Words For Worms
Well, now I’m blushing terribly. This is almost as thrilling as receiving a Christmas card with marsupials all over it!
Joules (from Pocketful of Joules)
Here is my bookish confession – every time I comment on a post of yours saying that I really want to read that book I promptly forget about it. So today, I need to stalk through your old blog posts so I can make myself a list of books to download on my kindle. =)
Words For Worms
Oh Joules. Just email me what you’re in the mood for. I’ll hook you up so you don’t need to hunt. XOXO
Carrie
Confession: I’ve been reading your site for weeks (months?), enjoy it immensely, and I’ve never commented because I feel kind of like a stalky loser when I comment. Maybe it’s a residual high school thing, and I’m afraid the cool kids will say amongst themselves, “Look at the blogger newbie, you can so tell she’s not one of us.” I’ve read a lot of these confession lists today, and there’s a lot of insecurity out there. It kind of makes me wonder, if we’re all feeling it, maybe NONE of us should be feeling it!
Keep up the good work!
Charleen
I used to feel this ALL THE TIME! I was such a hardcore lurker, on blogs and social media. The high school analogy is perfect… “Wow, she thinks we’re actually friends, how sad is that?” But now I just jump in. I feel like the online world allows me to be outgoing in a way I never could be in real life.
Words For Worms
Charleen, I totally think my blog friends are actually friends. I’ve met a few of them in real life and it’s been like catching up with old pals, so I figure it totally counts. And I feel you, I am WAY more outgoing online than in person (although I’m MUCH more outgoing in person now than I was when I was a kid/teenager.)
Charleen
Absolutely blogging buddies can be friends!
But before you get to know them, commenting on a blog for the first time, or jumping into a conversation on Twitter… I used to feel like it implied a certain level of familiarity. Especially back when I was lurking, because I might have been reading the blog for months and felt like I did know the blogger… but they don’t know I exist. It just seemed awkward to me.
Obviously, I got over that.
Words For Worms
Carrie, my darling, we were all blogging newbies at one point! Also, I’m not even a little bit cool. Never have been. You’re always welcome here! Commenting is the best way to make blog friends,. too. Never stalker-y, I promise.
Tracy (@Cornerfolds)
I completely know how you feel about The Lord of the Rings! I loved The Hobbit, but I just cannot get through LotR. And I really hate to confess that because LotR is such a huge part of my life (and I have the tattoos to prove it!). The problem is that I saw the movies before I touched the books and fell completely in love. Oh well. I wish I could be like you and not care about cover art, but I’d be lying if I said I don’t judge by the cover… Great list!
Here are my Confessions!
Words For Worms
You have LOTR tattoos? And didn’t read the books? That’s some dedication to the fandom. I think you’ve earned a pass!
Charleen
#1 really depends on the mood I’m in. If I’m feeling really behind and overwhelmed, I’ll probably just skip it. But most of the time I’ll at least skim, and if it seems fun and interesting then I’ll read more. I’ve actually found author guest posts to be more boring than interviews (I guess because the bloggers I follow ask fun questions).
And yeah, cover reveals? I really don’t get why that’s a thing.
Words For Worms
Cover reveals especially make no sense to me because they change all the time. There’s US covers which are different than UK covers which aren’t always even the same as Canadian covers. Plus, there’s one cover for the hardback and one for the paperback and then movie tie ins and… Seriously. You could do a blog full of nothing BUT cover reveals… Nobody would read it, but you COULD.
Trish
“Then I remember that I’m too lazy to pay attention to who publishes what, and that I can’t be bothered to make much of an effort, and it all makes sense. I’m REALLY GOOD at mediocrity.” I could have said that same exact sentence. I’ve thought this SO many times. All the jealousy but then I remember that I really only read backlist books so why should I care anyway?
And ugh the guilt for commenting. Wish I could shake it. Stupid Life. 😛
Words For Worms
I don’t know how you manage to do ANY blogging, what with the kiddos and the quilting and the using of obscure kitchen appliances. I’m impressed that you handle so much LIFE.
Loralie
I love your blog! I have quite a few books on my to read list based on your reviews. My (non-blogger) confession is that when I read a book that it seems like every other single person on earth loved & I didn’t like it, my first reaction is that maybe I just didn’t get it. I think it is because it is just disapointing when you don’t like something you have been looking forward to.
Words For Worms
Awww I’m so glad to have you here! I hate when I read something and I can’t figure out what all the hype is about- it makes me feel dumb.
Jennine G.
I don’t pay attention to publishers either!!! And I avoid some posts with controversial topics sometimes…I don’t feel I always know enough to argue anyway and over the internet things can be taken the wrong way too, and that helps no one. Great list!
Words For Worms
Oh I’ll read controversial posts, but I won’t write them myself. At least not right now. I’m such a chicken, but internet shouting matches, or even respectful debates make me uncomfortable.
Laura
I thought I was the only weirdo who didn’t enjoy LOTR! The Hobbit was tolerable, but Fellowship just draaaaaaaggggeeeeed. It got to the point where I was about 3/4 of the way through the book, discovered the hobbits were STILL in the effing Shire, and threw the book across the room.
I definitely get the whole jealousy of other blogs bit, along with how I don’t have time to really promote my blog as often as I should. This whole blogging thing is hard work!!
Words For Worms
Oh Laura, I’m so glad I’m not alone! The only nice thing I had to say about Fellowship was that Bill the Pony was cool. Starting a blog is a lot harder than it seems from the outside, particularly if you would like anyone other than your mom to read it :). Yours is lovely, by the way. If I were in any way DIY inclined, I’d be taking your advice!
Carly
I totally agree with you on not wanting to blog about controversial subjects. I don’t want to get into internet fights with people either, and furthermore, when I criticize people/a genre/a company/etc., I just feel mean 😛
Words For Worms
Sometimes I write negative book reviews and I’m okay with that, but even then I try to point out things that people would like, point it to the right audience, or at the VERY least, make sure the author is represented by a major publisher. I don’t read much in the way of self publishing, but it seems crueler somehow to trash someone who’s trying to do it all on their own. Better to say nothing than be mean in such cases.
Sarah @ Sarah's Book Shelves
GREAT list! I’m right there with you on 1, 2, 4, and 10! Especially #2! I will also add that I read the first Harry Potter, thought it was so-so, and never read the rest of the series. My soon to be sister in law (who spent July 4th weekend at Disney’s Harry Potter land…or whatever it’s called) would die to hear me say that!
Words For Worms
I’m a pretty devoted HP fan myself, but I really have no room to judge, seeing how I feel about LOTR.
Jenny @ Reading the End
Hahaha, you don’t have to feel bad about not liking Tolkien! No author is for everyone. It took me YEARS to start enjoying Lord of the Rings, and I only managed it by skipping Fellowship, watching the movie instead, and starting reading the series at The Two Towers. And I still think the Hobbit is boring as can be.
I’m trying to be better about remembering which publishers publish which authors. My end game is to have lots of opinions about publishers so I can be all, “I mean, Riverhead’s trade paperbacks are pretty to look at, but for really great literature, it’s all about Pamela Dorman.”
(That is not my real opinion about those two publishers. I don’t even know if I got the name of Pamela Dorman correct.)
Words For Worms
LOL, I love your reasoning for wanting to know all the publishers. Most of the people I chat with wouldn’t know the difference, so I could probably get away with completely inaccurate statements like that… Hmmm….
AMB
This is great! I love learning more about the bloggers I follow. I can identify with several of the items on your list, particularly #1, 2, 4, 7, and 9.
This made me laugh: “Is Amazon the devil? Did Goodreads ruin a cool platform with censorship? Should adults be embarrassed to read YA? My answers are no, maybe, and sometimes, though not necessarily in that order.”
Controversy is one thing I don’t shy away from, but there are definitely certain topics that I won’t touch with a ten-foot pole!
Words For Worms
You always do such a great job with presenting controversial topics! I love reading well balanced arguments, but I’m no good at writing them.
Stacy (The Novel Life)
I was nodding along with all of your confessions until I got to the Lord of the Rings confession. . .I’m so disappointed Katie! Not a LoTR fan???? oh I’m crushed! 😉
great list Katie!
Words For Worms
I know, I hang my head in abject shaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaame.
Catherine
What a great list- we are great counterparts bc I love author interviews and cover art- we need to team up! I guess it’s because I secretly wish I had the cajones and discipline to write a novel but it’s not going to happen.
My blogger embarrassment? I don’t like doing give-aways. Not because I don’t want to give things but they are such a massive pain in the ass and I get virtually nothing from them. So, yes, I’m selfish and lazy.
Words For Worms
Ha! Together we’d make one single well-balanced book blogger :).
Darlene @ Lost in Literature
Oh Katie! I am so in love with this post!
#3…(my confession)Sometimes you are the only comment I get on my blog and I appreciate it EVERY TIME. So from my perspective, you’re awesome at comments. And thank you. It can be crickets sometimes.
#6…I don’t mind controversial posts, though sometimes I may experience a little wounding, but what I love about your blog is that I can always count on smiling. You’re like a little Miss Rumphius, making the world a more beautiful place. Awww!!
#8 I am someone who was hugely impacted by The Lord of The Rings, but mainly because I worked my butt off to get through it. I consider them trophies on the top shelf of my bookshelf.
One final confession…I’ve lost my Words for Worms bookmark. Every time Monika posts a picture of a book with her marker in it, it makes me sad. Can I have another?
Words For Worms
OF COURSE you can have a new bookmark, Darlene! You haven’t moved since Christmas have you? I saved the addresses in a file, so I’ll try to get something in the mail for you this week :).
Darlene @ Lost in Literature
Thank you dear! I look forward to it.:)
Melinda
I loved reading everyone’s confessions. 1 and 4 definitely resonates with me 🙂
Marisa @ The Daily Dosage
#6! There are debates I see going on all the time but reading all the back and forth comments is exhausting and a time suck…so I avoid starting one on my own blog.
Words For Worms
YES! Plus, most of the time when it comes to controversy, nobody’s mind gets changed anyway. I haven’t the stomach for it.
Leah @ Books Speak Volumes
Uhm, I’m with you on like ALL of these. Author interviews = not usually super interesting, I feel terrible for not keeping up with other blogs very well, I’m terrified of Internet fights about controversial things, I couldn’t get more than 100 pages into The Lord of the Rings, and I ALSO adore my regular readers. They’re a pretty great bunch.
Words For Worms
You and me Leah. Internet high five!
Allison @ The Book Wheel
I don’t tend to love the super popular books, either. I did a post last year about popular books I didn’t like or finish and people were horrified by some of them (She’s Come Undone, The Book Thief). As for jealousy – it happens to all of us!
Amy @ Read a Latte
At the time I couldn’t think of enough confessions to even do this Tuesday’s post but reading this and everyone else’s now I could go on and on. I never even thought about publishers before looking on Netgalley and looking at books, and even then I can’t remember which is which. I have no desire at all to read LOTR, and I could barely SKIM through The Hobbit. Here’s a confession: yours was one of the first blogs I really read regularly and kind of the blog-spiration for what mine became!
Words For Worms
Amy, I am SO OUTRAGEOUSLY FLATTERED. Bring it in. Hug, hug, hug!
Sarah Says Read
OH, we are twinsies when it comes to #3. Life really does get in the way, and then I try to catch up later (hence me commenting on this post on a Sunday…) and then I end up “mark as read”-ing a whole bunch of stuff… it’s bad. And I FEEL bad. But seriously, time. Only so much of it in a day.
And I ALSO get jealous. And then I get frustrated, because I really just don’t have the time to get my blog to where I want it to be, and then I daydream about the day I can quit working full-time and actually have the energy to devote to being a better blogger, and then I stop thinking about things because I’ll go crazy and I go read instead. Who would’ve known us bloggers would have so many issues…
Words For Worms
Man, I’m only working a 40 hour week but things have been crazy busy this summer. I feel you!