Meeting My Internet Friends for the First Time!! || Hailey Hudson, Totally Graced

Hello friends! Today I’m just popping on here to let you all know that I have a new video up! In case you haven’t been following my Instagram (@hanneasinhannah), last month I flew down to Atlanta, Georgia to meet up with two of my longest internet friends, Hailey and Grace Anne!

Both of them have been on my blog a couple of times previously, and they also both have blogs, as well as Instagram and Twitter. I’ve known them for at least 4, if not 5 years, and they have been such a huge part of my life over the past few years, so it was super fun to get to meet them!

Appearances on my blog:

• Spotting the Light: Hailey Hudson || Creative Spotlight – 2
• Spotting the Light: Grace Anne || Creative Spotlight – 14

Hailey’s socials: blog || instagram || twitter

Grace Anne’s socials: blog || instagram || twitter

While we were together, we filmed a Q+A about being internet friends, and it was a lot of fun! I hope you enjoy it! Be sure to go check out both Hailey and Grace Anne, if you aren’t following them already 🙂

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How long have you been on the internet for? Do you know Hailey or Grace Anne? If you could meet one of your internet friends, who would it be? Leave a comment and let me know!

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A Day in the Life of an Author in College: Guest Post by Olivia Smit || Seeing Voices Blog Tour

Hey friends! Today I have a super exciting blog post, as part of the blog tour for the release of my friend Olivia Smit‘s new book, Seeing Voices, out now! I asked her to share a day in her life, because they are my personal favorite types of posts to read, and she is here today to tell us what a day in her life looks like!

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Hi friends! I’m Olivia (author of “Seeing Voices”) and it is my honour and joy to be hopping on Hanne’s blog today to get to know all of you! I’ve loved to write pretty much as long as I can remember, but I never really thought about publishing until I finished “Seeing Voices.” In a lot of ways, it was the book that changed everything for me: it was the first time I’d written a story I loved SO MUCH that I didn’t want to keep it to myself. I wanted to share Skylar and Mike with the whole wide world. It’s been the WILDEST, most beautiful, sometimes stressful journey since I signed the contract with WhiteFire a year ago, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. “Seeing Voices” is out now, and I’m so, SO excited to finally share my special story with all of you.

In the meantime … here’s a little peek into what a sort-of typical day looks like for me, buried deep in school and publishing and writing forever. Just the way I like it. (although I could totally get along without the essay assignments … just saying.) I’ve never done a “day in the life” challenge before, but I’ve seen them done before and it was an absolute THRILL when Hanne reached out and suggested that I put one together for this post!

DISCLAIMER: Because I’m still in school (about to graduate though! woo!) each one of my days has a different rhythm and schedule. I picked a day when I had time to focus on writing and querying, because I thought that would be the most interesting for this post!! But please know that there are many days where I’m just driving from school to work and then spending my evening studying (bo-ring).

Okay! Now that that’s out of the way – on to “a day in my life!”

7:05am – Woke up before my alarm!! (This never happens lol but today I got lucky!) This means I have more time for some Bible reading (I’m reading through 1 Corinthians right now, and sloowwwly making my way through “Life of the Beloved” by Henri Nouwen) and my Fitness Blender workout!

8:50am – At this point, I’ve finished cleaning up after my workout and realized that I made a scheduling error for next week. It takes me approximately fifteen minutes to resolve the minor crisis this creates (!)

9:05am – Getting back on track … with meal prep! I made a smoothie for breakfast (my sister Hannah and I are dog/house-sitting right now, and the place we’re staying has coconut milk!!! Yum.) and then Hannah and I started chopping ingredients for tonight’s soup.

10:00am – Driving to school! (We realized halfway down the street that we left the soup sitting on the counter, so we had to turn around 2 seconds after these pictures were taken and put it in the fridge. Oopsie.)

10:30am – Poetry class!

11:45am – Checked my phone and found an agent rejection waiting for me. Boo.

1:30pm – English class on Romanticism

2:30pm – Time to drop Hannah off at home – and our car started making a terrible noise, so that’s great.

3:00pm – Today I met a friend at a local coffee shop to chat about our writing projects and get some work done! My plan was to post in the Seeing Voices launch team Facebook group, and then send out another query on the project that got rejected this morning. (But first … I called the auto shop.)

4:30pm – After my writing date, I stopped by the grocery store to buy pizza for tomorrow’s dinner.

5:00pm – Home!! I sprawled out on the couch to look into a few more agent profiles. At this point, the discouragement hit me all at once, which was NOT FUN. (Also, I made another scheduling error. This time it was with the auto shop that I called a few hours ago. I REALLY need to start writing things down in my calendar.)

5:45pm – SOUP. This was definitely a highlight (AND, in a completely weird twist of events, another agent emailed back and requested a full manuscript!! This is the first positive response I’ve had on this project and I went from being discouraged to happy so fast it was actually confusing.)

6:30pm – After dinner, I freaked out a little and sent the full MS to the agent! And then I did some homework (essays). Also, I procrastinated a lot on Twitter (to be honest, I really didn’t do that much homework. It was mostly Twitter.)

8:00pm – Getting ready for a podcast interview with Tara K. Ross and Rebekah Black on the Hope Prose Podcast! I’ve been listening to these ladies talk about books and writing (with a million amazing author guests) since the podcast started, and I’ve been looking forward to this for months!

8:40pm – INTERVIEW TIME!! I lost my train of thought a ton, but Tara and Bekah were super nice and assured me they could cut the awkward parts out later, hehe.

10:00pm – Interview done! I came downstairs and devoured some crackers and peanut butter, curled up on the couch with the dog for a bit, and generally procrastinated going to bed by refreshing my email inbox six billion times.

11:00pm– Finally, bedtime.

Monday ended up being a really interesting day … way more interesting than most of my life, I promise! But it was really fun to track the adventure … and I hope it made for an interesting post!

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Olivia Smit loves baking, visiting small towns, and writing stories that face hard truth with hope and encouragement. Olivia will graduate (in April!) with an Honours Specialization in Creative Writing, English Language, and Literature and lives in Canada with her family. Seeing Voices is her first novel.

Website || Newsletter || Instagram || Twitter
Seeing Voices: Amazon || GoodReads

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Thank you so much, Olivia, for coming on the blog today!! Olivia is absolutely the SWEETEST soul and I have LOVED getting to know her better throughout the release of Seeing Voices! I got to read an early copy of the book, and it was SO good!! It was one of my favorite reads so far this year. Find my review here.

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Are you a fan of soup too? What is your favorite study snack? Have you checked out (or read) Seeing Voices yet? Make sure you go check it out!

A Productive Day in the Life as an Author || Blog Tour: 100 Days of Sunlight || Guest Post from Abbie Emmons and GIVEAWAY!! || *insert eternal screaming*

Hey guys!! Today, I’m bringing to you a post that I’ve personally waited to be making for YEARS: it’s my part in the blog tour for Abbie Emmons’ NEW BOOK, 100 Days of Sunlight!!! I’ve been following Abbie for about 4 years now: she is so inspirational as a blogger/indie author/self-employer and I’ve been WAITING for her to publish her book for SO LONG. I’m SO EXCITED because that day is finally here, and I’m super honored to be a part of her blog tour!

So today, as part of the blog tour, we have a guest post from Abbie, with a Productive Day in the Life as an Author! Take it away, Abbie!

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A Productive Day in the Life as an Author, by Abbie Emmons

I’ve always been obsessed with productivity. Even when I was a little kid, I loved making task lists (though you couldn’t have called them “tasks” back then, haha) and to this day I’m always on the lookout for new ways to improve my output and make the most of my time.

Now that I’m a published author (!!!) there are even more demands on my attention – so many problems to solve and not enough time to solve them. Needless to say, I’ve had to be more diligent than ever when it comes to managing my time.

Before we go any further, I want to give a big THANK YOU to Hanne for inviting me to guest post on her lovely blog today! We’re going to talk about time management – what a productive day in my author life looks like. Let’s go!

Morning

Let’s begin at the beginning of the day. Mornings are essential because they are the time I feel the freshest and most energetic. Making sure my day gets off on the right foot is critical to staying happy and creative throughout the afternoon and evening. A bad morning usually leads to a bad day – but a good morning can lead to a wonderful day.

When I first wake up – regardless of what season of life I’m in and what projects I’m currently working on – I never miss my morning routine of tea and journaling.

I love to journal because it’s a great way to get all your feelings, hopes, and worries out of your head and onto the page. I tend to bottle up emotions too much, or pile on more work so I don’t stop and think about what’s bothering me – but journaling has helped me to quietly address emotional issues without stressing over them. It also helps me sort out problems with my goals or habits by self-reflecting objectively.

After showering and eating a healthy breakfast, I sit down to begin my work for the day (with another cuppa, of course). Many of you might already know that I’m obsessed with calendar blocking. (I usually calendar block my day the night before, so we’ll get to that at the end of this post.) The morning block of my calendar is always reserved for the most time-sensitive tasks (ie: anything that will matter tomorrow if I don’t get it done today). This might include editing a video for my YouTube channel, sending books off to someone, doing an interview, creating a promotion, or anything in between!

I work on stuff like this from 8:00 to 12:30, then I pause and take a half hour break for lunch.

Afternoon

Afternoon tasks are important, but not as time-sensitive (ie: anything that will matter next week if I don’t get it done this week). Afternoons are sometimes difficult for me to push through, as I start to lose focus around hour 7 of working. That’s part of the reason why I like to make my afternoon tasks not quite as important as my morning tasks. The pressure isn’t as intense, and if I don’t accomplish everything on my list, it’s okay because there’s always tomorrow!

My last work-related task for the day is usually answering emails and DMs. I do this after everything else because I’m an introvert. (Ha!) Interacting with people (even via email) takes quite a bit of energy, so I don’t like to spend a lot of my “battery life” on that first thing in the morning. After all, it doesn’t require my most creative energy, so I’ve found that late afternoon is a good time to get this done.

Around 4:30 p.m., I usually break for yoga. It’s nice to move my body after sitting in front of a computer all day, plus it’s a good way to refresh for my evening tasks.

Evening

As you might have guessed, evening tasks are the least urgent. They are still important to me, but for the distant future. For example, I might work on outlining or editing a future novel, or brainstorming a new idea for my YouTube channel or blogpost.

This is also the time of day when I turn my phone to airplane mode and “disconnect” from the world. Because I work from home, there’s no getting away from my work – but disconnecting from the internet in this free time is paramount to my mental health. Before I get off the computer completely, I’ll calendar block my tomorrow and make my next task list. I’ll prioritize my tasks in the same way I did everything today.

After dinner comes my night routine, which consists of stretching, reading, and spending time with my family. I stay off electronic devices (unless a lightning bolt of inspiration strikes and I simply MUST WRITE) because we all know that glowing blue light makes it harder to fall asleep. I try to get to bed by 10:30, but sometimes I break my own rules. (Hey, I’m young, I should enjoy that extra 30 minutes of reading a book. ha. ha.)

So there it is! In a nutshell, that’s what my average productive day looks like as an author.

Comment below and tell me: do you use calendar blocking? What is your favorite way to prioritize your tasks? Do you have a morning/night routine? Let’s talk all things productivity in the comments!

Thank you again to Hanne for having me on her blog today!

rock on,

Abbie

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Giveaway!

I’m delighted to be giving away 3 (!!!!) e-copies of 100 Days of Sunlight!! Enter the giveaway here!

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

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And that’s it! Are you as excited for 100 Days of Sunlight as I am?? Did you enter the giveaway yet? Let me know in comments!

Find Abbie here:

Amazon || GoodReads || Official Website || Playlist || Aesthetic || Merch

Blog || Instagram || FaceBook

College Advice We Wish We’d Known feat. Abby from Story Eyed || Collab

Hey everyone! Today I have a super special and exciting post: my first official collab!! I’m doing a collab with Abby from Story Eyed. We’re both going into our sophomore year of college, so we decided to put some thoughts of what we’ve learned now that we’ve survived a year of college.

Hi, friends! I’m Abigail Lennah, and I blog over at Story-Eyed. I’m a rising civil engineering sophomore who enjoys writing poetry for theater performances, riding Lime scooters, and playing Red Flags with friends. It’s so exciting to do this collab with Hanne, as both of us are rising sophomores at our respective universities. Today, we’re showering some advice and experiences garnered with the first year under our belts.

Hanne and I have different schooling backgrounds which transformed into the transition period between high school and college. I went to a Montessori school in kindergarten, through the public education system, and now attend a private Jesuit university, whereas Hanne was homeschooled throughout the first thirteen years and attends a public university. We brainstormed a bunch of questions. Hanne’s answers are on my blog, so go on out and read them once you finish this post!

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What is something no one told you about going to college?
People say this in passing, but the weight of their words never settled until the first several months past: you grow so much in college. For the first eighteen years of your life, you’re swarmed by the comfort of the people, places, and environment. Then, college strikes, thrusting you into liminality where you’re forced to learn about your identity without familiarity surrounding you. It’s scary because you’re put outside of your comfort zone, but if you stand your ground and open to new opportunities, it will stretch your character in ways you never expected to grow.

What has your biggest struggle been since starting college and how have you overcome it?
My biggest struggle is dedicating time to self-care. Engineering is a time-consuming major. Add in balancing five different external commitments, balancing a social life, and trying to get enough sleep calls in for a grand mixture of intimidating proportions. Any one of my friends could attest: yes, I’m out doing all the things. In some cases, I embody Hamilton’s ability of working non-stop. This contributes ramifications such as burnout and poor mental health. It’s not something I’ve overcome—the chart waxes and wanes—but I’m taking steps to try to make it easier on myself this year.

What was one thing you did outside of school while you were at college?
I overcommitted to engaging in different activities, from joining a sustainability leadership group advocating energy reduction education to weekly volunteering at local elementary schools! I spent lots of my time in engineering and writing clubs who helped construct my perceptions on both subjects, but the biggest club I’ve been apart of is the Filipino-American Student Union. Surprisingly, this wasn’t a club I entertained joining when first arriving on campus—I went to the first meeting due to mutual friends dragging me along. I didn’t realize how much I would love learning about my cultural identity until many event planning and Tuesday nights later! Now, I’m one of the festival coordinators for the upcoming school year.

What do you do when you’re procrastinated until the last possible second? Do you give something up, and do one thing well? Do you do two things haphazardly? What goes through your head then?
I seldom procrastinate.(note from Hanne: cannot relate) Putting things off rattles my anxiety to high gear, but when procrastination does happen, it’s usually during group projects due the following day. I’ve been fortunate enough to work in groups with more subdued and calm personalities to balance my franticness. Sometimes, this means spending ten minutes during break laying on the floor listening to reggae. It may also mean listening to choral music at 2:30 in the morning. Usually the work gets balanced out well and we complete it with some hours of sleeping to spare but does become a panic fest for some time.

How has college caused you to readapt your schedule, in comparison to high school?
You have autonomy on how you spend your time. This can be a strange power to wield, especially if much of your time was dictated by an external force. There are over a thousand minutes in a day, and you get to decide what to do. If you want to watch a discounted movie Tuesday morning because your sole class got cancelled, go ahead! If you want to stay in over the weekend instead of going out, that’s fine too. It’s strange to wield what you do in your time, but you are your own self-advocate and dedicate your time however you want.

As a STEM major, how do you balance & partake in activities outside your major?
I’m a civil engineering student who’s crazy about creating sustainable infrastructure in cities, especially moving forward when climate change and our contributions towards it is a big deal. Some of the activities I take part in—such as joining a women’s engineering club and a sustainability leadership program—reflect that. Yet, I’m also a writer, creator, and hot chocolate consumer, too! They’re important identities, and it’s important to give time to nurture them. I try to dedicate at least two hours to other non-STEM related activities, such as writing poetry for theater performances! It also helps give a breath of fresh air, especially when Newtons stress you out.

Time management is a big thing, and in college you’re given independent over what to do. How do you manage your time to have a balance of a healthy, social, & academic life?
The number one tip to balancing everything without falling apart is understanding how much time you have and what your abilities are. Is there truth about choosing only two from the triangle featuring school, social life, or sleep? To some degree. (For me, DEFINITELY sleep.) I’m still able to accomplish a lot because I try not to waste time, knowing the demands of my major. It also comes down to priorities. Sometimes, you can combine aspects together, like group studying, the ultimate combo of socializing and school. But you also need to fulfill your own needs, and if studying by yourself needs to happen, then let it happen. Be honest with what you can fulfill, and don’t take on too much.

College can sometimes be a place to meet new people—discuss how you morphed into the new environment.
The people I met throughout college made the transition smoother than I perceived it. I spent the first several weeks entrapped in my dorm room, gorging on KIND bars and not talking to anyone. It was scary because one, it was a new environment, and two, my senior roommate already had a preestablished group, so I didn’t come in with a buddy. I felt a bit lonely, something which I didn’t shy away from mentioning to others. Spending time in the common room helped, though. It’s funny, because my interactions with my closest friends initiated with me being the enthusiastic outgoing one when the reality of our personalities is quite the opposite. The friends I made aren’t a coherent group, and sometimes, not being in a group is sometimes sad. You don’t have a connection or comradery to be nestled in a comforting bubble. Despite this, I still spend lots of time with them and they bring out the best parts, encouraging exploration, self-care, and a positive outlook on the future.

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Go check out Abby’s blog and social media: you won’t regret it! Make sure you read my half of the post, with my answers! Are you in college right now? If you’ve been to college, what are some questions you wish had been answered? If you’re heading to college soon, what are some questions you have? Drop us a comment and we’ll try to get back to you!

Find Abby: Blog || Instagram || Facebook || Twitter || YouTube

Spotting the Light: Grace Anne || Creative Spotlight – 14

Hey everyone!! Today, we’re doing another Spotting the Light post, and it’s a very exciting one!! We’re interviewing Grace Anne, who was the first blogger I ever followed. Through her, I got to meet lots of other bloggers and get to know this awesome community!!

Grace Anne is a eighteen year old blogger from the southern US. She is an INFP/INFJ who is passionate about the performing arts, writing, people, and Jesus.

Blog || Instagram || Twitter || Pinterest || GoodReads

What do you blog about?

I blog about a little bit of everything- life, writing, theatre, faith– whatever I’m passionate about at the moment. I have so many ideas and interests, and they all end up on my blog in one form or another.

Where do you get ideas for what you do?

Everywhere! I’m constantly inspired by life and the world around me.

If you could talk to yourself when you were starting out, what advice would you give yourself?

Quality >>>>>> Quantity. Always. You don’t have to post every day- in fact, please, please don’t. I would also tell myself not to be scared of other bloggers just because they seem so much more professional or competent. I’ve met some of the best people on the planet through blogging, and I’m so thankful for all of them.

What is your favorite piece of content that you’ve put out?

I actually have two. Back in September, I shared a post in honor of Suicide Prevention Week entitled “Stay” that was really special to me. More recently, I shared a piece of fiction on the blog for the first time, which was exciting.

What made you decide to start writing?

I really don’t know of one specific moment that made me decide to start writing. It’s just always been a part of me. I distinctly remember being in first grade and writing stories with my friends during recess. All of my favorite games growing up involved telling stories in one capacity or another. It’s just always been a part of my life.

What is your favorite part about writing?

I love creating characters. People are so complex, and getting to tell their stories is something that I love.

What makes a good story?

You have to have engaging, complex characters. A plot is nothing without good characters.

Does writing energize you or exhaust you, and why?

Both. Having a good writing day is the best feeling in the world, and I love stepping away from my laptop feeling as though I can take on the world. But every day can’t be a good day, and writing can be an exhausting process. It’s all worth it in the end, though.

What is your biggest challenge?

My biggest challenge is working past my own perfectionism. I’m really hard on myself because I want everything that I do to be the best that it can possibly be, so it’s difficult knowing when to step away and finally say that something is “done”.

Why do you do what you do?

I do it because I cannot imagine my life without it. Theatre and dance are two of my greatest passions, and there is no better feeling than stepping offstage and knowing that all of the blood, sweat, and tears that went into the piece were worth it.

What is the most surprising thing you’ve leanred from your art?

I’ve learned that I’m capable of doing a lot more than I ever would have thought that I could.

Where do you get inspiration?

I get inspiration from studying those who are better than I am and learning from them. Not copying – there’s a difference – but watching how they do things and and finding ways to incorporate those techniques into my own choreography and performances.

What is your favorite book?

Jane Eyre!

What is/was your favorite childhood book?

SO MANY. Right off the top of my head, I’d have to say that Princess Academy was a definite favorite. I also loved anything having to do with fairies.

What is your favorite song/artist at the moment?

Anything by Sleeping At Last. I’m particularly obsessed with the enneagram series that he is sharing right now. It’s stunning.

Favorite ice cream flavor?

Chocolate chip cookie dough. Or anything involving peanut butter. Or coffee. Honestly, ice cream is just never a bad idea in general.

Blog Tour: Worlds Beneath by K. A. Emmons || Guest Post and GIVEAWAY!!!

Today, it’s time for a post I’m super excited about!! I’m super honored to be a part of Kate Emmon’s SECOND blog tour, for her SECOND book WORLDS BENEATH! If you haven’t read my first post for her first book, The Blood Race, check it out here! Today, Kate is doing a guest post on staying productive and getting things done here on the blog, and then there is a GIVEAWAY for copies of Worlds Beneath!

On Productivity and Staying Productive, by K. A. Emmons

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Staying productive in today’s “busy world” can often seem like a daunting task. There’s hundreds of things that demand our time and attention –

So how do we stay productive and get things done?

There’s a lot of great answers to this question, and a lot of different approaches you can take. There are numerous articles online about productivity and organization, and hacks for how to more efficiently tackle your busy schedule and life.

I highly suggest reading around and trying different methods – see what works for you! Everyone is different. But today, i’m going to share with you what works for me, short and sweet:

Discipline.

Now hold on, before you groan and close out of the window, let’s break down this beautiful word.

The most accurate definition in this case, would be the verb definition: “to train oneself to do something in a controlled and habitual way.”

So, to further break that down:

Train
Control
Habit

Train yourself to focus – and shut out distractions. To get up every morning with a plan – write things down and execute them as best you can, at least one thing each day. Train yourself just as you would train physically in a gym, or maybe for a performance of some kind.

Control yourself. No matter how disciplined you are, distractions will come up now and again. That will happen. But that doesn’t mean you have to give in, in fact, it’s a GOOD THING. You’ve just been given the opportunity to control yourself; your mind and your desires, and in doing so, you have cultivated your character.

And finally, make a habit of it. There is no shortcut or hack, this is an everyday way of life. Something you must do again, and again, and again in order to master. We are students, learning through life. This is our practice and this is what ultimately keeps us on track.

So, broken down, discipline is actually a pretty amazing word – something to cultivate and aspire to.

It will help you on the good days, and support you on the bad ones. It will be there for you like nothing else can, and it will empower you by showing you that you are in control of your own life and projects.

You can do anything. You can write the book, record the songs, start the blog, rehearse the play, and you can do these things successfully by taking charge of your own time and VALUE, turning off your phone, and giving yourself the respect you deserve.

And by respect I mean respect for your time, your talents, and your energy. Don’t let a crowded schedule, social media, poor time management, etc, rob you of that. Take charge of it!

Practice discipline in life… and in your craft. And I think you’ll find that both will flourish.

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About the Author-

When she’s not hermiting away in her colorfully-painted home office writing her next science fiction, passionate story-teller and adventurer Kate Emmons is probably on the road for a surf or hiking trip, listening to vinyls, or going for a power run. Emmons’ debut novel The Blood Race is the first book in her YA science fiction/fantasy thriller series. Get connected with Kate on your favorite social platform, and be sure to check out http://kaemmons.com/!

Website || Blog || Facebook || Twitter || Instagram

About the Book-

Giveaway-

a Rafflecopter giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour-

1st- Lovely Whatsoevers by Jameson C. Smith (Interview) || 2nd- Hot Town Cool Girl by Nabila (Guest Post) || 3rd- Stories and Soulspeak by Hannah Whatley (Book Review) || 4th- Plottinger Twist by Hannah (Book Review) || 5th- Unicorn Quester by Laura A. Grace (Author Interview) || 6th- Letters to Myself by Hannah (Guest Post) || 7th- Inkwell by Lisa (Book Review) || 8th- Self Known by Rosie (Guest Post) || 9th- Paper Pizza by Kenzie (Book Review) || 10th- Purely by Faith Reviews by Chloe (Book Review for The Blood Race) || 11th- Ivie Brooks by Ivie (Author Interview and Book Review) || 12th- Elly Lily (Author Interview) || 13th- Rebecca Morgan (Author Interview) || 14th- The Book Sprite by Liv K. Fisher (Guest Post) || 15th- Totally Graced by Grace Anne (Book Review and Author Interview) || Day 16- The Red Hooded Writer by Lila Kims (Book Review of The Blood Race) || 17th- Tessa Emily Hall (Guest Post) || 18th- Writings from a God Girl by Medomfo || 19th- Livy Lynn || 20th- RockandMinerals4Him by Hanne (Guest Post and Book Review) || 21st- Audrey Caylin (Guest Post) || 22nd- Literatura by Gracelyn (Book Review for The Blood Race) || 23rd- Poetree by Serena (Book Review) || 24th- The Writer’s Song by Faith (Book Review for The Blood Race and Author Interview) || 25th- Purely Unorthodox by Angel (Book Review for The Blood Race) || 25th- Musings of a Creative Spirit by Stephanie (Guest Post) || 26th- The Artful Author by Jessica (Book Review for The Blood Race) || 27th- Authoring Arrowheads by Allyson Kennedy (Book Review for The Blood Race) || 28th- The Calico Books by Theresa (Book Review for The Blood Race) || 29th- Novels, Dragons, and Wardrobe Doors by Abigail (Book Review for The Blood Race) || 30th- Disjointed Babblings by Sarah Addison Fox || 30th- Inspiring Writes by Savannah Grace (Book Review for The Blood Race) || 31st- Oh So Priceless by Kiki (Book Review for The Blood Race and Author Interview)

This blog tour was put together by Livy Lynn.

Spotting the Light: Nabila || Creative Spotlight – 13

Hi everyone! Today, we’re doing another Spotting the Light post, all about Nabila from Hot Town Cool Girl!

Nabila is a teen blogger currently living in Texas! Her favorite things to do include blogging, taking photos, acting, writing, presenting, and binge watching her favorite Netflix shows. She is also a ESFJ and unlike many other bloggers, she is a total extrovert. 🙂

Blog || Instagram || Pinterest || GoodReads

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What do you blog about?

I post about quite a bit of stuff on my blog including books, blogging, fashion, tips for teens, and just general lifestyle.

What made you decide to start blogging?

My initial interest came from seeing one of my friends blogging when I was in 3rd grade! I was probably jealous and just thought the idea was so cool! Both of my parents also had blogs at that point so it was a bit that as well.

Where do you get ideas for what you do?

Mostly from the world around me. The world is this crazy amazing place with all of this diversity of people and people and ideas it honestly blows my mind.

If you could talk to yourself when you were starting out, what advice would you give yourself?

Ok stop. And look at some of your fellow kid bloggers. Yes there actually are some. Now actually talk to them. NO ONE LIKES A LONELY HERMIT and friends are one of the best things in the world. Ok now change your design. It’s lonely and dark and honestly kind of depressing. Just saying. But also seriously just be yourself and don’t ever be embarrassed to try something new. 🙂

Describe your blogging process, from idea to post

I usually think of an idea and then write it down. Before I start actually writing I will have a general layout drawn out in my head and then I’ll start actually writing it. It usually takes me a couple days with school. Once I’m done writing I will first add pictures and then make my title/featured graphic.

What is your biggest challenge?

I think my biggest challenge is just myself. I find myself so often not doing something just because I am scared and embarrassed.

What is your favorite book?

I have no idea what my favorite book is of all time buuuutttt I just recently read two books I really loved: Randoms and Court Of Fives. They were both so good and I would definitely recommend!

What is/was your favorite childhood book?

I’m still a kid (well teen but you know) lol. I was actually obessed with Geronimo Stilton when I was in maybe 2nd and 3rd grade. Like I even did a whole report on them. Or at least untill I figured out Geronimo was not an actual person (we were supposed to do it on a person).

What is your favorite song/artist at the moment?

I can’t pick one but I’ve been loving Grace Vanderwaal, Troye Sivan, and Dodie!

Favorite ice cream flavor?

Cookies and Creme all the way!

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Thank you, Nabila, for being here today! Be sure to check her out-

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Spotting the Light: Joanna Sarah || Creative Spotlight – 12

Hello everyone! Today . . . you guessed it! It’s another Spotting the Light post! Today, we’re featuring Joanna Sarah!

Joanna Sarah is sixteen and an ambivert – she can be very social and other times she just wants to be herself. She’s a complete and total book nerd. She accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior when she was thirteen and she got baptized this past summer before she turned sixteen. She is an aspiring writer and fashionista. Her dream in life is to be a successful fashion entrepreneur living in New York, who inspires others to do great things.

Blog || YouTube || Instagram || Twitter || Pinterest || Facebook

What do you post about?

I blog about fashion, lifestyle, beauty, and hair. I post vlogs and beauty and style videos on my YouTube channel.

What made you decide to start your blog and YouTube channel?

I’ve always wanted to be a blogger and the summer before my sophomore I started a blog! It was a writing and lifestyle blog, but than I outgrew it and put it on private. Than last April, I finally started a fashion and beauty blog, which I felt was more my style. After always wanting to start a YouTube channel, I decided that since I had a fashion blog I should just go ahead and start a YouTube channel.

Where do you get ideas for what you do?

Sometimes I come up with my own blog and video ideas. Than there are other times where I get inspiration from Pinterest and other bloggers/YouTubers.

If you could talk to yourself when you were first starting out, what advice would you give yourself?

To not be afraid of doing what I love and just to always do my best.

 

What does a typical day in your life look like?

I’m a very busy person. A typical day involves me going to school and than possibly staying after for a sport or one of my many after school activities. Than if I don’t have to cheer at a basketball game or perform at a football game, I go to work. I work at a library and it’s usually a three to four hour shift. In between all of that, I try to find the time to read, record videos, blog, and do my homework.

What made you decide to start writing?

I have always been a reader first and I believe that has inspired me to write books that I would personally read myself.

What is your favorite part about writing?

Reading the finish product after all of the grunt work.

What makes a good story?

A good story is something that you would read. If you as a writer wouldn’t read it, than it’s not a good story.

Does writing energize you or exhaust you, and why?

Writing usually exhausts me, because I’m searching all the corners of my mind to produce a story that I can be proud of. I’m working out my mind for a period of time that is usually an hour or more.

How much time do you spend doing research?

Research is a process and I’m honestly constantly doing research and making a backstory for my characters throughout me writing my book.

How many books have you written? (drafts count too!)

3

When did you start playing music? What instruments do you play? How long have you been doing music? Do you take lessons, and how long have you been taking them?

I started playing the flute in 5th grade in school. I have participated in marching band and concert band and a woodwind orchestra. I’ve been playing the flute for almost 8 years.

What is/was your favorite childhood book?

The Frog Princess by E.D. Baker

Favorite ice cream flavor?

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

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Thank you, Joanna, for the lovely interview! Check her out here-

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