A new beginning...

dazeychic's etsy

This blog has been rolling around in my head for almost a year now. I came across Lenore's Book Blogger Convention Scholarship and decided to finally take the plunge and start a new blog. I have so many ideas and I am excited to get started.

Here is what I wrote in my submission for Lenore's contest:

I always had a deep love of reading. All my life, I’ve been an avid reader. As I’ve gotten older, I have developed a strong desire to share my love of reading with others. On most days, it takes the form of sharing it with my 5th grade students. When I’m not wearing my teacher hat, it’s takes the form of little conversations I share with my friends and family when I’m asking for book recommendations or raving about the latest book that has kept me up all night. Lately, I’ve developed an obsession with sharing my thoughts online about my reading via Goodreads, Facebook, Visual Bookshelf, LibraryThing, PaperBackSwap, etc. I am actually surprised that it’s taken me this long to finally put it all together and decide to start a book blog. The idea of it has been rolling around my head for almost a whole year now. There are many things that I feel like other readers might benefit from if I shared them.

However, there have been many fears holding me back. Mostly, it’s the fear of no one reading my blog, but it’s also the fear of not being the best writer because I am insecure about my writing abilities and even my reading abilities. What if I read too slow or I don't read enough? Whenever the urge would surface to start blogging, I would find myself thinking, “Why would anyone want to hear what I have to say? I am just one very small fish in a very big ocean.” After much encouragement from my husband, I decided a week ago to learn more about book blogging. So, I Googled “how to be a book blogger” and the “book blogger convention” came up. Of course, who doesn’t love a good convention? So I clicked it on it and on the very front page was your scholarship opportunity. I would love to learn all about book blogging at the convention, but even more so, I would love to meet and chat with other book bloggers. You have inspired me to bite the bullet and take the plunge. I finally set up my blog. I am excited and nervous about what it will become. While I still hold many fears and insecurities about this whole process, I am proud of myself for believing I have a voice and also something worth sharing. And even though it would be awesome and such a blessing to win this scholarship, I am mostly thankful for this opportunity and the push to believe in myself. Thank you.

So there you have it... my reasons for starting this blog. Thank you for taking this journey with me.



-Jasmine