Kim Nash - Book Blogger, and Publicity and Social Media Manager

Thank you to Ellie Holmes for this interesting interview with Kim Nash this month. As you will see, Kim is a woman who wears many hats! So, over to Ellie and Kim...

I am delighted to welcome Kim Nash to the RNA Blog's monthly series where we speak to book bloggers, reviewers and magazine editors and get an insight into their world.

Welcome Kim, tell us a little bit about yourself and your blog – Kim The Book Worm.

I am the publicity and social media manager for Bookouture (digital publisher), and a book blogger at Kim The Book Worm. I am also an independent consultant with Arbonne, an online skincare, makeup, and health and wellbeing company. 

As a book blogger I love to read and review women’s fiction and mix it up with crime and psychological thrillers, and I also love a good personal development book too. 

What made you start to review/blog?

I read a book called A Spring Affair by Milly Johnson.  It was about a lady who read an article in a magazine about clutter clearing and she decided to do it to her house.  When she’d done that, she realised that it wasn’t just her house that she wasn’t happy with, it was her life. 

This story really resonated with me and I wrote an email to the author who responded within an hour, which gobsmacked me as I never really expected an answer.  I’ll never forget her words.  She said “You lady, are the reason I write books!” 

I went out and bought all her other books and we kept in touch.  I had the idea to start a blog and she encouraged me to do it and mentioned it to a couple of her author friends who asked me to review their books.  So my Kim The Book Worm blog was born!   That was in February 2011!  So I’ve been a book blogger for nearly 7 years! OMG!

Has your blog ever won or been nominated for any awards?

Last year I won the RNA Media Star of the Year award.  What an honour and a privilege that was!  

What’s your review policy?

I don’t have a particular policy, I just only review books that I like the sound of.  It wouldn’t be fair on an author to review a book in a genre that I don’t like as it wouldn’t be a true reflection of the book.  Now that I’m working full time for a publisher, I don’t have as much time to read and review books as I used to.

Do you ever get to read just for pleasure or will you always write a review after reading a book?

I very rarely read for pleasure and try to review every book I read but I do sometimes forget! Obviously, I always remember if I’m on a blog tour.  And I do try to be very organised!   But with a manic work and home life, sometimes I’m only human and do drop a ball!

I know you are one of the organisers behind regular book blogger/author meet ups.  Can you tell us a little bit about how you became involved in this?

Author Holly Martin and I just decided one day to organise a meet up in London. It was just before Christmas and around 16 people turned up.  Not a bad turn out, so we organised one in Birmingham too.  It was really well attended with around 50 people and we were cramped for space at that one.  We did another London one and around 80 people turned up! Luckily there wasn’t much else on in the bar we met at as we really did take over the whole place! 

So we periodically do events in Birmingham and London.  We haven’t done a London one for a while though as not many people came along to the last one.  Holly has since moved to Devon so we organised an Exeter meet up in the summer this year, which was great and vey well attended and we have organised another event in Exeter for the end of November.

What’s the best thing about going to a book blogger/author meet up?  If members of the RNA want to find out more about a meet up in their area how do they go about that?

For me, it’s about meeting authors and bloggers that you know and love.  You can build really good relationships with people online, and to then meet them in person, is such a joy! I’ve made so many good friends both authors and bloggers that I know I’ll be friends with for life.
 

If anyone fancies coming along to our events, as long as they are an author or a blogger, then we’d love to see you.  We do need a rough idea of numbers so it would be great to hear from you beforehand to confirm whether you are definitely coming.   You can get in touch with Holly or myself to get an invite.

How do you like to spend your time when not working or reading?

I love doing stuff with my ten year old son, whether it be just hanging out or doing something fun.  I also run a book club in Cannock in Staffordshire.  It’s such a lovely group and we’ve made some fabulous friends and we really do love our little book club!  I love going out for meals with friends.  I also do some family travel reviewing and love that too.  I find reading very relaxing, and as I don’t get much other chance to relax, that’s my real sanctuary. 

We often ask agents and publishers what they consider to be the next 'big thing' - what do you hope to see more of in 2018?

I think we have an incredible mix of women’s fiction and psychological thrillers around at the moment and I hope that continues.  Maybe some different lead characters might be nice.  There are so many brilliant female detective-led novels around at the moment, but it would be good to see some different professions in the mix too.  I do like a cosy crime too.  I love a book that makes me feel the emotions of the characters whether that be getting my heart fluttering with gorgeous lead males, my heart pounding with breath-taking suspense or warming my heart with wonderful stories.  Please do keep them coming authors.  

Find out more about Kim via her Social Media links:

Website 

Twitter 

Facebook 

Arbonne 

Thank you for being such a fab guest, Kim and for giving us an interesting insight into your world.

*****

About Ellie

Ellie Holmes writes commercial women’s fiction with her heart in the town and her soul in the country. Ellie’s debut release was The Flower Seller. A member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and the Alliance of Independent Authors, Ellie’s latest book, White Lies is out now.

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