My Top Ten Favourite Blogs

Joining Twitter, just over two years ago, was one of the best decisions I ever made. During this time, I have met some remarkable people. Yes, I follow a few celebs purely for the gossip, but the majority of people I follow are bloggers, writers and reviewers. I have discovered a plethora of new authors, who write such a wide variety of genres. I managed to break free of my fantasy shackles and enjoy the odd chick lit, historical romance and Victorian murder mystery.

Many of the tweeps I follow I discovered via #MondayBlogs, #WWWBlogs or #SundayBlogShare. Utilising the right hashtags can introduce you to some extraordinary people, and for me, I have learned so much about blogging, writing and life in general from my new online ‘friends’.

So today, I wanted to share my top ten favourite blogs, as discovered thanks to Twitter and offer a brief explanation as to why I love them so much. (Blogs are listed in no particular order).

A Woman’s Wisdom – This is a book review blog and one of the first blogs I started to follow. The reviews are as colourful as the header, and the mix of genres means you will always find a book of interest, whatever your tastes. I have purchased a number of books thanks to the honest reviews. Ali is a beautiful person, and I love her humour, passion and support. The bonus on her site is ‘Tales from the Manor’ where she talks about life at home and day-to-day dramas – I love these tales.   Find Ali: @Bodiciasapple

Suzie81Speaks – Suzie is local to me, so I felt an instant connection when I found her blog and became an avid follower, (of course this may be referred to as ‘stalking’ in certain circles!). The thing I love about this blog is that Suzie doesn’t follow any set theme. She blogs about a huge range of topics and includes everyone else in the mix. You can advertise your own blog on her site or use the hashtag that Suzie created #SundayBlogShare to network with other bloggers. Find Suzie: @Suzie81blog

Terry Tyler – I found Terry almost immediately upon joining Twitter, and she has been an inspiration to me on a daily basis ever since. She is one of the most supportive tweeps I know and a bloody good author too. Being a huge fantasy book geek I was wary about reading another genre, but Terry was promoting her book Round and Round, so I stepped out of my comfort zone and gave it a go. I was hooked immediately and after finishing that book I quickly devoured Kings And Queens and Last Child. Terry has written eleven books, so I have a few more to get through! As well as writing awesome books, Terry also blogs and her site is similar to Suzie in that she covers everything from relationships to top ten TV characters. Find Terry: @TerryTyler4

The Creative Penn – Joanna is a self-published and traditionally published author who writes Thrillers under JF.Penn. She also writes The Creative Penn blog that is my go-to source for self-publishing. She shares all the tips and advice that worked (and didn’t work) for her during her publishing journey. Joanna is down-to-earth and funny, something I relate to. I have followed this blog for quite a few years and was pleased that it was recommended by a guest speaker at the Self-Publishing Workshop I attended in London last year. Find Joanna: @thecreativepenn

Carol Hedges – I found Carol around the same time I found Terry (I don’t think they were scoping for newbie blood together!). She is another outstanding author who offers unwavering support to her twitter followers. Carol’s Victorian Murder Mystery Series is magnificent. I had many a late night reading Diamonds & Dust because I couldn’t put it down, and the sequel Honour & Obey was just as captivating. The third book, Death & Dominion, is due out shortly, and I will be at the front of the queue to get my hands on it. Carol’s blog is ‘pink’ and has plenty of cake for everyone. She shares writing related articles, book news, author interviews and spreads awareness of local issues. One of my favourite features on Carol’s blog is, ‘The Adventure of L-Plate Gran’. Looking after her grand- daughter has opened up a hilarious avenue of short stories – worth a read. Find Carol: @carolJhedges

NaNoWriMo – I took part in my first NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) in 2013 and nailed it! I did it again in 2014. This competition was one I had wanted to take part in for over four years but never had the bottle (or confidence in my own abilities!). Once I succeeded in kicking my butt and facing my fear, I realised it was an amazing experience and one I now look forward to. The guys at NaNo are incredible, and they support writers in every way possible. The blog is one such way. They share author experiences, uplifting stories of success and ‘get-up-and-do-it’ posts that make you want to…well – get up and do it! Find them here: @nanowrimo

The Witch, The Weird, and The Wonderful – I recently found this blog through #MondayBlogs and was hooked straight away, this is why it’s made my top ten. Fantasy, Myth and legend are at my core. I live, eat and breathe supernatural, paranormal and witchcraft. This blog covers my ‘witchy’ needs. Willow is an author and shares her explorations of all things witch-related on her blog. From witch bottles to treason – this stuff is interesting! Find Willow here: @WillowCWinsham

Barb Taub – Barb writes the Null City Series and is also a book reviewer for #RBRT (Rosie’s Book Review Team). I found Barb through this hashtag and began to follow her blog. Intermingled with her honest and breathtakingly detailed reviews (talking from personal – and immensely grateful – experience), are stories about life and love. One particular favourite being ‘Ten Reasons Not to Get Married’ – right up my street! Find Barb here: @barbtaub

Rosie Amber – I can’t mention the #RBRT without adding Rosie to my list of Top Ten. I found Rosie last year when she sent me a message after reading my non-fiction book. I was slightly giddy for about a month – having never been approached by a book blogger before – and I felt like I’d won the lottery. Rosie very kindly reviewed my book AND invited me to guest post a series of articles for her. I was overjoyed and happily took up the quest. Rosie writes incredible reviews and orchestrates a Book Review Team. She has also just completed her second year of ‘Doing Good Deeds’ – this is a challenge she set herself to do something good every day of the year. Rosie is hugely supportive of the blogging/tweeting community. Find Rosie: @rosieamber1

Elizabeth Ducie – I first spotted Elizabeth on the hashtag days as we both retweeted similar blog links and frequented the same circles (note to self: possible stalking tendencies re-emerging). I’ve also spotted her smiling face more than once in Writing Magazine and Myslexia. Her blog is another mixed bag of writing-related articles and stories of life and travel. I particularly love ‘A Broad Abroad’ stories. Elizabeth writes books on ‘The Business of Writing’ together with her latest release ‘Gorgito’s Ice Rink’. Find Elizabeth: @ElizabethDucie

So here you go, my favourite top ten blogs. Please feel free to add any recommendations you have to other bloggers, writers or reviewers in the comments below. Or share any experiences you may have had with these guys – share the love x

Photo Credit: Stuart Miles via freedigitalphotos.net