Meet Megan & Crystal, they are the blogger behind Ginger Mom Reads

1. Hello Megan, please introduce yourself and tell us about your blog?

I am a 30-something mother of two kids, lover of reading, and also working on writing my first novel. I started Ginger Mom and the Kindle Quest a little over a year ago but it didn’t really become my passion until I took on a partner – my mom, Crystal. We have been a blogging duo ever since (July 1 is actually our first blogiversary!).

2. What was the deciding factor that made you go “Yes I am doing this, I’m starting my own blog!” ? Are you passionate about what you post on your blog?

I have tried blogging a few times before, always on Blogger and always as super-free as I could get. Each time, the blogs fizzled out because I either didn’t have the passion, or I took on too much at once and got blogger burnout (yes, it’s a real thing!). This time, I signed up for WordPress and bought a domain name (it makes all the difference, in my opinion). We blog about books, but more on the Indie side than the popular/trending side. We are very passionate about helping Indie authors get their books into the hands of readers who will enjoy them, as well as instilling a love of reading in the younger generations.

3. How would you describe your blogging style and persona? How meticulous are you, when it comes to the conceptualization up to the execution of your ideas?

Blogging style? How about crazy with a tiny bit of normal mixed in? As for the ideas…I am meticulous in one thing only – my formatting. I border on OCD when it comes to that. But the ideas are actually pretty random. I get ideas when I am at work or hanging out with my kids, jot them down on a piece of paper or in an app on my phone, and hopefully make something of them later.

4. What do you want and hope your readers to take from the content you share?   

I hope readers take away our passion for books. I also hope that they see that there are amazing Indie published books out there, even if they’ve had bad experiences in the past. We want to see readers judge Indie books on a case-by-case basis, not as an entire group.

5. What is your blogging mojo? How do you stay inspired and motivated to continue running your blog?

I think we definitely inspire each other. Crystal and I spend a lot of time talking about books and blogging, or bouncing ideas off of each other. We are currently running an AtoZ Reading Challenge and I think that keeps us motivated to see this through, as well 🙂

6. What is your long-term goal/plan for your blog?

We definitely want to see it continue to grow. Doesn’t every blogger hope they can make money blogging? I think we would both like to be making money doing something we love so that we can spend less time on our day jobs and more time doing this. Books consume you until that’s all you want to do, am I right?

7. Who is your favourite marginalized main character? It doesn’t have to be from a book, it could also be from a movie, tv series, games, comics etc. Why is this character your favourite? Marginalization is the process whereby something or someone is pushed to the edge of a group and accorded lesser importance. This is predominantly a social phenomenon by which a minority or sub-group is excluded, and their needs or desires ignored. A marginalized person can be people of colour, the disabled, mentally ill, the lgbt+ community etc.

As I have been stuck in the sci-fi/fantasy genre lately and it is super-fresh in my mind, I am going to have to say Cinder. I think Cyborg might be a bit outside the marginalized definition, but she certainly falls under the category of being pushed to the edge of a group. Because of her differences, she is shunned by many. What I love about it is how she uses those differences as a source of strength as the books continue. They no longer define her in a negative sense but more that they become a part of her. I think all marginalizations should be embraced like that. It is the differences that make us unique and interesting. How boring would life be if we were all the same?

8. It is important that marginalized people are given platforms to shine and bring awareness to their movements and plights. If you believe so, why is it important to you?

I believe all groups deserve equal representation. When I read a book, I get the most enjoyment out of it if I can relate to the character. I am incredibly lucky – being a white American, my access to books about characters “like me” is nearly infinite. I think everyone deserves to have that type of access to characters that they are able to relate to. That’s why it’s important to me.

9. It is crucial that in whatever we do, we should always strive for both equity & equality, what advice can you part with, when it comes to using our platforms to give a voice to the marginalized?

I was hoping for something profound here but all I have is this…we all need to strive to embrace the differences in the human race. We are all different for a reason and diversity in our literature gives us a window into other cultures that we otherwise might not have experienced. It gives us the chance to connect with someone who, though they look different or speak different, they may be just like us.

10. Last but not the least, what’s your take on the blogging communities? What has been your experience within the community?

I absolutely love the blogging community! One of the reasons my previous blogs failed was that I didn’t get involved in the community. This time around, though, I have found so many amazing people who want to gush about books just as much as I do. It’s incredible! The entire community is a blessing to me.

Here are some of Megan & Crystal‘s favourite blog posts.

Rain of Ash – Gwen Mitchell [Fantastic Narration + My Intro to Witches!]

The plot moved perfectly in this book. I also enjoyed the added mystery of trying to figure out who the killer / soul eater demon really is. He / It talks about the “host” right away so I spent…

7 Outstanding LitDads [Father’s Day 2018]

I enjoyed the Twilight Saga books. Bella Swan . . . not so much. But, while I think the main character of the book was a confusing semi-airhead, I can appreciate Charlie Swan. The man….

Book Tag | Mid-Year Book Freak Out Tag!

I don’t pre-order books. It’s just not my thing. My TBR is always so long that I don’t run the risk of running out of books to read. And Amazon is always so well-stocked that I don’t have to worry about getting a copy of a…

You can find Megan & Crystal on the Social Media sites, listed below, clicking on the various names, will lead you to her account.

Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads • Instagram • Bloglovin • Pinterest

You also can be featured, so everyone can also see your thoughts, I’m too lazy to change the questions right now, but I just might in future, but I’m still taking on people who want to be featured. This series I hope can go on until December. Here’s the link to all the information you need to know —> PSA: Sign Up for my Guest Feature Post

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