Meet Kate Olson!

Dear Writers,

Choosing a reader for your WIP is one of the most important steps you can take in your writing journey. As you know, I love this work. And I love meeting people who also love this work, who love the process of breaking down story and helping writers take the next step.

And even though I don’t always LOVE Twitter, I love it now because it helped me find Kate Olson. And now I want to introduce her to you.

(This is Kate!)

Sarah: Hi Kate! Please tell the writers a little about yourself:

Kate: Hi Sarah!

I seriously consider myself to be a professional reader. Partly because I actually get paid to do so (my wages being both monetary and literary) and also because it is how I spend the vast majority of my time. I am currently a school librarian in Wisconsin, as well as a book reviewer for School Library Journal and all over the vast interwebs. I work with a wide array of publishers and authors on book promotion and reviews through my blog and Instagram, and am the founder of Kid Lit Exchange.  I also have a business degree and consider myself a bit of an expert on social media for authors and reviewers.

Interesting. (And scary.) Most of the time, I try not to think about the business of reviewing–about what happens when a book goes from belonging to the writer to the reader. Can you tell us more?

I read and review a LOT of books (400+ in 2017!) and have a great deal of insight and professional knowledge in the book promotion world.  I know what sells. I know what readers want. I know what hooks readers and I know what turns them off.  Consider me a tastemaker and influencer, and while I won’t be promoting your book in this role, I know what you need to do to be highly desirable by readers. I am trained in recognizing and reviewing diverse representation in literature and pride myself on reading widely in most genres.

That sounds amazing. You’re sort of a giant maker, too. Can you tell us about some of your favorite books?

That may be the hardest task ever for me!

*GUILT* I don’t like the “favorite question” either. 

I read SO MANY books and I very often have a new favorite every week. I read a great deal of contemporary and historical fiction for all age ranges and really only shy away from fantasy and science fiction. I compiled an epic list of my favorite adult reads published in 2017 and I also shared the list of kid lit titles I nominated for the Nerdy Book Awards – those will definitely give you a good idea of where my reading sweet spots are. I can tell you quickly, however, that 5 of my favorite (adult) books I read in the past year are:

  • The Storied Life of AJ Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin
  • Tears We Cannot Stop by Michael Eric Dyson
  • The Library at the Edge of the World by Felicity Hayes-McCoy
  • American War by Omar El Akaad
  • The Salt House by Lisa Duffy

And a quick 5 of my favorite middle grade and YA titles from 2017:

  • The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Karina Yan Glasser
  • Wishtree by Katherine Applegate
  • Ahimsa by Supriya Kellar
  • How to Disappear by Sharon Huss Roat
  • Far from the Tree by Robin Benway

 

I hate even listing them, though, since there are SO MANY MORE!!! Make sure to check out my Instagram and Goodreads (see links below) to see everything I love!

 

I LOVED Far From The Three. I stayed up late to finish it, and my husband woke up–he assumed he was in the dog house!!!

Tell us what you can offer new writers. (And me! Seriously!!! I’m interested.)

 

My goal in my critique work is helping authors develop books that readers want to read. Books that will stand out to editors. Books that librarians will want to buy for their libraries. Books that book clubs will want to read and discuss. I want to work with authors of children’s literature as well as authors of adult literature because my heart is split between these two worlds and I could never choose one over the other. I will read and offer line-by-line questions and suggestions that will help move a book from okay to great.

Kate! I’m so happy Twitter brought us together! I swear I’m never going to say another bad thing about social media!!!!

Tell us where writers can find you:

I can be found on my blog, Instagram (@theloudlibrarylady), Twitter (@theloud_library) and Goodreads and would absolutely love to connect with you there. My email is theloudlibrary@gmail.com if you would like to be in touch!

Writers, I am really excited about what Kate has to offer us. Introduce yourself to her. Read her book list.

Kate, thanks so much for answering my questions! We all do this great work TOGETHER! I am so happy to meet you!

xo sarah

 

3 Responses to “Meet Kate Olson!”

  1. Susan

    Kate’s amazing and so supportive! She has helped me so much by answering all of my questions and by creating Kid Lit Exchange. I’m a big fan and I, too, am hoping to meet her in real life! – Susan

  2. Heather

    The Storied Life of A.J. Fickry was fantastic! I listened to it on audible. I only picked it up because Scott Brick, who also narrated The Passage Trilogy, is such a fantastic narrator. So glad I did!