Announcing the Winners of the Double Blogiversary Giveaway!

I've just plugged numbers into random.org and found the winners of the two books I'm giving away to celebrate my blogiversary. They are:


Nise' from Under the Boardwalk.... winner of The Savage Grace by Bree Despain


and


Hannah from Word Lily... winner of A World Without Heroes by Brandon Mull


Congratulations to you both! I've sent emails asking for your mailing addresses. Please respond soon so I can mail them off to you!

Your Questions: Answered!

Thanks for all the questions guys! I loved them! In order to answer them all, this post is going to be another long one, so hopefully thats okay. You can pick and choose what to read of course.


Ann from Cozy in Texas asks: What book did you hate at the beginning but persevered and loved in the end? 


You know I would have to say many big fat classics would fall into this category. For example, it took me awhile to get the groove and feel of The Forsyte Saga by John Galsworthy, but by the end, I was totally in love with it and would now count it as one of my all time favorite books. The Way We Live Now was a lot like this too, and many Charles Dickens books. 




Ang from Eastern Sunset Reads asks:  I know you have a successful book club. I started one about 6 months ago and it continues to falter. How do you get people interested and coming? How do you choose books? 


For me I think things started clicking because we are able library book club sets! When I started using those, people started coming more. They didn't have to worry about how to get a hold of the book. They didn't have to buy it or find it or borrow it or check it out. I get it for them from the library and give it them, and then they make sure they get it back. This is also how we choose books, from looking over the lists from the library. (We actually have two libraries that do this, so we have double the amount.) So this answer is not at all helpful if you don't have library book club sets to try! So other than that, I would say be very consistent in when book club is held, recruit people who truly WANT the book club experience (are willing to try new things, etc.) , take their suggestions for books and put it to a vote, read a variety of things so everyone is happy, and then actually talk about books during book club! :) I did a whole post on this awhile back, here's the link if you missed it. (Which you didn't because you commented!) But mostly don't give up... it took mine at least a year to really catch on, so keep at it okay?




Jenni from Jenni Elyse asks: How do you feel about Daylight Saving Time? Are you a supporter or a hater?


Well, let's just say, I don't get it! As someone was saying the other day, the sun sets and rises at the same time no matter what our clock says. Daylight Saving Time just forces us to GET up earlier, so we can enjoy more day. So, I mean, I guess it's okay, but it is a pain and I hate switching back and forth. So bottom line, I don't feel passionate enough about it to say I'm either a supporter OR a hater! 


Melissa from One Librarian's Book Reviews asks I want to know how you and your husband met!  and Jenny from Alternate Readality asks: I'm with Melissa, and  I've been meaning to get you to tell me that story. So spill. ;)


Short version: In high school!

College Days!

Long version: So there I was on the very first day of high school, going to my very first class (World History Honors) where the teacher sat us in alphabetical order by our last names. Two seats ahead of me, I noticed this really cute dark haired guy from the other junior high (two junior highs fed into this school) and I continued to notice him... that he had many classes with me, that he was smart and quiet and nice, that he had cool friends....and I noticed him all that year, but never once said a word to him. And I noticed him all the NEXT year, but never once said a word to him. (My friend, though had a class with him that year, and talked about him non-stop it seemed.) Then it was our senior year. A few months in, I actually spoke a couple of words to this boy who I'd been observing these past two years! I remember being very excited! That New Year's Eve, there was a church dance which I felt the need to support and go to. I invited my friends, including another guy who was friends with this boy. I said, "bring him!" The guy I'd been dating for about two months at the time, couldn't come, he had family stuff. So anyway, he (yes the dark haired quiet boy!) came! I was pleased. We danced two dances. The sparks flew. He asked me out that next week (ice cream at Fernwoods.) The other guy got mad. They had words. I told them "stop it!" They made up, we were all friends again. So I proceeded to date them both. Then, they weren't friends again. The first boy got mad, stopped talking to me,  then I got sad, begged him to talk to me. The second boy got mad, said, "what the HECK?" and walked off! I was really REALLY sad. Yes, and this went on for three months... my very own love triangle! I know! Fun, yes? :) Not. So, anyway, finally by the end of that senior year, the transition was made and we were firmly and officially together. We went off to college together, then he went on a church mission, came home, we dated another year, then got married.  The end! (Well, the beginning actually, but the end of THAT story!)

Kathy from Read This Instead asks: How do you stay motivated/keep your blogging fun after doing it for so long?How do you decide when you need to switch something up on the blog? (It could be anything - layout, the way you do reviews, the types of posts you do)


It's weird because the more I do this, the more I feel like I have to say. I also find getting more involved in things (blogging events, author events, read alongs, etc.) keeps me motivated. Connecting with other people keeps me motivated because then I feel like there is actually someone reading it (yes, readers really keep one motivated!) And I change things up when I get sick of them! Or if things are starting to bore me, I change it. Or add something, or whatever. I changed my blog quite a lot the first few years, but then I found a look I loved and it stayed that way for a long long time, until just awhile back when I changed it again.

Page from As The Page Turns asks: If you could be any character from a book who would you be and why? 

After much pondering, I've settled on Anne Shirley of Green Gables fame. Here's why: She lives in a beautiful, quaint, quiet, gentle place and time, she has some of the coolest friends ever, she found a loving family, she is smart, beautiful and passionate, she has fun adventures, and last but not least, she has Gilbert, one of the best boys ever in all of literature! :)

Alexia from Alexia's Books and Such asks: Um....if you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be? Kidding! Let's say that there's a worldwide book shortage and they have to ration books....which author would you spend your ration coupons on? 

First of all, I would be a pine tree probably. I have no idea why, that just popped into my head. They smell good and they live in the mountains! Secondly, you KNOW who I'd use my coupons on of course!! Markus Zusak. However, I wouldn't be reading a whole lot because he is SLOW in getting new books out, dang it. So maybe I'd have to go with Brandon Sanderson, because he has books coming out all the time, and I love them, and they are LONG and would last me during that book shortage.

Jed, my brother, asks: What is new and exciting in the lives of your college aged kids?

Um, well, they both think they are love at the moment. So, yeah, maybe a double wedding down the road a ways!?  HA, no please. I take that back. 

Chachic from Chachic's Book Nook asks: What are some of the blogging highlights that you've experienced in the past five years?

Yesterday's post pretty much covers the answer to this question! But basically, the highlights have been participating in fun events like the readathon, Armchair BEA, BBAW and Bloggiesta. And finding bosom blogger buddies to read books with, discuss with, watch things wtih, talk music with, write letters (and postcards) to and just plain get to know. Also, finding so many local bloggers that I consider to be my IRL friends now. THAT has been a blast.

Bybee from  Naked Without Books asks:  If you were a nonfiction book, which one would you be?


A year or so ago at the library where I work, the staff made "for fun" tshirts, and as part of that we were to cataloge ourselves, and figure out what Dewey decimal number describes us and then put that number on the back our shirts. The number I picked was.... 028.8... which if you know your numbers, is the section where you'll find books about books... books "all about books." Yes, so I'd be one of them!

Susan from Bloggin' 'bout Books asks: Since the "How did you meet?" question has already been asked, how about your funniest/most embarrassing Mommy moment?

When ever I get asked this, my mind goes blank! I remember being quite embarrassed the time that my daughter, two years old, wandered away from me in a big department store. I panicked,and searched and got the clerks to search with me... we finally found her playing by the elevators and instead of hugging her to me in relief, I yelled at her for wandering away.... in front of the store people. That was embarrassing! 

Gayle from Glimpses asks: Where's your favorite place for a family vacation? Have you ever found any great out-of-the-way spots (i.e. not tourist traps) that you've just loved? And she also asks: So I read in your "Why I Blog" meme that Suey is your real nickname that everyone in the blogging world knows you by (and that you never really liked, but I like how it's so unique!) but I'm wondering what name you go by with your everyday friends and acquaintances?

We love going camping up the mountains to a spot about an hour and a half drive away. It's our true getaway place. We also really love Moab Utah, even though it is actually quite touristy... but I think in a quaint nice way. Arches National Park, right outside of Moab, is one of my most favorite places ever.

Now about the name.... in real life I'm Kerri Sue, both names, kind of a mouth full, which is why I choose to be known by my nickname here on the blog and other online places. Wow, weird... now you know! :) 

Jessica from The Bluestocking Society asks: I want to know about your "second." I mean, I know that Markus Zusak has the number one place in your book-loving heart, but who is second? And maybe add in your third and fourth. :) 



I think possibly John Green is second on my squee-worthy list!  And I'm pretty sure I will like anything he writes. Brandon Sanderson, while not making me squee so much, I will probably like anything HE writes also. 


And that's it!! Thanks for playing guys! You did awesome with the questions and I have had a blast answering them. :)

My Blogging Timeline: 2007 to 2012

Here's a timeline of my blogging life! Whew, it turned it much longer than I expected it to be! It will probably bore you all to death, but I had fun doing it and looking over my posts from the years and seeing all the crazy changes that have happened. Wow.

Anyway, for what it's worth.... I give you my blogging timeline:

March 2007:   It's All About Books is created! I took a few days to add some stuff, then let it go public! It was a blue and green, "rounded corner" basic template blogger blog, with just two columns. I thought it looked AWESOME!

March 2007: I do my first reviews on The Screwtape Letters and Gilead... I used to do lots of "joint" reviews back in the day!

July 2007: My first Markus Zusak gush... if you thought my MZ crush and author love is a new thing, you would be wrong. I was struck down a long long time ago!

December 2007: The first time I talked about an eReader (the Kindle)

January 2008: The first time I shared my messy TBR shelf... this is totally like going back in time to see this!

February 2008: The first comment I had by an author... that I know of!

February 2008: Let the author stalking begin! Brandon Mull topped the list! (Wow, those kids look little!)

March 2008: I celebrate being one!

March 2008: I started blurbing my monthly recap posts, something I continue to have a blast with today.

April 2008: And my Josh gushings begin.... (the love had begun years before, but I reigned it in on the blog until this post!)

April 2008: I began participating in Weekly Geeks with Dewey's very first assignment

May 2088: Here's the post where Natasha and I realized we were at the same event, but didn't know each other.... thus the spark of wondering about meeting other book bloggers was born. This making bookish friends thing is probably one of, if not THE, best things that's happened because of the blog.

May 2008: Learned how track subscription numbers in Google Reader and discovered I had 26 subscribers!!! (After a year and half of blogging, but I was ecstatic!)

July 2008: One of my first posts that actually got some hits.... Literary Couples (I was going to fix the picture links on this post, have not had time as of yet... sorry!)

August 2008:  I get my very first ARC which led to my first blog tour, Farworld by J. Scott Savage , which led to my first ever giveaway.

August 2008: I do my very first Sunday Salon post... wow, I've morphed that over the years.

August 2008: I get a job at the library!

September 2008: The first ever Book Blog Appreciation Week! Wow, has that ever changed over the years too.

September 2008: I do a review on the book Deep and Dark and Dangerous, to this day it gets more hits than any other review. (Kids looking it up I'm sure.)

November 2008: I caved and joined Twitter! I had no clue what to do with it.

December 2008: I posted about Dewey's death... and got more hits on that post than anything up to that time... I think I was one of the first to read about her passing,  and then many people learned from my post. What a sad day.

January 2009: We have our first Utah book blogger gathering and meet REAL bloggers in REAL life for the very first time. It was amazing! And the beginning of something we totally take for granted now, all our blogger friendships.

January 2009: After Dewey's death, I help to keep Weekly Geeks going by posting an idea every other month or so.

February 2009: I had a blast participating in the Blog Improvement Project

February 2009:  We, Raidergirl3 and I, begin a feature called The Bookword Game

March 2009: I celebrate two years blogging with a giveaway... and if you click on this link you can see what my header looked like back then... and my color scheme was purple and green... and yellow! I think.

April 2009: I started doing "Suey's Top Tens" which morphed into "My Top Tens" with the hopes that people would join me... and then I saw that there was a much much MUCH more popular, yet similar,  feature going on over at The Broke and the Bookish, so I just joined in with them and dropped my own idea. That's the way it goes sometimes, you know....

August 2009: I get new shelves and create the library corner I had dreamed about forever!

September 2009: I start another idea I had... Authors Pick Five.

October 2009: I participate in my first Readathon.

December 2009: I start the Support Your Local Authors Challenge, which I have done really nothing on! I don't really know how to make that one more exciting.

January 2010: I participate in my first Bloggiesta!

January 2010: I begged lurkers to DELURK and got the most comments I've ever had on my blog up to that point!

January 2010: I do my first buddy read (read along)  with Heather J on  Brandon Sanderson's Warbreaker.

March 2010: I celebrate year four by doing  a survey (something new I'd learned how to do!)

April 2010: In which I review Michael Buble, rant a little and create a post that becomes one of my most popular (many hits) posts of all time!

May 2010: In which I write one of MY most favorite posts ever, though it's not at all popular with the general world... The Trouble with Author Signings. (It was also in this post were I joke about meeting Markus Zusak, and thinking the possibility was probably next to none!)

March 2011: But then, he came!

March 2011: I make a list of books the book club is deciding on... and get THOUSANDS and THOUSANDS of hits! (Weird to me that this post is so popular! I have done book club lists before, so why this one? My only guess... I put the year in the title.. which makes is more searchable or something.) Anyway, the post remains my post with the most hits by far, WAY ahead of the pack!

March 2011: I celebrate four years by giving away a signed copy of The Book Thief! So very fun!

May 2011: The first ever Utah Author Month! (There are plans for another one!)

August 2011: Weekly Geeks ends. :(

September 2011: I co-host my first read along with Jenny from Alternate Readality.

December 2011: I start a feature called As Seen on Twitter... though I've quite dropped the ball on this one!

February 2012: I do my first "watch along" post along with Kailana from The Written World.... and people seem to love this post too... only because Sherlock is so popular!

February 2012: I take over hosting Bloggiesta, along with Danielle from There's a Book!

March 2012: Celebrating FIVE years blogging! Here's to another five! And more! :)

I skipped a lot of things, and still it's too long! But fun to look back. Very fun. Were you with me for some of these events? I'm wondering who else started blogging in 2007? Shout out if it's you!


And now a couple of stats, just for fun:

Posts: 1704 (counting this one)
Comments: 10,198
Reviews: 396
Most popular keyword search: The End (which bring people to this post and I just don't think it's what they are looking for!)


P.S. You can still enter for my double giveaway! You'll have a pretty good chance since the list is small, so go for it!

(P.P.S. I wonder how many exclamation points I used in this post? Hmmmm.....I must be really really excited about all these milestones.)

Why I Blog Meme

A few months ago I saw this meme making a bit of a come back.... specifically I remember seeing jt over at Trish's from Love Laughter and a Touch of Insanity. So I nabbed the questions and decided it would be a perfect blogiversary type post... to ponder on this blogging hobby... so here are my general blogging thoughts.

1.  How long have you been blogging?


This week marks five years blogging here at It's All About Books. But I actually started blogging more than a year before that when Yahoo 360 was a thing, and I loved doing personal type essays over there. But I got frustrated when I wanted to talk books and no one talked back. Then... 360 died anyway, so....

2.  Why did you start blogging?


I was a member of several online book clubs... Yahoo groups mostly, and they started talking about reading challenges and posting them to your blog and on and on, and so I thought, dang, I really should have a blog that's "all about books" and so, after pondering the idea for a long long time, I decided what the heck and went for it.

3.  What have you found to be the benefits of blogging?

I love the creative outlet that blogging provides. It's just simply a way to put thoughts to words and share them... which makes me feel happy. I love the interaction with so many other book fans. I love how author stalking has become a true hobby since I've started blogging. I love discussing books with people. 

4.  How many times a week do you post an entry?

Every day, except I skip Friday and Saturday sometimes. If I feel there's a lot going on, I will post twice in a day. 

5.  How many different blogs do you read on a regular basis?


Are you kidding me? I have no idea what the number is. Hundreds of book blogs. Tens of family blogs.

6.  Do you comment on other people’s blogs?


Of course! Why blog if you don't comment? However, that being said, I've been really lousy at it in recent months. But I do go in spurts, and there are moments of commenting blitzes!

7.  Do you keep track of how many visitors you have?  Is so, are you satisfied with your numbers?


Yes, I mean, I keep track a little. Google Analytics can be a fascinating thing to look over now and then. Then Blogger added a stats page awhile back and it's fun to see what it's saying (the two of them rarely agree by the way, so who knows how many visitors I really have!) Yes, I like my numbers. They are good enough that I know there are readers out there, but not so high that I feel pressure or panic or whatever bloggers feels when they have a huge audience to please! I like seeing the numbers growing, and this year, they've grown quite a bit. I think it's because I've put myself out there a little more. Yeah, that only took five years!

8.  Do you ever regret a post that you wrote?


No, not really. Sometimes I get embarrassed if I've been too personal... or too fan girly, or something, but I don't really regret it. Those posts make the blog real, right? And you truly have the real me here, and I'm good with that. So if I gush about certain authors or singers, or books or events,  it's because you let me and I have fun doing it! 

9.  Do you think your audience has a true sense of who you are based on your blog?

As I said above, most definitely yes. Except I'm much shyer and less talkative in person. Well, depending on the people I'm with I suppose. But that's probably true for us all. 

10.  Do you blog under your real name?


Suey is my real nickname, one I've had since college (and I'm old so that was a long time ago) I never really liked it all that much, but now I've totally embraced it and I enjoy that it's weird and different and hopefully memorable.

11.  Are there topics that you would never blog about?


Yeah, I'd rather stay away from religion and politics for the most part. And though I blog about my family, I don't think you'll see a lot of detail about them here either.

12.  What is the theme/topic of your blog?


LOL... well.... how about "It's All About Books and life's other adventures too!" :) My theme is books and reading with a lot of personal ruminations thrown in.

13.  Do you have more than one blog?  If so, why?

Nope. That would make me crazy. That's probably why even though this blog started out as "all about books" it has now morphed into a discussion of so many other things I enjoy. I'll just add whatever I'm thinking about, loving or experiencing to this here blog, books or not books. When I first started it, I still had my other blog, until 360 died, then I tried blogging at Multiply for awhile, but found I was having much more fun here, and so I stopped with the other and concentrated all efforts here. 

Questions originated from this blog back a few years ago.




Feel free to answer the questions on your own blog! 

Ask Me Questions!

I thought I would never actually do this, as it always seemed a little on the scary side, (in more ways than one,) but I've seen it going around again, this "ask me questions" thing... and so I decided it would be a fun thing to attempt for this week of celebrating my blog's birthday. 


And so I give you the floor (aka the comments section) now to ask me anything (but be nice)! After five years, what's left to learn, I'm not sure, but I have faith you all can figure out something! Please? I don't want to hear that cricket sound with this post. You be brave and ask, and I'll be brave and answer! Look for the answers to all the questions in a post on Friday. 


If you don't ask me questions, perhaps I'll have to resort to asking myself some questions and that could be just plain creepy.

Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite "Real" YA Books

Awhile back I took part in a discussion over at SmilingLDSGirl's blog about YA books, and a lot about the popular paranormal versus the "real" stuff. I told her I had a lot of "real" stuff YA books that I absolutely love, and since the theme this week over at The Broke and the Bookish is to pick any genre and list your top ten favorites from that genre,  I've chosen:

My Top Ten Contemporary (Real) YA Books

1.The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson
2. North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headly
3. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
4. Just Listen by Sarah Dessen
5. Underdogs (the three Cameron Wolfe books) by Markus Zusak
6. Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
7. My Big Nose and Other Natural Disasters by Sydney Salter
8. What I Did: by Ann Dee Ellis
9. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
10. Just One Wish by Janette Rallison

.... and this list could actually go on and on and on. There's so many great ones! What would you add to this list?

Bloggiversary Double Giveaway

To celebrate my bloggiversary this week, I'm giving away two books to you my lovely readers. 


The first is an ARC of The Savage Grace by Bree Despain. This book will be released this week. I've read it (not this copy, a different ARC!) and got all wrapped up in this crazy world that Grace has found herself in the middle of! Some CRAZY stuff I tell you! I'll be posting a review next week, so stay tuned for that. Anyway, I ended up with an extra copy and I'd love to give it away to one of you.

The other book is the first of Brandon Mull's Beyonders series, A World Without Heroes, the second of which (called Seeds of Rebellion) comes out this week. But I have a copy of the first one, a hard cover copy... AND it's even signed! I really enjoyed this book, you can read my review here to see what I thought.


So I would love to give both of these away to two different winners! Sadly, because of these terrible terrible postage costs, I have to limit it to USA and Canada this time. :( 


If you are interested, please fill out the form below: