In the Spotlight ~ Reading by Kindle Fire

It's the middle of the week, so it is another addition of "In the Spotlight", where I invite a fellow blogger over to answer a few questions. Today we are being joined by Ning from Reading by Kindle Fire

Ning, thanks so much for going us today!!



When and how did you decide to become a book blogger?
I tried blogging early in 2010, but I wasn't that committed to finishing it. Last November, I actually don't know what got into me, but I decided I should start again. I think it's probably because I read the Fever Series by Karen Marie Moning and I really wanted to discuss it with someone because of how much I loved it.

What’s the hardest part of being a book blogger?
I would say the time commitment. I don't want it to take over my life. I love to read, mostly paranormal and historical romance, although I'm branching out into YA recently. I want to be able to find a balance between reading for enjoyment and reading for reviews. While I love getting author requests to review their books and do blog tours and stuff, I mostly want to read books I know I'll enjoy.

How many followers do you have? How did your blog get so popular? How long did it take to rise to that level?
Currently, my blog has about 500 followers. I've been blogging almost four months come March. Part of getting so many followers is being part of a giveaway hop hosted by I Am A Reader, Not a Writer. Some of these new followers might not be consistent readers, but I also think of it as getting my blog name out there for other bloggers who will read my blog rather than not hearing about my blog at all.


How do you keep in touch with your followers? Any tips?
I guess I haven't thought about that at all. I like going through my Google Reader and scrolling through the posts. If I see something interesting, I'll usually comment. I love to reply to comments and I get email for whenever my posts have a comment.

Tell us how you came up with your blog name, Reading by Kindle Fire
The answer is kind of embarrassing. The blog name was suppose to be quite different. When I first started picking names, a lot of what I thought were already taken. At the time, I had an obsession with scented candles, so I came up with something like "Reading by candle light" except it would be "kindle" instead of "candle" since I have a Kindle and read on it most of the time. When I actually created the blog though, I don't know what happened, but I said "Reading by Kindle Fire" instead of "Kindle Light". It actually has nothing to do with Kindle Fire. Actually, the Kindle Fire have barely begun when I started the blog. Now I'm too lazy to change it. And I actually like the name.

For those new out in the blogging world, tell us what a meme is. Which ones do you follow?
Honestly, I don't have an exact idea of what a meme is. I just think of it as a weekly event and bloggers do. Right now, I'm doing Teaser Tuesday and Dirty Little Secret (Thursday) and Feature & Follow Friday. I'm trying to keep up with it as school becomes busier.

Who are your three favorite authors?
Right now, Kresley Cole, Karen Marie Moning, and Gena Showalter.

Any words of wisdom to new bloggers?
I still consider myself a pretty new blogger with plenty of things to learn. I would say don't be afraid to ask questions and just keep at it. It's not easy at all, as I've learned, but it's a really great feeling knowing other people care about what you have to say. You'll learn a lot and need to find more space on your shelf. Be ready to be overwhelmed by your TBR list.

Which author would you most like to meet (dead or alive)? Tell us more..
I would love to meet John Steinbeck! I actually haven't read a lot of his books, but I really love Grapes of Wrath. It was such an inspiration and one of the classics I enjoyed a great deal!

How big is your TBR pile? How many books do you read/review in a month?
I would say my TBR pile is about 130 books. This is the physical books plus books on my kindle. It really depends on the months, but right now I'm reading about 7 or 8 books a month and reviewing them. I don't do reviews every day just because I can't read that fast nor do I have the time, but I try to put at least two reviews up per week. 

Finally, if someone wrote a biography about you, what do you think the title should be?
I have no idea. I'm not good coming up with names. Also, mostly I think a biography about my life would be pretty boring. I wouldn't subject anyone to that.


On a Personal Note
I'm in a senior in college right now. I'm set to graduate May this year if nothing goes wrong. I already have a job with a big accounting firm. I love to read and play video games in my spare time! I aspire to be a writer someday, but I'm not sure if I'm ready for the hard work. I wasn't actually born in the US but in China. I moved to the US when I was younger. I'm so glad I didn't have to grow up in the Chinese school system. Anyway, I love reading paranormal and historical romance. Right now though, I wish there were more books with magic and dragons!

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