Readerly Interview with Kate Tilton

Over the past few months I've gotten to know Kate as an amazing advocate for authors. Not only that, but she is a book nerd like me (probably more so, actually), and when I saw her suggestion to interview readers in order to see their view on things, I jumped right on that and interviewed her! (See how I worked that?) So please help me welcome Kate to the blog! Here is part one of the interview:

First, thank for letting me interrogate you, Kate! ;D

K8: It’s my pleasure to be here! :)

How long have you been an avid reader? 

K8: When I was younger reading was a part of daily life but it wasn’t until one certain year that reading became invaluable to me. As a child I lived in a village where there were very few other children. When my two dearest friends moved away reading became my life. Books were my friends when I had none.

Most readers have that *one* book (or perhaps that *one* series) they can attribute to pulling them into the love they have for reading today. Do you have one? If so, what is it, how old were you, and what are a few things that you appreciated about it?

K8: For me I was brought into reading because of the circumstances (above) but there are a few book series that really mattered to me. A ten book Spy Kids series, and two Star Wars series (Jedi Apprentice and Boba Fett).

Do you have a favorite author and/or authors? What makes them your favorite?

K8: I do have favorite authors! I actually have two lists of favorite authors (I know, I know, I’m a little obsessive). On one list I have authors such as Maggie Stiefvater and Ally Condie who have wowed me with their writing. On the other list I have authors who have become my dear friends like Beth Revis and Marie Lu. (And yes, authors can be on both lists like Victoria “V.E.” Schwab.)

How about a favorite book cover (or two)? Tell us what made it/them stand out.

K8: One of my favorite book covers is Untraceable by S.R. Johannes. I have a picture of a group of authors holding up their books and Untraceable stands out from the crowd. The cover contains bold colors, professional type, and careful placement that makes it look good no matter how small it is.

What merits a book making its way onto your personal favorites list?

K8: The books that are on my personal favorites list (the books that get authors onto my special list) are the ones where the words are carefully selected. Read Crossed by Ally Condie or Vicious by V.E. Schwab (note by Jessica -- Vicious is an adult book, and not YA) to get a feel for what I mean. I also adored the Wolves of Mercy Falls series by Maggie Stiefvater because they moved me to want to create (draw, sing, write). I have never before been so moved by another’s creativity that my own felt alive.

Tell us a little bit about why you started up #k8chat on Twitter. 

K8: #K8chat is a weekly Twitter chat (Thursdays at 9pm Eastern) designed for authors and readers. I am a Twitter addict and I love being able to connect with others via Twitter chats. However I noticed most chats were either entirely made for authors or readers. I felt that Twitter needed a place where both groups could come together to form valuable relationships and have fun. If you are interested in joining #K8chat please check out katetilton.com/k8chat for details!

Thanks so much for being here, Kate! Join us next week for the second half of Kate's interview! 

About Kate:

Kate Tilton has been in love with books for as long as she can remember. Kate believes books saved her life and strives to repay authors for bringing books into the world by serving as a dependable author assistant. A cat-lover and fan of many geeky things, Kate can likely be found curled up with the latest Doctor Who episode, plotting world takeover, or assisting authors and readers in any way she can. Kate is also a self-proclaimed Twitter addict. You will find her hosting #K8chat, her own creation, every Thursday night on Twitter from 9-10pm Eastern.

“My goal for the longest time has been to help authors. Make their life better because they make my life better. You are my rockstars.”

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*** Pssst! I'm throwing a #JLBBirthdayBash for my birthday week and giving away books, book swag, t-shirts, and the good folks at Rafflecopter have thrown in a free month! It ends Saturday! You can check it out, HERE.