Booklover of the Week presents… YA book blogger Kelsey!

This week, I’m delighted to feature a terrific young blogger who is also participating in the Teen Author Challenge. (Not only that, but she also designed the winning logo for the TAC!) Please help me welcome the fabulous…

Kelsey
(aka Reading Keeps You Sane)

Welcome, Kelsey!

Booklover Basics

Name:   Kelsey

Blog Name:   Reading Keeps You Sane

Blog URL:   readingkeepsyousane.blogspot.com

Country:   USA

Teen or Adult?   Teen

Short Bio:

Hi, I’m Kelsey! I’m a blogger, reviewer, reader, writer, among other things. I overall just love to create and imagine.


Questions About You 2.0

The You 2.0 blog is about becoming everything you’re meant to be. It’s about pursuing your dreams, changing your world, showing gratitude, and paying it forward. Here’s a chance for our Booklovers to share what You 2.0 means to them.

1.   PURSUING YOUR DREAMS: Everyone has the ability to be extraordinary, they just have to embrace what makes them unique and special and pursue their dreams with passion and confidence! Tell us a little about a dream you’ve achieved or are pursuing right now. If you’ve achieved it already, how does it feel to know you’ve made your dream a reality?

I have about three dreams that I am pursuing now. One: To get into a good college and work toward a career in the publishing industry. I have a few more years before I would go to college though. Two: Write a novel. And maybe even publish it. And for three: Buy a Volkswagen Beetle in a sky blue color and a convertible one. It’s my dream car since I was playing with Barbies.

2.   CHANGING YOUR WORLD: Changing the world doesn’t have to mean finding a cure for cancer or creating lasting world peace (though it definitely can!). It just means finding a way that you can make the world a little better off for having lived here, whether it’s making a difference to one person or a million, to the earth, to animals… whatever is important to you. What is one way you would personally like to make the world a better place?

Well, I thought about it and I think something I would really like to do is write a novel that will be about something that means a lot to me and hope that if I ever write it, and publish it, it’ll make a difference for the people who read it.

3.   GRATITUDE: Gratitude is a huge part of the You 2.0 life. Taking a moment to count our blessings is the best way to remember what’s truly important (especially when life is hectic and crazy!). What are you grateful for?

I’m grateful for a tonnnnn of stuff. My dog, who I can always count on. My family, who is there for me and loves me. The authors of the books I read, who allow me to open my imagination and for inspiration. And to a tonnnnn of other stuff that I could keep on naming.

4.   PAYING IT FORWARD: If everyone took a moment to pay it forward, even just once, the world would be changed in ways we can’t even imagine. What is one thing you’ve done (or plan to do) to “pay it forward” in some way?

I don’t think you really need to think about it when you pay it forward. I think it’s a spontaneous thing. Sometimes I don’t know what I will do until I just know I need to do it!


Questions About You, The Book Blogger

5.   Why did you decide to start blogging about books?

It was a completely spontaneous move and I had no idea what I had gotten myself into. But I’ve kept strong for almost a year and a half now and I hope to continue doing so.

6.   What do you love most (and least) about being a YA book blogger?

I love learning new books to read and being able to read them, all the blogger buddies I’ve met. I don’t really like how time consuming and totally addicting blogging is. haha

7.   What do you love most about the YA and middle grades genres right now?

Well, I don’t read any MG books, so I have no say on that, but as for YA books, well, i don’t know if I can really say. All the YA books are different, but I do love that there are soooo many YA books out there. And I love how most YA authors are available online and blog and tweet, etc. It’s really nice to know authors in that way.

8.   What makes you fall in love with a book?

The writing, the characters all have to be good. Poetic prose, strong female characters. Romance with a good guy is always a favorite of mine. Some sort of paranormal activity. Originality. It has to wow me and make me think about it for hours after I finish it.

9.   Which books have inspired you most?

All books have inspired me. I can’t pick just a few! Truthfully, whenever I read a book (which is a lot!) I always stop and think about how the authors have gotten the book to where it is now (me reading the book). Really, it’s not the books that inspire me, it’s the authors who finished a complete novel, got an agent, sold it, and went through the entire process to have it published. The authors are my inspiration.

10.   Are you also a writer yourself? If so, what do you like to write?

I don’t really know if I consider myself a writer. I like to write, even though I don’t usually get past 30 pages. But I like to write contemporary coming-of-age romance novels, I suppose. Maybe with a little paranormal in it?

11.   What advice would you give to other avid readers who want to launch their own book blog?

Whatever you do, don’t do it to get free books, do it for the fact that you want to share your opinions on the books you read. I didn’t even know ARCs existed when I started my blog!


Will the Real You 2.0 Please Stand Up?

12.   I love the game Three Truths and a Lie because there are so many unexpected and interesting things about people that we never get a chance to learn about them. What are three truths and a lie that our blog readers can guess about you?

–When I lived in Germany I was in a huge car pile-up that was started when a guy tried to jump off an overpass.  **UPDATE: Here’s the lie!**
–When I was younger I once hid somewhere for no apparent reason while my mom’s friend babysat me long enough that eventually the police were called to help find me.
–When I lived in Germany a guy in the apartment building across from mine held his family hostage but ended up only killing himself.
–I broke someone’s arm once before.

(Readers: Your guess gets you an entry into the You 2.0 monthly contest for an ARC of The Cinderella Society or a prize dive in the awesome You 2.0 Prize Basket. Guess correctly and you get a bonus entry! I’ll update the post tomorrow to spill the big lie, so get guessing and have fun!)

Thanks to Kelsey for a fabulous interview!

Entry Filed under: Booklover - YA Bloggers,Gratitude