by Lorie Lewis Ham
At the end of this review of Snappy Social Networking and an interview with Summer, is a chance to win a free e-book copy of the book.
Summer Lane is a young writer and a successful blogger from Reedley, California. She runs a popular young adult book review and writing site called Writing Belle and has a strong presence on Twitter.
She has also published an e-book called Snappy Social Networking: How To Dominate The Blogosphere and Everything In Between. This short e-book is filled with helpful and easy to understand information on social networking–a must in today’s world especially if you are a writer, musician or have a business–or well for almost anyone. 
This book includes tips on Tweeting–I even learned some helpful tips in that section I can’t wait to put into action–blogging, Facebook, and Blog Tours. You may think she’s awfully young what does she know, but you’d be wrong, just check out her website and Twitter and you will see what I mean. I look forward to seeing what is in store for this young lady in another ten years! If you’re looking for an easy to understand book to help you make your way around the social networking world, you should definitely check this out. You can easily read it in one sitting and if you’re like me you’ll keep going back to it.
Interview With Summer Lane:
Lorie: When did you first begin writing?
Summer: I didn’t start writing seriously until I was in Junior High. Before that I used to write little books and newspapers because I liked to tell stories. But before I even started writing I was always telling my little brother stories and acting them out with toys or using myself. I discovered that I could put my stories on paper when I was about 13.
Lorie: When did you first publish and what did you publish and where?
Summer: I was not published for a long time. I submitted over and over to magazines as a short story writer, but I was always efficiently (and politely) rejected. Finally, I got published as a freelance writer during my Senior Year of High School. I’ve been published a few thousand times since all over the Internet. I published an actual book this year, an eBook titled, Snappy Social Networking.
Summer Lane
Lorie: What different types of things have you had published?
Summer: You name it, I’ve done it. Rubber tires, hair styling, lap band surgery, college newspaper opinion columns, travel articles, movie reviews, press releases, how to bathe your cat, cruises to Mexico, book reviews, and how-to health articles. I now know way too much about too many things.
Lorie: When did you first live in Reedley, and then when did you come back?
Summer: I grew up in Reedley. I moved away when I was around ten years old to Sacramento. I just moved back to Reedley a couple of months ago.
Lorie: When and why did you start your blog?
Summer: December 2011. I wanted to create a platform for myself as a novelist, so I started talking about writing and posting some of my short stories on the blog. It turned out to be something that I loved to do.
Lorie: Tell us about what goes into/up on your blog?
Summer: Myself. I like to talk about my favorite books, which are typically found in the YA genre, and about independently published authors. I host interviews, giveaways, and sneak tips in about how to write fiction or non-fiction. I spend a lot of time reading and researching writers. Basically I just post things that I’m passionate about. Things that come easily to me.
Lorie: What is your goal with your blog?
Summer: To shed a light on the fantastic art that is storytelling. I have lived and breathed stories since I was old enough to understand words. It’s one of the lost arts, in many ways, and it fascinates me.
Lorie: Why do you think it is so popular?
Summer: I have wonderful readers! There are lots of popular blogs on the Internet. “Writing Belle” is successful because I have relentlessly worked to make it better every single day for almost a year. Constant improvement. And relevant, updated information that’s snappy.
Lorie: What do you write these days besides your blog?
Summer: I write novels, but I am focusing on screenwriting these days. I also write children’s books (something that I started doing to entertain my little brother years ago) and nonfiction vignettes.
Lorie: What is your typical day like as far as writing and promoting? Do you have a certain schedule that works best for you?
Summer: I don’t really have a schedule. I make sure I post a minimum amount every week, keep it all updated, interact with my readers, and keep on learning something new every day. It’s a job, but it’s also fun.
Lorie: What is your favorite thing to write?
Summer: Fiction. I love it even more when a fictitious book or movie is based on a true story, though.
Lorie: What are some of the other things you do on the side, and some of the interesting people you’ve had the chance to work for/with?
Summer: I like to work with children. AWANA was a club that I was a part of when I was a little girl, and now I help out with the Kindergarten classes every week. I like to hike, and I also enjoy listening to music–or playing it. I’ve worked with many authors, but the best collaboration I’ve had so far is with six of my friends at a blog called “NA Alley”. It is a group blog we established this year to draw attention to the category of New Adult books–between YA and Adult books.
Lorie: In this age of self publishing and e-books what are the new challenges a writer faces and how might this be a good thing for a writer?
Summer: Challenges? You are the biggest challenge. Yourself. Many people won’t self-publish because they think they have to have an editor or an agent to polish their work. They stop themselves from self-publishing. You don’t have to in the same way that you don’t have to have a college degree to be successful in life. If you’re good enough, you’ll go places on your own.
Lorie: What are your future writing and career goals?
Summer: I have many goals. Right now I’m focusing on my blog and writing. Writing Belle grows on its own every day, and as a result, I keep learning more about the writing business. I like Walt Disney’s quote: “If you can dream it, you can do it.” That’s what I believe. I have several big goals for the next ten years, and I will do my best to make them happen!
Lorie: Tell us more about this other blog you are a part of & about this new category of books?
Summer: NA Alley. It’s about New Adult books, which focuses on a character that is graduated from high school, but they’re not yet 30 years old. They’re still learning things about the world, but unlike YA characters, they’re out in the world, and unlike Adult characters, they’re experiencing the world for the first time.
Lorie: Tell us about your e-book? What is in it, why did you write it?
Summer: Snappy Social Networking: How to Dominate The Blogosphere & Everything in Between. It’s about using simple tools like BlogSpot, Twitter and Facebook to create an online business for yourself. And no, it’s not boring or technical. It’s rather sarcastic…I just couldn’t help myself!
Lorie: How do people go about purchasing it?
Summer: It’s available on Amazon for Kindle or on NOOK at Barnes and Noble.
Lorie: Anything else you would like to add?
Summer: Yes. I’m just thankful that God has given me the opportunity to be a writer, and I want to encourage anybody who’s afraid to pick up a pen or tap a keyboard and write to just go ahead and do it. Writing is the ultimate creative outlet. It’s true when they say that the pen can be mightier than the sword.
Summer occasionally writes for KRL–you can check out some of her writing for us here!
To enter to win a copy of Snappy Social Networking, simply email KRL at life@kingsriverlife[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “Snappy”, or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen September 22, 2012. U.S. residents only.
I enjoyed the interview. The book sounds informative.
Great interview! Thanks for the chance to win!
We have a winner!
Lorie Ham