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| Mind Reader's distinguished new look.. |
Welcome to my new feature, Readers of Young Adult (ROYA). It's my aim to explore the wonderful world of what is on offer to people with similar tastes to myself. Whether you're a young adult, or like me, a fan of this all-encompassing, accessible genre, then prick-up your eyes! I'm writing this blog for you.
Better Get On With It Then...
To kick-off my new concept I'm taking a look at Mind Reader, a blog about books and more. It's not only gone and got itself a brand-spanking new look, it's expanding. My impish side would even go so far as to say it looks like Mind Reader has grown up a little. Don't get me wrong, the old look was intriguing, and certainly eye-catching, but now it's darker, with a professional edge. Why is this of interest to ROYA? Because Mind Reader is a veritable goldmine of information on books, and it's about to get bigger. There's plenty on offer for lovers of YA fiction and beyond.
This new image is twinned with a change in the blog's format. There are new features, and new opportunities for authors and for bloggers. This really is something to talk about!
To mark the occasion, author of Mind Reader, Francesca Poggi, has decided to celebrate, and why not? There's an international GIVEAWAY! that's running until the end of January. All you need to do is Like Mind Reader on Facebook and leave a comment under the post with your email address and the name you liked the page with. To do this, Click Here.
The evolution of Mind Reader is something that has caught my attention. It has a respectable reach that continues to grow. Expansion is inevitable. Thankfully I am in the fortunate position of being able to pick Franny's brains on the matter, as well as finding out what we should expect from Mind Reader in 2013.
For those of you who aren't familiar, Mind Reader is the views, reviews, loves, and that which make up Dark Franny's thoughts. As she describes it: "Mind Reader is mainly a book blog, but since it’s a personal blog, it’s also about the other things I love, and my life in general." Indeed, it is the personable approach in this blog that makes it so enjoyable. Franny's affability shines through her writing, which is both charming and engaging. You need only read one of her reviews to see what I mean. Some reviewers fall prey to ruthless criticism (guilty) or play it safe and over-rate to impress peers. You won't find this on Mind Reader. Each review is friendly and informative, without being complicated or sycophantic.
A Little History
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| The old Mind Reader. image before the makeover. |
"I used to blog before that, but [...]had other interests that are not a part of my life anymore. I was in a bit of a dark place, I was unhappy and I wanted that to change."
And to what does she attribute this transformation? The Royal Wedding, of all things! "Prince William and Kate gave me the push I needed to make it happen." It's nice that Franny got something so constructive from this event. All the Royal Wedding pushed me to do was switch the TV off and listen to music. Each to their own. However, this is a great example of what Franny is all about; she has a fabulous talent for taking even the more popular subjects and making them her own. She went on to say:
"I wanted to blog again, and about something I loved. I love books, so that was it. I am very grateful of the past blogging year. I’ve come very far and accomplished so many things that I’ve never thought I did, and I think that without Mind Reader, I wouldn’t be where I am today."
Blogs, beautiful blogs! You don't need to tell me about how fabulous blogging is. I am a true fan. I discover new blogs of interest every day, as well as cradling a desire to branch out with my own. I've found so many fabulous pages out there. I mean to discover more. Mind Reader was one of the first blogs I started following, and I've yet to be disappointed.
New Designs
There's a lot to be said for a tasteful-looking blog. I can't be bothered with busy pages. They always take too long to load, and the result is ultimately a let down. Simple, elegant designs always appeal more. I like pictures, sure, and I like pretty pages too. Just don't clutter up my screen with unnecessary crap. That's what's good about Mind Reader; it's easy to navigate, and that's something I appreciate. Here's what Franny had to say about it:
"I’ve been wanting to change the design for a while, and since I launched my company, Dark World Books (offering boutique services for both independent and published authors) back in November, I decided that I wanted to give it a more professional look ... I plan to get more involved with authors. Silvia, blogger of Darkest Sins and my partner in crime at Dark World Books, is a wonderful designer and she managed to capture the essence of everything I like to read. I am beyond satisfied and I’d recommend a blog makeover to everyone, if I could!"
Regular visitors will know that I too have worked with Dark World Books, and that my blog had a full-body makeover. It is a grand feeling. I understand why Franny has been inspired to take her blog to new levels.
What Should We Expect from Mind Reader in 2013?
Authors and bloggers, there's plenty of new things going on for you.
For you published authors, Mind Reader is accepting reviews. All you need to do is read the review policy, then get in contact. With a dedication to promoting new authors, they're also looking to do interviews and spotlights. What are you waiting for? Also, you can now advertise your book on Mind Reader. Several plans and sizes are offered, simply Click Here to find out what to do.
Bloggers, get yourself geared up! Mind Reader are looking for blogs to feature in their Blog Of The Week. I for one will be keeping an eye on who's appearing. As I said, I'm all about the blog just now. If you think your blog should be featured, get in touch with them. Who knows? It could just be perfect...
Which means that all you readers will have plenty to keep you going. Between the reviews, the juicy fresh meat and the sprinkling of blogger spice, there'll be plenty enough to get stuck into. I for one will be looking to their reviews for something good to read. Hail to Mind Reader!
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