Friday, July 20, 2012

Aloha to Danielle at RAMBLINGS FROM THIS CHICK




One of my first followers, Danielle, is a popular blogger at RAMBLINGS FROM THIS CHICK at this link. Danielle joins us for a cozy chat ...

Kim: When did you start blogging? Did you take anyone's advice? What advice would you give to a new blogger?

Danielle: I started blogging in April 2011. I wanted an outlet to help me with my writing and I thought that writing reviews on the books I was reading would help. I honestly didn't think it would go much further than that. When I began I had no clue what I was doing. Seriously, none at all. I mean I still not really sure what I'm doing, but I feel I've gotten a better handle on things. =)

I looked for advice everywhere. I asked for lots of help from friends on Twitter. Kati from Romancing Rakes For The Love of Romance was my saving grace with all things HTML. I also found a lot of info on Parajunkee's blog. Each Thursday she has a feature called Book Blogging 101 that I was able to find a lot of useful information to help me.

As for advice for new bloggers, have fun. If you aren't enjoying it readers and visitors to your blog will know. It will come across in your posts. And if you aren't enjoying yourself, why continue to do it? Oh and learn all you can about HTML. HTML can either be your friend or your worse nightmare as a blogger. Right now me and HTML are casual acquaintances who are still getting to know each other better. =)

Rewards of blogging ... books!

Kim: What are your rewards and challenges of blogging?

Danielle: I won't lie, the free books are AWESOME, but for me I like getting to know authors. Authors are my rockstars, and it's an amazing feeling when you ask one of your favorite authors to visit your blog and they say "yes." It always makes me feel warm and gooey inside.

One of the biggest challenges for me is writing reviews for books I didn't love, especially if it's a book from an author I talk to frequently. I HATE writing negative reviews but I'm not going to love everything I read and I know I'm really picky. It's gut-wrenching to tell someone you admire and like that you didn't like their book. UGH, worse feeling ever. 


JR Ward at RT/Chicago

Kim: What would be your "dream team" panel of authors at a reader' convention. What would be the topic?

Danielle: This is super hard to answer. I am a HUGE fan of both Paranormal Romance and Historical Romance and my "dream team" would consist of authors from both sides or it would have to be two "dream teams".

For my Paranormal Romance panel I would LOVE, love, love to see a panel with JR Ward. She is my absolute favorite author and I would love to sit and listen to her talk for hours. I would also want Kresley Cole, Gena Showalter, Larissa Ione, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Laurie London, and Lara Adrian on the panel. I would love to just sit and watch them all talk about their vampires and the differences between them all.

And for my Historical Romance panel there are just so many I would love to see. I would definitely want Shana Galen, Teresa Medeiros, Cathy Maxwell, Manda Collins, Kieran Kramer, and Elise Rome. 


Shana Galen at RT/Chicago

Mahalo, Danielle, for your insight to blogging! Danielle has a special giveaway for US residents:

- 1 book from her stash
- 1 bag of swag

For international readers, I'll giveaway 1 book from my stash, too! To enter the giveaway,

1. Leave a comment about your dream panel at a romance convention!

2. This giveaway is open to all readers.

3. Comments are open through Saturday, July 21, 10 pm in Hawaii. I'll post the winner on Sunday, July 22.

Mahalo,

Kim in Hawaii



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47 comments:

  1. Welcome Danielle,
    My dream panel would include Victoria Dahl, Pamela Clare, Barbara Freethy, Julie Garwood and Loretta Chase.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Hey Jane,

      Great list. I adore Victoria Dahl and think she would be hilarious on a pane. Thanks for stopping by.=)

      Delete

  2. Basically just round up ALL of the Historical Romance authors & I'd be thrilled.

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    1. Hey Marybelle,

      I totally agree. There are just so many historical romance authors I would love to see on a panel, it was hard choosing.

      Thanks for stopping by. =)

      Delete

  3. My dream panel are:
    Historical: Johanna Lindsey, Lisa Kleypas, Julia Quinn, Sabrina Jeffries, Elise Rome

    PNR : JR Ward, Maya Banks, Pamela Clare, Gena Showalter.. and many more..:D im INT.
    Thanks..

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    Replies

    1. Hi Cecilia,

      I can't believe I forgot Lisa Kleypas! I would love to see her on a panel. I adore her books.

      Thanks for sharing and good luck!

      Delete

  4. From one Danielle to another Danielle - Hi!!!

    My idea romance panel --- Stephanie Laurens, Johanna Lindsey, Shirlee Busbee, Rosemary Rogers and Lisa Kleypas. The discussion for this panel -- how to write successful books for many years and keeping your readers happy.

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    Replies

    1. Hey Danielle!

      Great list and great panel idea. I would love to hear them talk about how they keep things fresh and always seem to leave us readers wanting more.

      Thanks for stopping by and good luck!

      Delete

  5. My dream panel are:

    Johanna Lindsey, Lisa Kleypas, Elise Rome, Lila Dipasqua, Manda Colin, Vicky Dreiling Darynda Jones, Jeaniene Frost :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. Hi Eli,

      Great panel line-up. I would love to see Vicky, Lila, Lisa and Darynda on a panel. I can't believe I forgot them. I love their books!

      Thanks for stopping by. =)

      Delete

  6. *waves frantically* Hi Dani!!! Your blog has turned into something absolutely fantastic.

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    Replies

    1. *Hugs* Thanks for stopping by Kati. Thanks for the wonderful comment. I can't thank you enough for all of the help you've given me both with the blog and with other things. You are truly one of a kind and I hope that we can meet one day. Maybe next year at RWA cuz I am so there. We could toates stalk authors together with Jamie. =)

      Delete

  7. My dream panel would be Julianne MacLean, Olivia Drake and Diane Gaston.

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    Replies

    1. Hi Debby,

      Oh Julianne MacLean would be awesome! I'm not too familiar with Olivia and Diane but I do have some of their books on my TBR pile.

      Thanks for stopping by and sharing. =)

      Delete

  8. My dream panel would be Sue-Ellen Welfonder, Kresley Cole, Alice Duncan, Marcia James, Diane Gaston, and Morag M. Pippin.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. Hey Meljprincess,

      Oh Kresley Cole is amazing. I was lucky enough to meet her at a Lothaire book signing earlier this year and she was hilarious. Also so nice.

      Thanks for coming by.

      Delete

  9. My dream panel would be Nora Roberts, Brenda Novak, Karen Rose and Carla Neggers.

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    Replies

    1. Hiya Carol,

      Great list. I think it would be great to see a panel with Nora Roberts on it. I can just imagine all of the stories and wonderful insight she could give.

      Thanks for stopping by.

      Delete

  10. Hi Dani and Kim, My dream panel would be:-

    Lisa Kleypas
    Shana Galen
    Anna Campbell
    Julia Quinn
    Vicky Dreiling
    Miranda Neville
    Katharine Ashe

    I could go on and one, but I'd better stop now.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. Hello Diane,

      Love your list. I completely understand. My list wanted to go on and on too! There are just so many amazing authors that it's hard to choose just a few.

      Thanks for stopping by. =)

      Delete

  11. Mine would be J.D.Robb, Eloisa James, Julia Quinn, Julie Anne Long, Anne Mallory, Claudia Dain and Sherry Thomas!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. Hiya May,

      Great line up! I can't believe I forgot to add Julia and Anne to my line up. I just LOVE Anne's books.

      Thanks for stopping by. =)

      Delete

  12. Judith Mcnaught, Jill Barnett, Julie Garwood, the late Kathleen E. Woodiwiss and Lisa Kleypas. Though I'm not sure if I can talk to them without stuttering or even worse, fainting. :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. Hi Lory,

      I totally know what you mean. I never know how to act around authors. I go total fangirl and can't form complete sentences. Or worse, I won't even approach them because I'm so nervous.

      Thanks for stopping by and sharing. =)

      Delete

  13. Such an impossibility lol. Okay just a few off the top of my head but I could probably name hundreds lol. Kathryne Kennedy, Jill Shalvis, Julie Garwood, Anna Campbell, Kathleen Woodiwiss, Jodi Picoult and Stephen King lol.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. Hi Catslady,

      I know, so hard to pick only a few. I struggled with my list. There are just so many I would love to meet and see on a panel.

      Thanks for stopping by.

      Delete

  14. Mine would be Christine Feehan, Shelley Munro, Diana Palmer, Palmela Palmer, Laurell K. Hamilton, Sherrilyn Kenyon and Heidi Betts. With such a diverse panel the discussions would be amazing.

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    Replies

    1. Hi Mary,

      Great line-up. That definitely would be an interesting panel to see.

      Thanks for sharing. =)

      Delete

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  16. I have a similar dream panel as Danielle for paranormal romance! I would want all my favourite authors on there, which include Jeaniene Frost, JR Ward, Nalini Singh, Kresley Cole, Gena Showalter, Larissa Ione, and Lara Adrian :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. Hi Winnie,

      Could you imagine that panel? I think it would blow my mind to see so many amazing authors on one panel.

      Thanks for sharing. =)

      Delete

  17. What a treat! I'd have a panel of these historical romance authors: Julia Quinn, Julie Ann Long, Sherry Thomas, Elizabeth Hoyt, Sabrina Jeffries, Courtney Milan and Lisa Kleypas (who is a double-counter, I know!)

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    Replies

    1. Hiya LSUReader,

      Great line-up. I would love to see all of those authors too!

      Thanks for stopping by =)

      Delete

  18. I wouldn't know who I would want on my dream panel. Any of my favorite authors would be awesome to see on a panel or just see a panel.

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  19. These days I do read more paranormals than any other genre so my dream panel would include authors such as Larissa Ione, Lara Adrian, Lynsay Sands, Kerrelyn Sparks, Katie MacAlister. Those are just a few of my dream panel. I have another dream panel that consists of erotic romance authors including Kallypso Masters, Cherise Sinclair, Eve Langlias, and so many more authors.

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    Replies

    1. Hi June.

      Wow, that's an impressive list. I would love to see many on it.

      Thanks for sharing. =)

      Delete

  20. I love historical, but it would have to be paranormal themed! Kerrelyn Sparks, Cindy Miles, Gena Showalter, Kresley Cole... They could talk about anything, really. I would just stand there and bask in their awesomeness :-)

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  21. It's nice to get to know you Danielle! I'll be stopping by your blog. :) As for a dream panel...wow...so many wonderful authors out there. I guess I'll start with Jane Porter, Julia Quinn, Tessa Dare, Allison Brennan, Heather Graham, and how about Stephen King too! Not sure how he would quite fit in at a romance convention, but it would make things interesting!

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  22. Hi Kim and Danielle!

    I love and have read all the authors that Danielle mentioned but if I were able to pick by "panel" of authors I'd invite the authors that introduced me to Historical Romance.

    The first, of course, would be Manuel De Cervantes, the master of Historical Romance. Joining him would be the other two authors who introduced me to the "new" authors of the genre - Mary Balough and Georgette Heyer because they introduced me to the "current" romance at the time I first read them.

    Since then I've loved the growth of the genre and the wonderful ride it's taken me on!

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  23. I'd love to see Linda Howard, Julie Garwood and Catherine Coulter on a panel together.

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  24. Kresley Cole, Gena Showalter, Lisa Kleypas, Johanna Lindsey, Kat Martin

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  25. Leslie Kelly, Jill shalvis, Vicki thmomposn,
    Kimh

    ReplyDelete

  26. My dream panel would be Nora Roberts, Jill Shalvis, Jane Porter, Loretta Chase and Lisa Kleypas.

    ReplyDelete

  27. Mine would be Sherrelyn Kenyon, Kresley Cole, Larissa Ione, JR Ward,Pamela Clare, Diana Gabaldon and Nora Roberts/JD Robb.
    Carol L.
    Lucky4750 (at) aol (dot) com

    ReplyDelete

  28. Thanks for a fun post!

    Ummm... I'd have a very mixed bag... Nora Roberts, Dean Koontz, Stephen King, Patricia Briggs, Kim Harrison, Jennifer Crusie, Nalini Singh, Sherry Thomas, Julie Garwood, Anne McCaffery... man that panel is getting crowded :)

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  29. I like Danielle's panels.
    Here's who I might put together for a panel on Contemporary Suspense - Linda Howard, Nora Roberts, Sandra Brown, Catherine Coulter, Suzanne Brockmann & Elizabeth Lowell.

    ReplyDelete

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