It’s my pleasure to welcome Aly of Reading Shy With Aly to today's edition of #ScriptFlip! Aly started RSWA a little over six months ago, because of her love for books. Bloggers & readers: Aly is currently looking for a co-blogger and/or reviewer, and you can find more info here. Authors: Aly is accepting review requests! She is a self-described romantic at heart, but she’s open to all genres except for children’s books, non-fiction, and most erotica. Find her at the blog, Facebook and Twitter.
JH: Welcome to #ScriptFlip, Aly! Lovely to have you on the blog today. For those of us who aren’t familiar with you or Reading Shy (but who will be now!), tell us a little about yourself.
Aly: Well, my name is Aly, I'm twenty years old and I'm a third year university student, majoring in History, and minoring in French and Classics (You do not know how often I've said that. I'm sure I could say it in my sleep if someone asked). Oh and Classics is pretty much history but it's more so ancient history (Greece and Rome) than medieval or renaissance. I'm Canadian and I do not say eh....okay well sometimes I do.
I got started on Reading Shy With Aly because I was reading a book one day and I kept exclaiming over things and trying to discuss it with my friend. But she hadn't read the book yet and I felt myself bursting with all these feels. I'd looked around and seen some book blogs and looking once more I thought, this could be a way to discuss books with others and do something I love. I decided to take a chance and start Reading Shy and so far I've loved it. I've gotten to read a lot of different books and interact with a lot of authors that I don't think I could have read or interacted with before. It's been great and I hope to continue doing this as long as I can.
JH: There's no denying the amazing energy within the book community, from bloggers to readers to authors. I think we all know that feeling of wanting to burst at the seams because of a book! But there might still be some readers nervous about making the leap to blogging. Any advice for them?
Aly: Just do it. Never let the self-doubts and others tell you you can't. I started out, trying to tell myself it wouldn't last because I can't write as perfectly as other people. But once I took the chance it morphed into something that I love. Yes, my reviews aren't perfect and sometimes I need to work on getting some of the things I didn't like about a book out there better but I'm learning and trying to improve as well as doing something I love. So, just jump right in, find a book blog you love or that might need a co-blogger or reviewer, or start up your own. Whatever you feel more comfortable with. And let your voice shine out!
JH: Great advice! I think the #1 reason to do it is a love for books and the rest will come. Sounds like that was the path for you, but can you pinpoint your favorite part of blogging so far?
Aly: The fact that I've gotten to experience so many new and different books, as well as new authors. There's been some books that honestly I probably wouldn't have picked up or found otherwise. The fact that I've found these great books that I really do love after reading them just makes me feel extremely glad that I started blogging and get this experience.
JH: Okay, but with all those great books out there (and there are a TON), how in the world do you choose your next book to review for RSWA?
Aly: It all depends. If I have book tours or books that have specific times that the review needs to be posted then I'll read those first. Next it just depends on what kind of genre I'm feeling at the time (Romance, Young Adult, New Adult) or what kind of book I've been craving recently (MC, soul mate, etc). Besides that it usually comes down to when I receive requests. I try and keep it in order as best I can and that seems to be the fairest way to go about reviewing them.
JH: You bring up a great point. Sometimes you're just in the mood for a certain type of book and that's the best way to choose what's next. But surely you have your favorites... now, don't get shy on me Aly. Cough up the goods. You're stranded on a desert island with only three books or series... and go!
Aly: Toni Aleo's Assassins' Series, J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter Series and......Shelly Crane's Significance series.......oh my goodness that was so hard! Why did you make me choose???
But yes, Toni Aleo's Assassins' series fills me with joy especially Empty Net (I need a Tate Odddddddeeerrrrrrrr). The hockey and romance and just....sigh.
The Harry Potter series was my childhood go to and I still love reading it at least once a year. It's my favorite series and it probably will be when I'm old and blind.
And now Shelly Crane's Significance series. I just love the whole Soul Mate concept and that series just fills me up with all the sigh-y, goopy, romance feels that make me want that. So while it was a difficult choice I had to put it down. (JH: Hey! I just checked & book 1 is free on Amazon.)
JH: Okay, I know that was tough. Thanks for being a good sport. Now for an easier question... just kidding. This one might be even harder. First I have to know, though—who's your favorite book couple?
Aly: Right now and for the past few months it's been Tate Odder and Audrey Parker. Tate's the main goalie for the Assassins' in Toni Aleo's Assassins' series. And Audrey is the cupcake making, beautiful, shoe obsessed woman that loves him.
JH: Great. Now I want to know, if you had a chance to steal Tate from Audrey... would you?!
Aly: This is actually really hard. Because I feel like I kind of would.... because Tate is sweet and adorable and I wish I could find a guy like him. And he and Audrey are perfect for each other...plus I don't want to be that girl. You know the one. But at the same time, he's sweet, adorable and romantic. What more can a girl want?
JH: Scandalous! I'm pretty sure most women wouldn't be able to resist their favorite book boyfriends in the flesh—no matter what. Okay, last question, and this one's a fun one. If you or someone else were writing a romance novel loosely based on your life... what would it be called?
Aly: The Invisible Bae (my friends got me started with the bae, haha).
Good one! Love it! Well, Aly—thank you SO much for dropping by today. It was fun getting to know you and poking around your adorably-green blog. I enjoyed having you!
Don't forget, Aly is looking for co-reviewers and—hey, authors!—she is currently accepting review requests. Here's where you can find more from Aly: blog, Facebook, Twitter. Thanks for reading!
Have a question for me to ask or want to suggest a blog for me to interview? Tweet me @jess_hawk and include #ScriptFlip. Interested bloggers can contact me here.
JH: Welcome to #ScriptFlip, Aly! Lovely to have you on the blog today. For those of us who aren’t familiar with you or Reading Shy (but who will be now!), tell us a little about yourself.
Aly: Well, my name is Aly, I'm twenty years old and I'm a third year university student, majoring in History, and minoring in French and Classics (You do not know how often I've said that. I'm sure I could say it in my sleep if someone asked). Oh and Classics is pretty much history but it's more so ancient history (Greece and Rome) than medieval or renaissance. I'm Canadian and I do not say eh....okay well sometimes I do.
I got started on Reading Shy With Aly because I was reading a book one day and I kept exclaiming over things and trying to discuss it with my friend. But she hadn't read the book yet and I felt myself bursting with all these feels. I'd looked around and seen some book blogs and looking once more I thought, this could be a way to discuss books with others and do something I love. I decided to take a chance and start Reading Shy and so far I've loved it. I've gotten to read a lot of different books and interact with a lot of authors that I don't think I could have read or interacted with before. It's been great and I hope to continue doing this as long as I can.
JH: There's no denying the amazing energy within the book community, from bloggers to readers to authors. I think we all know that feeling of wanting to burst at the seams because of a book! But there might still be some readers nervous about making the leap to blogging. Any advice for them?
Aly: Just do it. Never let the self-doubts and others tell you you can't. I started out, trying to tell myself it wouldn't last because I can't write as perfectly as other people. But once I took the chance it morphed into something that I love. Yes, my reviews aren't perfect and sometimes I need to work on getting some of the things I didn't like about a book out there better but I'm learning and trying to improve as well as doing something I love. So, just jump right in, find a book blog you love or that might need a co-blogger or reviewer, or start up your own. Whatever you feel more comfortable with. And let your voice shine out!
JH: Great advice! I think the #1 reason to do it is a love for books and the rest will come. Sounds like that was the path for you, but can you pinpoint your favorite part of blogging so far?
Aly: The fact that I've gotten to experience so many new and different books, as well as new authors. There's been some books that honestly I probably wouldn't have picked up or found otherwise. The fact that I've found these great books that I really do love after reading them just makes me feel extremely glad that I started blogging and get this experience.
JH: Okay, but with all those great books out there (and there are a TON), how in the world do you choose your next book to review for RSWA?
Aly: It all depends. If I have book tours or books that have specific times that the review needs to be posted then I'll read those first. Next it just depends on what kind of genre I'm feeling at the time (Romance, Young Adult, New Adult) or what kind of book I've been craving recently (MC, soul mate, etc). Besides that it usually comes down to when I receive requests. I try and keep it in order as best I can and that seems to be the fairest way to go about reviewing them.
JH: You bring up a great point. Sometimes you're just in the mood for a certain type of book and that's the best way to choose what's next. But surely you have your favorites... now, don't get shy on me Aly. Cough up the goods. You're stranded on a desert island with only three books or series... and go!
Aly: Toni Aleo's Assassins' Series, J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter Series and......Shelly Crane's Significance series.......oh my goodness that was so hard! Why did you make me choose???
But yes, Toni Aleo's Assassins' series fills me with joy especially Empty Net (I need a Tate Odddddddeeerrrrrrrr). The hockey and romance and just....sigh.
The Harry Potter series was my childhood go to and I still love reading it at least once a year. It's my favorite series and it probably will be when I'm old and blind.
And now Shelly Crane's Significance series. I just love the whole Soul Mate concept and that series just fills me up with all the sigh-y, goopy, romance feels that make me want that. So while it was a difficult choice I had to put it down. (JH: Hey! I just checked & book 1 is free on Amazon.)
JH: Okay, I know that was tough. Thanks for being a good sport. Now for an easier question... just kidding. This one might be even harder. First I have to know, though—who's your favorite book couple?
Aly: Right now and for the past few months it's been Tate Odder and Audrey Parker. Tate's the main goalie for the Assassins' in Toni Aleo's Assassins' series. And Audrey is the cupcake making, beautiful, shoe obsessed woman that loves him.
JH: Great. Now I want to know, if you had a chance to steal Tate from Audrey... would you?!
Aly: This is actually really hard. Because I feel like I kind of would.... because Tate is sweet and adorable and I wish I could find a guy like him. And he and Audrey are perfect for each other...plus I don't want to be that girl. You know the one. But at the same time, he's sweet, adorable and romantic. What more can a girl want?
JH: Scandalous! I'm pretty sure most women wouldn't be able to resist their favorite book boyfriends in the flesh—no matter what. Okay, last question, and this one's a fun one. If you or someone else were writing a romance novel loosely based on your life... what would it be called?
Aly: The Invisible Bae (my friends got me started with the bae, haha).
Good one! Love it! Well, Aly—thank you SO much for dropping by today. It was fun getting to know you and poking around your adorably-green blog. I enjoyed having you!
Don't forget, Aly is looking for co-reviewers and—hey, authors!—she is currently accepting review requests. Here's where you can find more from Aly: blog, Facebook, Twitter. Thanks for reading!
Have a question for me to ask or want to suggest a blog for me to interview? Tweet me @jess_hawk and include #ScriptFlip. Interested bloggers can contact me here.
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