Behind the Blog: Kelly at lit, eats, and all of life’s treats

Say hello to Kelly from lit, eats, & all of life’s treats!

Tell us a bit about yourself.

Living in Toronto, I’m lucky enough to enjoy great people, delicious food, and continuing education. I work in the advertising media sector by day (and sometimes night), and I have officially finished my first New Adult genre novel. I am currently writing my second novel, while querying agents for the first.

How did you end up here in the world of book blogging?

Reading and writing have always been passions of mine, but over the past few years I have really dove in to my writing. It’s been a fun challenge, and continues to test my work ethic, dedication and thick skin (which is still pretty thin, but I’m a piece of work in progress at all times).

I’ve learned that through my writing journey, it is important to read as much as possible, especially within the genre I write.

My goal was to read 50 books in 2014, and I am already well past my goal. I love recommending books, and I love reading a variety of genres, although I am a bit addicted to YA!

What types of books do you enjoy reading?

I love reading about love, travel, fantasy, non-fiction, YA, NA, biographies… you name it!

What do you bring to the world of book blogging? What’s unique about your perspective of books?

I feel that my perspective on book blogging is unique for a variety of reasons.

Do you have any helpful hints about blogging?

Consistency is key! If you commit to writing your blog 1 -2 times per week, make sure you keep it up.
Broaden your horizons. What I mean by this is, read things out of your comfort zone to expand your reach and readership. You also will find that you may stumble upon a new genre or author you love!

What type of things always grab your attention in books?

Unique story lines, well-developed, deep characters, series potential, epic love stories, and page-turning action scenes are typically the things that grab my attention in books.

When you go to the library (or bookstore), do you bring a list of books to get or do you browse to find your next book?

I always keep a running list in my iPhone of books on my “want” list. This list is comprised of recommendations from websites, people and blogs, or books I stumble upon online or at the bookstore.

What book trends do you hope to see more of?

I hope to see more true, real stories with complex characters. I think this is really important in YA and NA, as I grew up reading Sweet Valley Twins, and while I adored those girls, they never really had real, relatable problems. I think that term ‘relatable’ is open to interpretation, but I do think that relatable character qualities need to dig deeper than the typical “Here are my insecurities,” jargon that we see a lot of.

I do believe that reading is a form of escapism, and I’m a firm lover of a ‘happily ever after’ but I do also love when a character overcomes adversity, and their emotions are raw and honest.

What books do you constantly recommend to other people?

Depending on the genre they like, I recommend all types of books to people.

Here are some books I often recommend:
Catcher In the Rye, By J. D. Salinger (My favorite fiction piece of all time… his narrative is unparalleled).

Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone, By J.K. Rowling (The entire series continues to inspire me and challenge my imagination).

The Diary of Anne Frank, By Anne Frank (The first book I ever read on World War II. I’ll never forget how it helped shape my views).

Night, By Elie Wiesel (While all of Wiesel’s stories are tragic and amazing, this one stuck with me like no other).

I Am That Girl, By Alexis Jones (A non fiction piece that every female should read, no matter what age).

Nineteen Eighty Four, By George Orwell (Orwell was so ahead of his time. Nineteen Eighty Four and John Wyndham’s The Chrysalids were my first glance into dystopic and science fiction literature; something I read a lot of now).

A Piece of Cake, By Cupcake Brown (Talk about beating the odds and overcoming adversity! A Piece of Cake is the most interesting and inspiring autobiography I’ve read from this decade).

Angela’s Ashes, By Frank McCourt (This book always sticks with me for some reason).

Honorable mentions:
The Shining, Wonder, The Stranger, The Hunger Games, Lean In, The Legend Trilogy, Vampire Academy, Man’s Search for Meaning & The Handmaid’s Tale.

It’s a mixed bag!

Any exciting blog things happening in the future?

I’m always trying to challenge myself, and I always want my readers to get the most out of my reviews.
This year I did a 50 book pledge… I’ll have to think of something for next year as it’s fast approaching!
I’m constantly looking for feedback and recommendations!

Anything else you’d like to add?

I have been blogging on Lit, Eats & All of Life’s Treats for over a year now, and it’s been a great journey so far. I’m learning a lot, and I love to see the visitors I get from different countries around the world.
Having a blog definitely helps me feel connected to something bigger.

Thanks Kelly!

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