GUEST POST Vikki Patis @VikkiPatis Talks about blogging and book reviewing #TuesdayBookBlog

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Today we have a special guest on the blog, please welcome Vikki Patis

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1) Where is your home town?
 I was born in North London, but we moved around a bit, and so I grew up in Hertfordshire. I moved to Plymouth for university, and fell in love with the West Country, but now I’ve found myself back up country, in Hertford.
2) Why did you start blogging?
I started writing for various organisations during my final year at university; I got involved with The Knowledge, Plymouth University’s paper, then looked for more writing opportunities online. I became a staff writer intern at ReadWave, wrote freelance articles for Lovereading, and then created The Bandwagon, my own blog. At that point, my writing was dedicated to books and authors, and while I loved it (and still do!), I wanted a place where I could write about anything. And so the blog was created.
I love writing about different topics; it keeps me informed and fresh. I also write fiction, though I’m yet unpublished, and so I have used my blog to share my stories.
3) What can readers find on your blog?
The biggest part of my blog involves book reviews and “Ask The Author”, a series of interviews with authors big and small, including George RR Martin, Charlaine Harris, Karen Maitland and Samantha Shannon. I also run a Cornish Reading Challenge every year, and am featuring one woman every month as part of #InspiringWomen, which aims to put everday, creative women into the spotlight, and encourage others to follow their dreams. You can also find articles on feminism, disability, cats, and other topics I have an interest in.
4) Do you have book reviewing guidelines?
I generally accept any book for review, barring a few genres such as erotica, and I’m not overly keen on reviewing children’s books. But The Bandwagon is currently expanding, with several new reviewers joining the team, so that may change very soon! Check back in a while for updates.
5) Which recent pots have been the most popular on your blog?
On Christmas Day, I posted a picture of myself in a “Christmas Cook” hat on Instagram. A stranger decided to post some nasty comments regarding my weight; I got angry, and wrote a response. “So I Got Fat-Shamed” was read over 900 times, shared multiple times on social media, and the Facebook post alone reached over 1200 people. I also received comments on the blog post, had several discussions on Twitter, and some people even found the original photo on Instagram and wrote some lovely things. As much as the exposure and popularity of the post is a good thing for my blog, I only wish the writing of it hadn’t been necessary.
Before ReadWave closed it’s doors last month, I had over 25,000 readers. “Ask The Author: George RR Martin” was read over 1000 times, and is one of the most popular author interviews I’ve ever conducted. Which is no surprise, really!
6) What plans do you have for the blog in the future?
One of the biggest plans for The Bandwagon is to bring new reviewers on board, so we can take more review requests and help more authors promote their work. I’m extremely passionate about reading, and strive to help authors get the recognition they deserve.
#InspiringWomen is also a huge feature for 2016. Our first post has already gathered a lot of interest, and I’m excited to see where it takes us. There’s still a few spaces left, so if you’re a successful woman and want to write about your experiences, get in touch!
7) Where can readers find you on social media?
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Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/vikkipatis/
Twitter: @VikkiPatis
Instagram: Vikki Patis
https://dracarya.wordpress.com/

22 thoughts on “GUEST POST Vikki Patis @VikkiPatis Talks about blogging and book reviewing #TuesdayBookBlog”

  1. What a lovely interview ladies. Your passion for blogging, and sharing your love of books is clearly evident, Vikki. It can be hard to tune off from the negativity when you are on such a public platform but I think you handled it beautifully – an inspiring woman indeed 🙂

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  4. Hi Rosie and Vikki – how very interesting … loved the interview, but particularly the Cornish Reading Challenge – I’ll have to look into that. Last year my A-Z Challenge, which many of us do was on many aspects of Cornwall – my mother’s family came from there and eventually lived there for 40 years, though we’d been around since we were born.

    Frustrating about your Instagram incident – puts one off ..but I think you handled it really well – especially as it was Christmas. People are lacking in thought …

    Good luck with all you do – cheers Hilary

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  6. Great to meet Vikki. Unfortunately I’ve heard and read about similar things to her incident with Instagram but good for her for not putting up with bullies. I’m going to check her sites

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  14. Oh, you’re the girl who wrote that excellent piece about the fat shaming – I read that a couple of weeks ago. I really do applaud your attitude and confidence. I just read my comment back and realised what an old fart I sound in it. Oh well! You’re right about the ‘hiding behind a screen’ thing. I’ve seen Twitter profiles that are actually set up for the purpose of trolling – what sort of issues do you have to have, to do something like that??!!

    Such an interesting interview, Rosie and Vikki – just going to have another look at The Bandwagon 🙂

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