Archive for: Media Database

Dane Cobain is the author behind SocialBookshelves.com a Top 10 UK Literature Blog. With a catalogue-style review site, Dane also constricts his review word counts to the number of pages the book has. Here we spoke to Dane about his favourite novel, the rise of audiobooks and his preferred way to work with PRs.  

How would you describe your blog?
SocialBookshelves.com is a book blog with a difference. I don’t specialise in particular genres, I just keep a running list of reviews for every book that I read – over 1,000 so far. My reviews also have a particular quirk – their word count is the same as the number of pages in the book, so a 350 page book has a 350 word review.

Why did you start your blog?
I’ve always liked writing reviews. I remember in secondary school we were asked to write reviews for every book that we read. For the other kids, it put them off reading because they didn’t want to write the reports. For me, it meant I was writing 3-5 reports per week. The teacher eventually told me I could stop doing them.

I started blogging because when I left university, I got a full-time job in social media marketing. I thought that starting a blog would give me a great excuse to get some hands-on experience with a blog of my own. Once I started, it was hard to stop!

What’s your favourite book, and why?
Northern Lights by Philip Pullman because it’s a masterpiece. He’s got a new book coming out that’s a companion novel and it’s great to see a new generation of readers picking up his books because of all of the publicity.

What makes a good book?
It’s a combination of a whole heap of things, from pacing and plot to aesthetics and the cover. For a book to get a 5* rating on my blog, it has to leave me feeling like a slightly different person after reading it and it has to be pleasurable (as opposed to a chore) from start to finish.

Digital books disrupted an age-old industry, what do you think will be the next big disruptor?
They have, although I personally don’t read them. That’s because I like to collect my books, so I only ever read paperbacks and then I keep them in my rapidly expanding library. I keep needing to move to slightly bigger houses to accommodate them all.

As for the next big disruptor, that’s hard to say. I think audio books will continue to pick up steam and it’ll be more commonplace for people to listen to them, and I think the standard of them will continue to pick up. Over the next ten years or so, there will also be a lot of indie writers breaking through to the mainstream thanks to word of mouth – the market will decide whether their work is good or not , not a literary agent or a junior editor at a publishing house. On top of that, I think we’ll see more and more books coming out from YouTubers, Instagrammers and other social media celebrities who see it as a way to monetise their audience.

How many books do you own (roughly)?
Well I’ve reviewed every book I own and I have 1,129 reviews, so somewhere around that. The true number is probably closer to 1,250 counting the books I haven’t read yet – 1,300 if you count the copies I have of the books I’ve released myself.

What makes your blog successful?
I think consistency and longevity have played a big part. I update it regularly and work with plenty of authors and PRs to add other content such as interviews, and I also run competitions and use social networking sites. I think a big part of it has been the fact that I’m an author myself and so it’s pretty linked to my daily life. It’s just part of who I am.

How do you like to work with PRs?
I like them to email me with a little bit of information about the books and then I get back to them if I’m interested. I don’t get time to respond to every enquiry unfortunately because there are so many of them.

What’s the one thing PRs should know about you?
I only accept physical copies.

What other blogs do you like to read?
I’m going to be honest here – I don’t actually get much chance to read blogs because I’m so busy with other stuff. I do, however, watch a bunch of different ‘BookTubers’ – i.e. YouTubers who talk about books. They mostly talk about YA and middle grade, but I find their passion for books inspiring. Some of my favourites are Jean from Bookish Thoughts, Katytastic and Brock from Let’s Read. It’s great to see how creative people are.

That said, I do follow friends’ blogs as they post – but they’re mostly authors rather than other book bloggers.

Dane Cobain features on the Vuelio Media Database along with thousands of other bloggers, influencers and journalists.

Carly Rowena is the Top 10 Fitness and Exercise blogger behind her eponymous blog. Covering the simple steps you can take to transform your body and maintain a healthy lifestyle, Carly Rowena uses her expertise as a personal trainer to advise her readers about all things health and fitness. We spoke to Carly about her love of Crossfit, the importance of honesty and working with PRs.

How would you describe your blog?
My blog is a little hub of fitness and lifestyle motivation, it’s a place for all shapes, sizes and abilities. I hope to inspire people to move more, enjoy food and feel incredible each day!

Why did you start your blog?
I started my blog after realising that I wanted to go into detail about certain topics that I didn’t feel suited my YouTube channel. I find writing very therapeutic and loved the idea of being able to bring up different subjects, topics and chat to a different audience.

What makes your blog different from other fitness blogs?
It’s so hard to stand out nowadays as there are so many incredible blogs out there, however I feel my ‘girl next door’ vibe and honesty when it comes to anything from exercise, love life or body parts has always gone down well. There is no topic that I’m scared of talking about and it’s my aim to help as many people as possible.

What’s the next big fitness trend going to be?
I have to admit that I tend to ignore the trends, there is no ‘one way’ for all of us; we’re all individual and as time goes on I think everyone will start to realise that. I would say cutting dairy seems to be the big one this year and it’s one I certainly agree with for ethical reasons but other than that, I feel it’s just nice to see the world relaxing a little – the whole clean eating vibe went a little too far!

What piece of equipment or tech is your go-to workout companion?
I am all about being functional and although my main passion is CrossFit, I have to say my body is my best workout pal, you can literally create anything without the need for anything but yourself, some space and something to strap your lady humps down!

What was your favourite blog post to create and why?
I love creating a post that talks about something most people are scared to discuss. My most recent ‘Orgasm’ post was one of my favourites, I loved the reaction!

How do you see your blog developing in the future?
I’d like my photography to improve, it’s so hard to take epic blog images without the help of a photographer and I’m not a big fan of selfies. I love writing but finding the imagery is certainly the hard part for me!

What makes your blog successful?
Such a hard question, I’d like to think it’s the honesty!

How do you like to work with PRs?
I love working with PRs! In general I prefer to chat on the phone than over email, I hate wastage so I always prefer a brand emails me with any products they think I might like and then I get to say yes or no, and then let my followers know my thoughts!

What one thing should PRs know about you?
I’m very low maintenance and sweaty, I will never be a full face of contour type of girl, however, I will always squeal when a product arrives in the post. I hate packaging and will never lie to my followers, expect me to test out a product for at least a month before ever sharing, I’m very loyal to my followers and their pennies!

What are your favourite blogs to read?
Oh there are so many and all of different topics: I adore Steffy White, InTheFrow and Lottie Murphy.

What’s your favourite workout class or routine?
I adore Crossfit, I have never felt stronger, more functional or more proud of myself than I do right now, I feel unstoppable and it’s the best feeling!

Carly Rowena features on the Vuelio Media Database along with thousands of other bloggers, influencers and journalists.

Cathy Winston is the author behind Mummy Travels, a Top 10 Family Travel Blog. The blog covers everything family-travel-related from the exotic trips abroad to fun days out in the UK. Cathy spoke to us about her love of South-East Asia, what family-friendly really means and how she likes to collaborate with PRs.

How would you describe your blog?
A family travel blog that aims to inspire and inform parents who love to travel – and prove that having kids needn’t stop you doing that. Focused mainly on travel with a baby, toddler, preschooler and the first school years, there are tips and advice, reviews of products and accommodation, and tales of my travels with my daughter, from first flights to long-haul, a road trip, cruise and heading off the beaten track in South East Asia and Africa, along with days out in the UK, beach and city breaks.

Why did you start your blog?
I’ve always loved travel and have made it part of my career – but when I became pregnant, everyone told me I’d have to stop. The blog started to try to answer that question: can you keep travelling with a baby and kids? Happily, I think we’ve proved it’s a definite yes!

What makes your blog stand out against other family travel blogs?
The mix of destinations we cover is unusual; there’s content on Cambodia, Burma and Cape Verde, but also London museums, UK seaside breaks and most things in between. I do a lot of solo travel with my daughter. Although I’m not a single parent, it’s often just the two of us for all or part of the trip, including our recent two weeks in Cambodia, so I can bring that perspective to it, as well as giving us a lot of flexibility in what we can do. I have a career as a travel journalist as well, winning several awards, so there’s that professional approach and experience as well as the personal element.

What’s the best place you’ve been as a family?
We’ve visited some amazing countries so it’s really hard to pick one. Our adventures in South East Asia over the past two years have been hard to beat though, so a tie for first place between Burma and Cambodia, I think. But I never tire of a day out at the beach, whether that’s the UK coast or a tropical stretch of sand, and the luxurious Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort was fabulous.

What’s the worst place you’ve been as a family?
Touch wood, we haven’t had any disasters – perhaps the worst was a UK holiday camp. It wasn’t the place itself, which is really popular, but it’s much better for families with older kids. My toddler daughter was too young to enjoy the activities, and we ended up rushing dinner then sitting on the bed in the dark all evening while she slept. A good reminder that family-friendly means very different things depending on your individual situation.

What makes the ideal family holiday?
My daughter would say a beach or swimming pool and ice cream! I think it has to be something which keeps everyone happy. I can’t imagine spending two weeks just lying on a beach, but trying to pack too much in is a recipe for disaster with her, so somewhere which has plenty to explore but where we can enjoy some downtime as well.

Very few places don’t work at all with kids, unless it’s very active or adrenaline-fuelled when they’re little (or the Antarctic). The big difference is often the welcome for kids: plenty of places say they’re family-friendly but children are just tolerated and it’s very hard to relax, while places where kids are the centre of attention are so much more fun, even if you don’t have the facilities you might get at home.

Where haven’t you been that you’re desperate to get to?
SO many places! My bucket list gets longer with each trip, as I always want to go back and see the things we missed or spend more time there. Vietnam, the Philippines and Indonesia are high up though, as we’ve had some wonderful holidays in South East Asia and I haven’t visited any of them yet. But I’d also love to discover more of South America: Peru, Belize, Guatemala, the Galapagos and Costa Rica (for starters) – along with Cuba, Namibia, Oman, Montenegro. I could go on…

How do you like to work with PRs?
Collaboration is a bit of an overused word, but I think that’s the only way to work – any project has to suit both PR and blogger to be a success. For me, it’s really useful to know what the PR wants to get out of a trip, to be really upfront about what they’re hoping it will achieve but also to be flexible, whether that’s tailoring the itinerary to the demands of a small girl or working with me to include the quirky, the unusual, the offbeat things which I think will appeal to the blog’s readers.

Lastly, I pride myself on being very professional, always delivering as promised (and more) and never missing deadlines, so having the trust from a PR about that rather than being too prescriptive, and allowing me to be creative makes a huge difference. The fact that I have some great long-term relationships, working with the same people again and again is something I’m very proud of too.

What is the one thing PRs should know about you?
I get hundreds upon hundreds of emails every day and it’s easy to tell which ones have actually read the blog, or have personalised the email. Those are the ones I prioritise, unlike the ones which use my email address as salutation or put Dear Minnie (the pseudonym I use for my daughter on the blog). Oh, and I’m not a big fan of camping…

What are your favourite blogs to read (outside of your own!)?
Almost too many to mention! I love My Travel Monkey, Globalmouse Travels, Five Adventurers and Tinbox Traveller, who all have kids a similar age to my daughter, but also The Travel Hack and On The Luce, plus Suitcases and Sandcastles and One Tiny Leap for their beautiful photography.

Cathy Winston features on the Vuelio Media Database along with thousands of other bloggers, influencers and journalists.

Vamper.cc is the Top 10 Cycling Blog from Victoria and Matt. Covering the full range of cycling content, Vamper.cc also specializes in women in cycling – from suitable fitness clothing to encouraging more engagement. We spoke to Victoria Bowskill about the pair’s favourite bikes, worst experiences and how they work collaboratively with brands.

How would you describe your blog?
Vamper.cc is a cycling blog dedicated to seeking out style and performance on two wheels. We deliver product reviews, cycling tips and write-ups of our experiences on bikes in – we hope! – an approachable, personal way. We share everything that we find seductive about cycling, from the coolest kit we’ve spotted on our travels to amazing cycling routes. We regularly feature reviews of cycling kit – and they are unbiased and unpaid. Brands don’t pay us to feature their products, which makes us wholly impartial.

Why did you start your blog?
Vamper.cc was conceived to provide a platform for review and opinion on cycling fashion, trends, accessories, bikes and technology in a slightly different voice from mainstream cycling media.

While there are a number of popular news and review sites and cycling blogs, we believe their angle and bias can sometimes alienate riders who are perhaps new to the sport or who appreciate a more balanced outlook.

When we founded Vamper.cc two years ago, we also felt strongly that the representation and tailoring of content towards women’s cycling left a great deal to be desired. That is beginning to change, but we are still keen to further the reputation of women’s cycling and to raise the standard and quality of women’s cycling clothing and kit.

What’s your favourite post?
It’s a fairly old post now, but this one remains a favourite and has proved very popular – it seems to resonate with a lot of female cyclists.

If you were talking to a non-cyclist, how would you convince them it’s great?
For people who don’t cycle, it might seem incomprehensible that our best weekends involve stupidly early morning bike rides. But the greatest joy we’ve experienced on two wheels always comes from getting out at the crack of dawn while the roads are empty, and fitting in 30, 40, 50 miles before most people have picked up the Sunday paper! It’s the peace and tranquility of early morning rides, the flush on our faces after hours of exercising, and the exhilaration of fast hill descents that makes it such a fantastic activity. Even the challenge of hill climbing comes with rewards; it might hurt at the time, but the satisfaction of conquering a hill on your bike, the view from the top, and the speedy descent make it all worthwhile!

What’s the best cycling experience you’ve ever had?
We’ve had quite a few great experiences and it’s hard to narrow them down! The weekend where we completed the Huntingdon Steeplechase Sportive on the Saturday, followed by the PlanetX Oulton Park 100-mile challenge on the Sunday stands out as one of the most exhausting but also one of the most fun.

The Prudential RideLondon 100 never fails to bring a smile to our faces – the turnout of supporters along the route is a joy to behold.

And we had a fabulous outing with Yorkshire Velo Tours in the Yorkshire Dales – it was utterly beautiful, not to mention gruelling!

What’s the worst cycling experience you’ve ever had?
For Matt it has to be getting cramp at mile 67 of the Tour of Cambridgeshire. He had decided to ride the 84-mile sportive without taking a break in 28-degree heat, rode himself into the ground, and developed excruciating cramp which left him barely able to pedal. That wasn’t a good one!

For Victoria, it was riding her new bike with deep rims in Yorkshire on a particularly windy day. Utterly terrifying, she was certain she was going to be blown into the path of an oncoming lorry and had to get off and push.

What makes your blog successful?
Firstly, the two voices; we have a uniquely male/female perspective at Vamper.cc which makes the blog appealing to both male and female cyclists. Brands seem to really value the emphasis that we place on coverage of women’s cycling.

Secondly, the tone of voice; we have a conversational style that readers seem to find they can identify with. We don’t pretend to be better cyclists than we are; we don’t pretend that we don’t suffer on our bikes. We’re approachable (in life and on screen!)

What’s your favourite bike (ever)?
For Victoria, it has to be the Canyon//SRAM Ultimate CF SLX – utterly gorgeous.

For Matt, it’s the Dassi Interceptor, the world’s first (and only) graphene bike. We saw it at Rouleur Classic and we were blown away by it. A thing of beauty, with incredible, cutting edge technology. Wow.

How do you like to work with PRs?
We’ve worked with some fabulous PRs who are really proactive and passionate. We like to foster a close relationship with PRs to help to us to better understand what will bring the most value to their clients. Truly innovative PR campaigns come from a marriage of ideas and we like to think we can bring something different to the table.

We invite all pitches and approaches and we are always happy to look at any review request, trip or opinion piece to see what Vamper spin we might be able to put on it!

What’s the one thing PRs should know about you?
We have high standards. We won’t regurgitate poor press releases, and we won’t praise terrible products. If a poor product is sent to us to review, we’ll gladly pass our (constructive) criticism on via the PR so that the issue can hopefully be addressed rather than slating something online, but we won’t wax lyrical if we don’t like it.

What are your favourite blogs to read (outside of your own!)?
We’re big foodies, so we read a lot of food blogs – particularly Cookie & Kate, which is probably our current favourite.

In terms of cycling, we like the Australian blog Cyclingtips.com – it’s good for reading about cycling from a different perspective.

Victoria Bowskill and Vamper.cc features on the Vuelio Media Database along with thousands of other bloggers, influencers and journalists.