Today on Confessions of a Book Blogger, I interview fellow book blogger and friend, Colleen Turner! To find out more about her, please be sure to visit her amazing website!

 Hi, Colleen! What is your blog’s name and address?

Hi Stephanie!

A Literary Vacation

When did you start a book blog and why?

I started A Literary Vacation on January 1^st, 2015. I had been contributing reviews to a few different blogs for a number of years before then and thought “hey, why don’t I try creating my own blog?” It seemed the next logical step, and here I am!

What kind of posts do you feature?

I like to do as many reviews as possible but I’m not as fast a reader as I would like. So I also love to do guest posts and interviews with authors as well as spotlights on their books. This year I’ve started interacting more with some fabulous fellow bloggers (hi ladies!) and have gotten some great ideas for posts I’d like to do in the future, such as a monthly wish list post and cover crush posts on covers I can’t get enough of.

How often do you blog?

It varies month to month. I try to have a post go live everyday Monday-Friday but that doesn’t always happen. If I can’t make that I really shoot for three posts a week.

What are some of the positive feedback you have received?

I have been very lucky that I’ve had nothing but positive feedback and experiences so far as a blogger. I’ve had people compliment me on my reviews or the interviews I do, and have had a lot of wonderful authors, PR people and tour organizers be very gracious and thank me for working with them.  It has been a total win-win for me!

On average, how many books do you review a year?

50-55

What is your favorite genre?

Historical Fiction

What is your least favorite?

Westerns or pure Romances

How do you feel about negative reviews?

I think if the reviewer is being honest and respectful then I think they are important. Not everyone is going to love every book, and as a reader I want to know the good AND the bad that other readers found when reading a book I’m considering picking up. This is not an excuse to be intentionally rude or hurtful to an author and I will completely disregard a negative review that doesn’t explain what they disliked or just says “I hate this book” as quickly as a review that just says “great book”, but if it is well thought out and balanced it will hold more weight in my opinion.

When considering a book to review what do you look for?

I look for a catching synopsis, whether or not I’ve read and enjoyed a book by the author before, who they have endorsing it, and whether or not readers I know and respect have read and enjoyed it. And I can’t lie, I love an eye-catching cover!

What are three book covers you love?

Oh great question! Also a hard one as I’ve enjoyed so many. Recently I’ve loved the covers of…

I adore these cover!

How do you feel about authors using social media to speak out badly of reviewers who did not give the author’s book a glowing review?

I think that is just as bad as a reviewer leaving a rude or unhelpful negative review. For me, any author openly bashing a reviewer simply because they didn’t like their book is classless and a turnoff for me. I will typically make a point of not reading their books in the future as I don’t want to support that sort of behavior.

Have you had any negative experience with blogging?

Believe it or not no (at least not yet J ). I’ve had an author or two email me asking for a review and then not respond when I’ve offered to do a guest post or spotlight on their book instead, but nothing beyond that.

Do you read more than one book at a time?

I try not to. I like to give my full attention to whatever book I’m reading at any given time. However, sometimes I’m not really enjoying a book, so I’ll set it aside for a while and read bits and pieces between other books just to see if it will improve.

Do you read self-published books?

If so which ones have you read this year so far? I do sometimes, but not too often. I don’t believe I’ve read any yet this year. There isn’t any real reason for this, other than the covers and synopsis for the books I gravitate towards seem to be from traditional publishers.

What advice would you give to someone who is considering starting a blog?

Make sure you have the time and love to devote to it. It takes time to not only set up – and change up – the design of your blog but it takes a good amount of time to write posts, format them, and get them just right (at least for me…I tend to want to keep playing with it till it’s “perfect”!). You’re going to need time to share your posts around social media, respond to comments and author enquires and to of course read. So, long story short, you’ll need time. And if you are anything like me that is in short supply, so you want to make sure you’re spending it doing something you enjoy.

Thanks Stephanie!!

You’re welcome, Colleen! A pleasure!