Confessions of a Blogger + A To Z Book Survey

I was tagged by Lix of A Classic Notion for the Confessions of a Blogger idea, and decided to try the A to Z book survey from Kristin of My Life as a Teacup. 

P.S. -- Check out my interview on Not Intent on Arriving and  my interview on Ten Penny Dreams!

1. When did you first start blogging and why?

I started blogging in November of 2011 because everyone told me a writer should have a blog. Initially, I blogged because I thought I should, but it quickly turned into something I love to do!

2. Have you had any past online presence?

Besides Myspace and my current personal Facebook, no I don't have a past online presence. No old blogs. 

3. When did you become serious about your blog?

I would say I became serious at the start of 2012, a couple months after I started blogging. I wanted to make it a space that was very me and about the things I love, instead of just posting random stuff, which is what I did initially. 

4. What was your first blog post?

I think my first blog post was a picture of a nude smokey eye that I found on Pinterest. Very random, haha!

5. What have been your biggest challenges blogging?

Besides finding the time, which will always remain a big challenge, was finding my voice in blogging. Every blogger that gives advice says that you have to find your voice, but I had no idea how to do that. I found my voice by just writing like I speak, by writing about what I truly love, and by adding a bit of my own quirkiness and humor to my blog posts. If you're really being you, then you've already found your voice. 

6. What is the most rewarding thing about blogging?

Finding true friendship! I've met so many wonderful people through blogging that I would never have met otherwise because they live halfway across the world or on the other side of the country. There are some bloggers I wish I lived closer to because then I would meet up and grab a coffee with them all the time. 

7. What is the most discouraging thing about blogging?

Luckily, I haven't gotten any negative feedback or comments, but it can be easy to get a little discouraged when you try so hard and it seems like other bloggers are getting all these wonderful opportunities so easily, but we can't see behind the screen. Those bloggers are no doubt working just as hard as I am, probably even harder. 

8. What is your lasting inspiration or motivation?

My inspiration and motivation for blogging are my readers because I want to make great content that they want to read. I want Sincerely, Sara to be a happy, fun place! 

9. What is your blogging dirty little secret?

This one's probably obvious, but the outfits I post aren't always worn on the day I take the pictures. I know many people do wear it that day, but sometimes I don't have time to take the pictures or my camera isn't charged, so I have to wait and wear the outfit again for pictures. That's not a very good dirty little secret, haha!

10. What is your current goal as a blogger?

One of my goals is to work with more companies and shops that I love because it's so much fun collaborating and I always love bringing my readers great giveaways. 

11. Have you learned or become passionate about anything through blogging that caught you by surprise? 

I always liked fashion, but I became much more interested in it once I started blogging. I paid more attention to trends and wanted to try new things fashion-wise. I wouldn't have branched out with my clothing if I hadn't started blogging. 

I hereby tag:
Kristin of My Life as a Teacup
Naomi of Starry Eyes + Coffee Cups
Jessica of Dream Mo(o)re
Danielle of A Writer in Love
Jackie of Claws Up
Sinem of Listies...
Brittney of True Vintage Love

♥ ♥ ♥

Author you've read the most books from.

Definitely J.K. Rowling. Then Shakespeare and Jane Austen. 

Best sequel ever.

Sadly, most of the sequels I've read weren't that amazing, though I heard the sequel to Cinder (called Scarlet) is fantastic. Since I haven't read that yet, I'm going to go with Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. 

Currently reading.

Scarlet. 

Drink of choice while reading.
Iced tea, Starbucks' passion fruit tea, or Coca Cola. 

E-reader or physical book? 

I prefer physical books because I like examining the covers and touching the paper and using bookmarks, but I can't deny the usefulness of an e-reader. I have an iPad Mini and love reading books on it because I can store so many on there.  

Fictional character you probably would have actually dated in high school. 

Ron Weasley. I would still date him if he was real. He's just so cute and shy and loyal. Why oh why isn't he real?

Glad you gave this book a chance. 

The School for Good and Evil. It sounded like a book I would like, but I was a little turned off by the fact that it was for kids, but I'm so glad I read it because it's delightful. 

Hidden gem book.

It's not really hidden, but I loved Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. It's a fantasy book with haunting elements and there are real vintage photographs in the book that are tied to the story. 

Important moment in your reading life. 

Finally picking up the first Harry Potter book. My aunt had given me the novel, but I left it sitting on my shelf for far too long. After reading it, I fell in love with books and immersing myself in stories. 

Just finished.

The Pirate's Wish. 

Kinds of books you won’t read. 

I hardly ever read non-fiction unless it's comedic, like Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?, so that means no biographies or autobiographies. I'm also not much of a fan of family drama.

Longest book you’ve ever read. 

That would have to be Stephen King's Under the Dome. It's 1,074 pages long. 

Major book hangover because of…

Cinder by Merissa Meyer. It was my favorite novel of the year! Everything about it made me fall in love with the book. The main character, Cinder, is so real and likable, the plot was so well done and just plain cool, and I never knew what was going to happen next. Gah, I love it so much. As soon as I was done, I wanted to re-read it. 

Number of bookcases you own. 

Sadly, none. I wish I had bookcases to put all my books and knickknacks, but right now I keep all my books in plastic bins under my bed. 

One book you have read multiple times.

Duh, all the Harry Potter books and Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. 

Preferred place to read.

In my comfy, cozy bed snuggled underneath the covers. 

Quote from a book you’ve read that inspires you.

I'm never good at keeping track of quotes from books, but I love this quote by Brandon Sanderson:

"By now, it is probably very late at night, and you have stayed up to read this book when you should have gone to sleep. If this is the case, then I commend you for falling into my trap. It is a writer’s greatest pleasure to hear that someone was kept up until the unholy hours of the morning reading one of his books. It goes back to authors being terrible people who delight in the suffering of others. Plus, we get a kickback from the caffeine industry…"

Reading regret. 

All the Twilight books and Delirium. 

Series you started and need to finish. 

There are actually a lot of series that I need to finish. I like reading YA trilogies. 

Three of your all-time favourite books. 

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and Pride and Prejudice are always at the top, but the third is always so hard to pick. Right now, I'd have to say Cinder. 

Unapologetic fangirl for… 

(Pretty much stealing Kristin's answer. Thanks, Kristin!) Magical powers, secret worlds, alternate universes, the paranormal, the supernatural, and historical fantasy. 

Very excited for this release more than all the others.

The sequel to The School for Good and Evil and Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. The third Cinder book. 

Worst bookish habit.

I've never written in books unless it was in textbooks for school. I think my worst habit is occasionally dog-earring pages and breaking the spines, though that's usually by accident. Oops.

X marks the spot: the 27th book on my shelf. 

On my e-reader, the 27th spot is The Fifth Wave by Rick Yancey. 

Your latest book purchase. 

My latest book purchase was from a library sale. I got A Taxonomy of Barnacles, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, The Passage, and Dead Beautiful. (See here.)

Zzz-snatcher book (latest book that kept you up way late). 

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. I stayed up until two in the morning because I just had to know what happened next. 

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