AWOL in April
I began blogging on 7th February 2015 and since then, including this post I have blogged 868 times, including reviews, blogging events, guest posts, extracts, spotlights, giveaways and interviews. I’ve attended book launches and events and met wonderful authors and other bloggers who have become real life friends. I absolutely love all these things about blogging.
However, I’m going AWOL in April and taking a sabbloggital!
Bloggers reading this will know just how much time it takes to set up a blog post, even if the content is provided by someone else. It needs adapting to the ‘house style’, links need checking, images are often not provided (thank goodness for the Snipping Tool!) and frequently extracts come as PDF files of up to 30 pages that need converting to text and then reformatting and a decision made as to which part to include before they can be used. All this takes hours.
An author interview, for example, takes me around an hour to research and compose relevant questions; then there is the time it takes to email backwards and forwards. Once I have the answers I spend around another 90 minutes or so setting up the blog post, checking it all and scheduling tweets (I use Hootsuite) and then on the day of publication it’s another 15-20 minutes posting in various Facebook groups. So, an average blog post uses between 3 and 4 hours of my time – I know I might be especially slow but I try to put out the best quality post I can for the authors, publicists and publishers. I could read a novel in about four or five hours.
I love to share what my fellow bloggers are doing too so another couple of hours per day can disappear in retweeting and sharing their hard work.
Whilst I truly do love all of this, I am taking April off.
I have so many books on my TBR that I’ll never catch up and I owe it to those who’ve sent me their books, especially the independent authors, to try to read as many as I can. Currently there are well over 850 hard copies on the pile and I daren’t even look on my Kindle! I’m going to spend those extra hours gained as I go AWOL in April reading as much as I can. I have a couple of reviews I promised before I decided to go AWOL, but other than that I’m going to spend blogging time reading!
The side effect of this is that I should be in less pain too as I have osteoarthritis in my joints and whilst it doesn’t look obvious, every key stroke, every mouse click is uncomfortable at best and painful at worst so a break will do my finger joints good. It’ll also give my eyes a break. My typing is appalling (I NEVER manage the word ‘the’ without it coming out as ‘teh’) so I have to keep going back to correct it, thereby exacerbating the pain in my joints. Partly I just can’t type and partly this is because I have difficulty seeing as a result of dry eye, a small hole in my left retina, an epimacular membrane (so that all my straight edges are actually wavy!), a complex prescription, astigmatism that can’t be corrected and short sightedness to -12.5… I could go on! I’ve found the blogging, much as I adore it, isn’t helping.
I’ll still be posting as many reviews as I can in April and I’ve been saving some up to post during this time, especially where I’ve turned down the blog tours for books. Each review can take a couple of hours to write to convey my thoughts accurately, find author links, schedule tweets and add to Facebook. I still want to support as many lovely writers and bloggers as I can, but I might not be sharing others’ posts quite as much as usual and I’m not taking on any blog tours, guest posts interviews and so on.
I’ll be back to my ‘normal’ blogging on 1st May with a publication day interview from Ruth Dugdall about My Sister and Other Liars and a guest post from Kate Dunn based on The Dragonfly.
See you soon and happy reading!
Empathise so much with this, Linda. Must admit, I’ve wondered for so long how you manage to do so much. have a good break.judithx.
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Thanks Judith. Could easily have kept it up but I can’t find time to read too! It’s time to crack on with the garden too. I do have 7 reviews written for next week … xx
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Have a great break, take care of your hands and look forward to reading more from you in May.
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Very sensible decision Linda. I’m sure you’ll enjoy catching up on some of your own tbr.
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Have a brilliant month off Linda. You’ve earned it. See you in May.
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Thanks Harriet. 7 reviews written to go out next week!
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I already have Joanne, as instead of prepping posts, I’ve been reading this week! Thanks for calling by.
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I’ll be making sure to still read your fab blog Jen x
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Enjoy your break Linda xx
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The care, time and attention you lavish on your blog really comes across, but everyone deserves a break every now and then, Linda – especially you. Have a wonderful time, and we’ll see you on the other side. Much love xx
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Happy reading Linda x
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Have a very relaxing and recuperative month off Linda, it is, I am sure, most definitely needed and hope you discover some terrific books. Happy reading!! 🙂
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Love the idea of a sabbloggital! Enjoy your break 🙂
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Thanks Sarah!
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Thank you Barbara! And I wonder whose new book tour I’ll be participating in when I’m back…
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Thanks. You too Cleo x
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Thank you. Looking forward to all the books!
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Thanks Lindsay. Happy reading to you too x
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Hmm, I wonder?!
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Have a great April and I really admire you for taking some well deserved time off! Your blog is inspirational and clearly you’re very dedicated so have a great break and happy happy reading!! Xxx
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Thanks lovely lady. I have been able to read quite a bit this week with no tours etc to prepare so there will be review blog posts next week as usual!
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Enjoy break & reading time xx
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Thanks so much x
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Enjoy your break Linda x
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Enjoy your well deserved break. Look after yourself.
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Enjoy your break Linda I am also taking two weeks out after my health took a nose dive this week x x
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Good for you Linda!! It takes so much out of you doesn’t it at times! I have booked the first week in May off as a “reading week” but unlike the ones I had at uni this will actually be spent reading and not drinking large amounts of alcohol for a week and then doing my assignments in an “all nighter” the night before I go back!! Will miss you but HAPPY READING!! Xx
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Well done Linda, a tough decision to make and one I’m quite envious of. I’ve been considering doing something similar in the Summer. You will be missed but enjoy the down time xx
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Have a fab break, Linda!! x
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Too right you deserve a break, I honestly don’t know how you do it! And the word “sabbloggital” is now going in my list of favourites! 🙂
Have a lovely break. You will get so much reading done!!
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Thanks Karen x
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Oh no Lorraine. Not what you need at all with the new job too. Take great care of yourself – it was you who inspired me to take this break after your social media free day a week idea. x
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Thanks Jo! I have a feeling it will look like I’m still here as I have managed to read a lot this week so have 7 reviews to put out next week!
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Thanks lovely. Will still be here but not spending all my time setting up blog posts – reading and reviewing more I hope!
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Thanks Ronnie x
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I will just carry on pretending you are still there then!! 😊😊😊
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Have a great sabbloggital (I love that word!), Linda.
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Thanks Claire. And I pinched sabbloggital from someone else but can’t remember who it was to thank them! (By the way, it isn’t a fast day so what are you baking today?)
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I wish I’d thought of it but I stole sabbloggital from someone else!
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No new baking today unfortunately… it’s been one of those crazy weeks. But I am doing a round up of my Easter/spring themed recipes, so loads of chocolate and wall-to-wall mini eggs 🙂
I’ve been thinking about making crumpets… although it does seem like a lot of work when they’re just so easy to buy!! haha!
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I LOVE crumpets! (And mini-eggs) x
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Have a brilliant break and I hope the batteries get a good re-charge! Enjoy your mountains of books and I look forward you being back in May. Loads of love to you, Laura x
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Thanks lovely Laura. I have managed to read loads and have 7 reviews ready for next week simply bu not prepping blog tours etc this last week!
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I’ll try my best to keep making you smile 😉
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You will x
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I hope you have a wonderful sabbloggital in April and that the month is filled with brilliant books. Enjoy your time away and I’ll look forward to seeing you back in May. xx
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Thanks Hayley. I’ll still be blogging reviews but just not up to four blog tours etc a day!
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Enjoy your break Linda, xxxx
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Thanks Susan – not really going away, just doing things differently for a month!
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Have a wonderful ‘break’ I will miss your daily blog but will see you in May. Rest & relaxation prescribed 🙂 xx
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What a fabulous idea, Linda. We all need a break once in a while and you definitely deserve one after all your hard work. I also love your title AWOL in April ha ha, it might start trending! Have a fabulous month off and see you in May! Xx 😊
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Enjoy your break and happy reading, Linda. With all the content you put out, you deserve a rest.
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Thanks Ali – daily blog for a week to come as I have reviews ready to go!
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Thanks Shelley – it’s partly your Motivate Me page telling me ‘Its’ time to slow down.’ that helped me decide to do this x
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Thanks Rob x
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Enjoy your sabbolgital! No wonder you need a break since I wake up every morning to find several updates to your blog and wonder how you keep it up! I’m a gardener too and the garden is definitely calling at this time of the year. There’s nothing better on a lovely day than sitting with a book as the birds sing away in the background. We’ll all be pleased to see you back refreshed and relaxed in May.
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Ha! It’s been akin to a full time job! I still have plenty of reviews lined up for next week though…
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I’m a bit new to your blog, but it’s been quite fun. I’m glad you’re taking the break for you… that TBR can add up… but looking forward to seeing you again in 30+ days.
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Thanks so much for following the blog James. I’ll be reviewing as much as I can over the next month!
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Will keep you busy! I finally sync’d my Goodreads reviews with my blog / website – 175+ of them. Now I feel like I can focus on reading too.
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Happy reading James x
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A ‘sabbloggital’ sounds like a wonderful idea, Linda. I hope you have a fantastic April – enjoy your break! 🙂 x
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Haha, perhaps I need to listen to my own advice!! 😜 x
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Happy reading x
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I hope you have a lovely break. I suffer from the same physical problems and I admire your passion and dedication to book blogging.
You work is an inspiration 💜
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Physician heal thyself!
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Thanks Sue -a complete book today! Lovely Trevor Williams’ Dreaming of Venice ready for a blog tour in May!
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What a lovely thing to say. Thanks so much Susan and I’m sorry to hear you have similar problems. Hope you keep well x
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Thank you so much x
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You’ve been blogging so well and for so long, I can’t imagine the time it all takes! I’m on the slower side of blogging so one post can take me three to four hours but I never imagine posting as often as you do. Your devotion is fantastic, and this break so well-deserved! I hope you enjoy your time off and take care of yourself 🙂 x
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Thanks Donna. You’re very kind. I’m looking forward to spending much more time reading this month. Lots of reviews ready to go out too!
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Enjoy, Linda! 😘
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It’s so lovely spending time reading rather than prepping blog posts!
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Have a lovely break Linda and hope you have a restful and healing time. We will all look after your blog and read it loads when you are away but we’ll miss you x See you in May xxx
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Thanks so much lovely lady. I’m still around but not spending as much time on social media and I’m not doing anything other than my own reviews. Happy reading and blogging yourself x
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wow on all the time you spend on your blog, you totally deserve the break! My husband has osteoarthritis and uses special software and a special mouse so I totally feel for you on that front too.Second time I’ve written this today (Book review cafe the first) but you’re amazing and look forward to getting back to your blog after.Happy reading!
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Thanks so much for your lovely comment. I’m not disappearing entirely, but am spending the time reading as much as possible and reviewing instead of doing blog tours and features. I really appreciate you dropping by x
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Thank you.
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Thank you so much x Happy reading and blogging yourself x
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Thank you so much x Happy reading and blogging yourself x Thank you so much x
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Thank you so much x Happy reading and blogging yourself x Thank you so much x I hope you enjoy your time off and take care of yourself 🙂 x
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