I hope your dad continues to make a good recovery Kelly. I know how you are feeling - my parents have both been in and out of hospital the past couple of months and it’s tough, especially when you can’t be there. Remember to be gentle on yourself! ❤

I suspect a lot of people leave nasty comments on social media because they just weren't taught how to constructively critique other viewpoints, communicate respectfully, or even refrain from commenting on that particular post or video. A few people posted rude comments about how I talk with my hands on my most-viewed post, as though that'll make me magically stop my lifelong habit that comes so naturally. I've deleted other rude, trolling comments, like "Lizzie's in a box" on my Queen Elizabeth II Book Tag shortly after the Queen's death, and "We should have used more" on my video about the book Nagasaki: Life After Nuclear War. It would never occur to me to write something like that on anyone's video or blog post!

You are one of my favorite book channels even though I don't read the same kind of books as you. You provide an inviting and sincere space in the crazy world that is booktube.

It's a good day when the fabulous Kelly is doing a tag.

✌️🙂

❤🎉

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👋 Kelly. Go well.

Hi Kelly! Toxic? I don't think you could be toxic if you tried! You are warm and engaging and inviting. And you have the most wonderful laugh. I can't help but smile when you laugh. This was a delightful tag (I did it today too, and I thought it was fun), and I loved your answers! 🥰

I personally love Updike. But that whole "Who are you...?" exchange reminds me of one of my favourite scenes from the film "High Fidelity," in which the shy, retiring clerk Dick states somewhat sheepishly that he prefers the Mitch Ryder version of "Little Latin Lupe Lu" to the Righteous Brothers' original. "BULLS**T!!!" roars Jack Black's Barry, prompting this classic riposte from John Cusack's Rob: "How can it be bulls**t to state a preference?"

You have created a very comfortable environment with your channel. You're the opposite of toxic. Thanks for talking about our conversation and tagging me. Based upon that conversation, I plan to do a few videos talking about my musical journey as a fan. A video for each decade. I hope to start doing the videos fairly soon

I enjoy your channel because (said it before, but will say it again) you present as genuine and friendly! 👏👏 Hope your week is going well!

I bought a copy of The Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man with no real intention of reading it lol. I might get to it someday (I'm doubtful), but it was just a cool cover for cheap at a secondhand store and I didn't want to leave it behind. I also thought about reading American Dirt when it was coming out, but stayed away after the controversy about it. Doesn't sound like it was actually that good of a read anyway!

Fun! An Updike scholar 😂. Some people do get really miffed!

I watched your video today in a new location downtown Boston. I made it to the Brattle bookshop. Now I'm just sitting on a park bench outside Beth Israel waiting for my daughter. Hopefully the rain holds off! I do enjoy tag videos as you get to know someone a little bit that way. 😊

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Hi Kelly , I loved hearing your thoughts on this tag. I can't understand why people leave bad comments. If don't have something nice to say just say nothing. Happy reading my friend 💛

I could have sworn up and down I did this but can't find it. maybe I had another with a few similar questions. Ah well. NOT gonna give us the juicy booktube drama details?

I love your channel! Similar taste in books, good insights, you're fun to listen to, you're smart and down to earth. 😊

Hey Kelly, Enjoyable hearing your responses to these. One of the few negative comments I've received was asking me if I did the video just to get attention, ha. I used to think if I could have done it differently at the beginning I'd have remained anonymous, appearing off camera and just my username...though figured I'd reveal myself....eventually. Yes though..it's all part of our story and personal evolution the wild old web. 🙂-Carm & snoozy furz

Hi Kelly, this was really interesting, thanks for sharing your experience with us. I love your copy of Black beauty. Happy reading 💛

I feel like so many of these questions could be their own videos!

Thank you for tagging me! I loved hearing your answers to these, and it’s a fun set of questions. I will definitely do this tag. 😄

Hi Kelly, I’m wishing your dad the fastest recovery possible and sending him healing. Prayers and aloha. People are kind would never mention it. So you are a gentle wonderful soul and I appreciate you in my life. I’ve had a tough week this week. My 70s is not as easy as my 60s, but that’s to be expected I just finished a wonderful buddy read but I’m struggling with two other books. That often happens when you have an awesome experience with two wonderful people. Aloha friend and don’t be hard on yourself.❤❤❤

Letting the ad run while I type this. :D Thank you for sharing your monetization journey! I'm nowhere near that goal yet, but what you're describing sounds a lot more common than folks want to acknowledge. I like the idea of ad sense sending you book money!

Hi Kelly. I sent you a message on your Kofi page but I'm not sure you got it. With the New York Times list that came out, it made me curious as to what your favorite books of all time might be. The books you like seem to be ones I'd like to read. You've read more good books than I have, like all the Pulitzers. Maybe you could think about making up a list to post. Thank you.

Thanks for your insights about monetization, Kelly. I have enough subscribers on my channel to do this. But I'm stymied on -- get this -- the fact that you have to register a phone number with Google to do it. My main phoneline is the one that is constantly tethered to my kitchen wall. It's so smart that it stays there, all the time. Yes, I'm a dinosaur. So if I travel and I have to do something with my channel and I have to get double authentication with a phone call, then I will be stuck. I've considered telling Google that this is a problem for me, and to ask them to figure out another alternative. Then again, this would be a rabbit hole that I don't really want to fall into. I don't want to spend hours in explanation. I set up a skeletal Patreon account but I never fleshed it out or turned it on. The ko-fi option sounds much better. Thanks again for your recommendations and for all that you do!

Hi Kelly, i’m not Monetized so if you see ads, let me know. But, I am having a four year anniversary on my 74hth birthday next month and have some exciting plans. I am also making some changes to my channel. I’m hoping to collaborate with some of my favorite creators here. Aloha friend

Black Beauty isn't really a western at all.

Black Beauty is on my TBR too. As for monetization, YT is going to put ads anyway. Why not get some (even if it’s a little some) of that for your hard work. 😊💙

Kelly, that is so hard. I am sorry. I am glad he is home now and hope things continue to improve.

Very interesting discussion on monetization. Thanks for doing it. I never see ads. I guess it is because I subscribe to KZbin Premium

My daughter pays for YT premium so I do not see any ads. I think a bit of compensation helps as you invest your own time and money in producing content! Where are you at on your journey through Trollope's work? I think I picked up Barchester Towers and maybe one other. Have a good week! The weekends pass so quickly!

👋 Kelly.

I set up a Kofi page ages ago but only have one tip so far because I never mention it aside from an anniversary video once! 😂 I’m still some way off ad sense monetisation, so this was interesting - thanks for sharing! Black Beauty was a childhood favourite of mine and still have my childhood copy!

What a great discussion about monetization. I am currently at 573 subscribers and not monetized. As I get closer to 1K subscribers I will consider getting monetized.

Wow with all that ad money you can retire 😂… I’m always fine with people earning money from their work, or not. It’s up to them! Once I qualify I’ll probably use the money to buy books or equipment.

I love Black Beauty! ❤ enjoy

It is hard to find Anthony Trollope books at book stores.

Black Beauty is such a classic and is a great book - not a lot of laughs or fuzzy feelings though.

"Hey, maybe would should monetize this guy named Montie."--KZbin executive "HAHAhahahahAHHAHAHHAHAHAHHA!" - KZbin Board Of Directors.

I am okay watching ads if I want to support a booktuber as long as it's before the video, but those mid-video ads irritate me enormously. I have never seen one in your channel that I remember. Your new bookstore sounds like one we had in my city for a while. The lack of alphabetizing the authors drove me crazy since I had to peruse everything carefully. It took a lot of time so it wasn't a place I went if I had something specific in mind. It only stayed in business just over a year, but the books were only $2 so it was hard for them to make money, I'm sure.

I hope the new used bookstore in town deals with credits better than the other store! 😂

Have you ever considered Patreon or something similar? I know you struggle keeping up with all the people who want to buddy read with you, so have you considered doing a book club on something like Patreon? I'm sure some subscribers who enjoy your channel and the same books might like to join in with something like that and regularly throw a few pennies your way. Speaking of buddy reads, let me know if and when you might like to read A Wizard of Earthsea together😇

Hi Kelly, just wanted to write and say that I hope you have had a great weekend! I do hope that things are going well, and best wishes with your monetization goals (I don't know anything about monetization lol, wish I had more helpful insights to share with that)! Also looks like a nice mini-haul...there's a country rock band called "New Riders of the Purple Sage," the Zane Grey must be where they got their name! Take care, Joe

If KZbin already puts ads, then you should definitely get credit for it so put the ads in. I hate all ads but i refuse to pay YT.😅

Hey Kelly, I must have (fortunately) inadvertently engaged an ad blocker some years ago, since I never see ads in general..or even if they're on m own videos... My buddy (also on YT) and I have a running joke that our videos are like 'vintage 2009, just with better resolution', ha. I watch, comment on, and record my own videos here and there, and that's the extent of it... 🙂 Glad you found at least something at our bookshop. It does sound appealing, even if a bit chaotic. We recently had a bookshop open right here in my own hometown...the first one in over 15 years. It's small and cozy, and even has a little coffee bar...sort of a bookworm's dream spot. ☺ -Carm & a napping Rocky

I'm nowhere near monetization and it might be tricky as I am in a strange country. I enjoy most of Louis L'Amour's books, I've read four since Michael K Vaughan launched June on the Range, although the last one I read seemed over violent (Riders of the Dawn).

I don't get ads because I have premium, do they not have ads even when they arent monetised? Not even my work channel is big enough for money so I've never played with it. Every single used book store here has Anthony Trollope, but we never have westerns . You have much more restraint than me, two books from 3 shops!

I'm not anywhere near monetization, but, I still have thoughts 🤣 The thing is, youtube will put ads on your videos regardless of if you put the monetization bit on on your end, so you might as well get a bit of the cut, so to speak. It is after all you that have done the work behind your video, so I think it's only fair.