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Wednesday Quotables: On Support

Karen Mesa 5 Comments

Wed quotables 3

In light of all of the support, kinship and good spirit that Book Marks has received in the past few days. today’s Quotables will be about Support – those who support us, why we need support and how it affects us.  Enjoy!

from quotes-lover.com

from quotes-lover.com

I find in the blogging community a deep respect for all writers, great encouragement and support for all that a blog has accomplished and where a blog goes.

from searchquotes.com

from searchquotes.com

Just when I feel my most empty, without words, wiped out – the universe reminds me that I love doing this.  Last week, it was a short message from Dawn at Life, Love, Adventure “Karen, we miss you!!”

from bedroomdesigncatalogue.com

from bedroomdesigncatalogue.com

Ok, so who doesn’t love a Winnie the Pooh quote? And, isn’t this how you feel when you discover a great new blog or connect with a blogger who’s blog you love?

from quoteshunter.com

from quoteshunter.com

Every fantastic blog and writer out there challenges me to improve, change and better my blog.  I feel like it is always a work in progress.  Each step helps me discover who I am as a blogger and what I’d like to see at Book Marks.  I wish I had more time to do this!

from happyologist.co.uk

from happyologist.co.uk

We all love to see the stats go up, it’s fun to check the daily numbers and views and clicks…but ultimately, it’s the great comments and support from the people who read and care about our blogs and what we have to write about that really matters.

So what did you think of today’s quotes?  Any ring true, hit home, make you think?  Share your thoughts!

sign off bookmarks

Liebster Award

Karen Mesa 4 Comments

I was nominated for a Liebster Award by Christina Jones at Seventeen:20. Thank you so much Christina Jones!  I am so thankful since my blogging lately has been sporadic at best. I have found it extremely difficult to incorporate my blog into the demands of every day life and so am pleasantly surprised when new readers visit, comment and even nominate me! It is humbling and a reminder to keep the blog alive.

Now, to fulfill the 4 requirements of the award.

Part 1:  11 Facts About Me

  1. I am fluent in Spanish.
  2. I am the eldest of two children.
  3. I have been married for 7 years; together for 12 years.
  4. I am a Pisces.
  5. My first car was a Hyundai Accent.
  6. Ice cream can be eaten at any time.
  7. I am 19 weeks pregnant.
  8. I used to frown upon the idea of botox…now that those frown lines are getting more visible, I am surprisingly open to the idea (post-pregnancy of course).
  9. Trashy books are awesome.
  10. I am an optimist.  I believe in the power of our thoughts.  I believe in the connections we share with each other and the universe.
  11. I have a HUGE extended family and love them dearly.

Part 2: Answer 11 Questions by Christina Jones

  1. What is your favorite song?  Changes often.
  2. Why did you start blogging? Because I love to write.
  3. What is your favorite book?  Oh boy…just one?  The Shadow of The Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (off the top of my head)
  4. Do you have any kids? If so, how many? 1 gorgeous 4 year old boy and a baby on the way
  5. Favorite color? Red
  6. Favorite food? Hmmm…Japanese…Italian…Ice Cream…
  7. What was your first car?  Hyundai Accent
  8. Where did you grow up?  Toronto & Colombia
  9. Would you rather play the sport or be the spectator? I am an active person, but not sporty so I’d rather watch
  10. Favorite movie?  Moulin Rouge, Braveheart, Devil Wears Prada
  11. What do you want to be when you grow up?  Haha. I want to be the person that gets paid to go to all the best resorts and spas and rates them.

Part 3: Devise 11 Questions for My Nominees

    1. Favourite place you’ve visited?
    2. What’s your dream job?
    3. One place in the world you’d love to move to?
    4. Favourite Book?
    5. Favourite Movie?
    6. Best Memory?
    7. What’s the most delicious thing you can cook?
    8. Sunrise or Sunset?
    9. Something you’ve crossed off your bucket list?
    10. Favourite Childhood Book/Story?
    11. Blog you visit (almost) everyday?

Part 4: My 11 nominees for the Liebster Award

  1. SweetJellyBean
  2. Between the Covers
  3. Nikki Owen
  4. True STORIES
  5. Milo’s Telescope
  6. The Bookshelf of Emily J
  7. Should be Reading
  8. Mama Tattoo
  9. Blogging for a Good Book
  10. Enchanted by Books
  11. Fourth Street Review

The Rules

  1. Thank the blogger who nominated you and link back to their blog. Thank you, Christina Jones at Seventeen:20. (http://christinajoneswriter.com)
  2. Post 11 facts about yourself, answer the 11 questions asked of you, and create 11 new questions for the bloggers you nominate.
  3. Nominate 11 blogs you think deserve to be noticed, and leave comments letting them know that they’ve been chosen.
  4. Display the Liebster Award logo.
  5. No tag-backs.

Armchair BEA: A Late Introduction

Karen Mesa 7 Comments

As usual, I’m late.  The Armchair Bea is the conference for book bloggers from the comfort of their own chair.  As part of the kick off on Monday, there was an introduction.  I will complete the introduction and try to catch up with the other    posts as I’d like to participate…it’s just taken me a while to sift through it.

1.  Please tell us a bit about yourself: Who are you?  How long have you been blogging? Why did you get into blogging?

My name is Karen Mesa and I am an English teacher.  I live in Ontario, Canada and love to read and write.  Writing has been a hobby that I hope to pursue and turn into a second career…(with a little luck).  I’ve been blogging since last August, but didn’t really do it seriously until early 2012.  Blogging was a way to get more serious about my writing, really.  And, now it’s just fun.  I love reading other people’s blogs and it’s flattering and a little humbling when others read and follow my blog.

2.  One non-book related thing that those reading my blog may not know about me is I’m great at dancing Salsa, I love that I can wear my hair curly or straight, I have held on to the friends I had whenI was fourteen…I guess that’s more than one…

3.  What is my favourite post so far?  Admittedly, I have a few that I’m fond of.  The one that showed me I can really do this is when I compared teenagers to toddlers…that was fun.

4.  If I could have dinner with any author or character, who would it be and why?  Kate Chopin.  I’m fascinated by how well she captured the feelings of women in an era when women’s feelings didn’t matter.

5.  Where do you see your blog in five years?  I’d like to see it evolve so that involves subjects other than books…or, maybe I’ll just start another blog.

Thanks for reading…I’m looking forward to participating in as many of the events as I can.

Thank You!

Karen Mesa 10 Comments

A few weeks ago I received The Versatile Blogger Award from Write, Wrong and Everything in Between a blog that I follow and is fun to read.  It was such a delight to receive recognition.  I was so excited I thanked her on my About page…but failed to do so a little more publicly.  So, thank you!

Also, I have yet to finish my list of other blogs that I feel I’d like to nominate for said award.  I have eleven blogs I enjoy and I think may have already been nominated…but, for now, it’s the best I can do.  I will find another four and update my list when I do!  And, hopefully, I can find some who have not been nominated.

Eleven Bloggers That Are Deserving of The Versatile Blogger Award:

  1. Enchanted by Books
  2. In My Good Books
  3. 101 Books
  4. True STORIES
  5. The Very Hungry Bookworm
  6. Between the Covers
  7. Books and Bowel Movements
  8. Notes from a Book Nerd
  9. Live to Write and Write to Live
  10. filmphanatic
  11. curiconblog

Seven Things About Me:

  1. Fluent in Spanish
  2. Love to travel
  3. Fave city is Paris (cliche, yes…but can you blame me?)
  4. Great at singing lullabies
  5. Never enough shoes
  6. Love Modern Family
  7. I need to become famous so I can be on Dancing with the Stars

On another note, I’d like to thank Wayne Borean who included my post on Mothers In Literature in The Major Genre Daily.