I’m Katie Noah Gibson – a writer, bookaholic, editor, knitter and traveler.
I’m a native Texan, transplanted to Boston in 2010, perennially in love with England and always longing to revisit favorite places or go somewhere new.
This blog is a chronicle of my adventures in reading, traveling, spending time with the people I love, and savoring the beauty in ordinary days.
I love getting emails from readers – so if you have a question for me or want to connect, drop me a line at katieleigh83 {at} gmail {dot} com. You can also find me on Twitter and Goodreads.
cakes, tea and dreams 
Katie,
I love the picture of books!
Hey Katie,
I clicked on over to your blog after reading your contest story at WoW. I saw so much of myself in it!!
I, too, am ‘working for the man’ by day and an aspiring writer by night, dreaming of a time when my writing will be a full-time thing.
Let’s chat about our mutual love of books, writing, tea, etc!!
Breanna
Hi Katie,
Just left a comment on your White Christmas blog.
I’ve just started blogging myself. I’m a full time mom and writer when I can. If you have a minute go to my blog and read the “fahM” page. I hope you like it.
http://www.bluamaryllis.wordpress.com
Stay well and happy!
Maryse
I really love your writing style. I can’t wait to read more!
Just found your blog through freshly presses and I really like it. It’s almost like I’m having a conversation with you. You are going to have a very special place in my Blog Roll 🙂
Hi Katie,
I am new here and wanted to tell you what a privilege it has been to stop by. Thank you for exposing me to your world with so much beauty and insight. It has been a real treat browsing your site and I know I will keep coming back again and again and again.
Until then, sending my gratitude from the Middle East,
Roxanne
Fancy seeing another Quincyian here! I have to say, I love everything I’ve seen thus far of your blog, and it is most certainly a place I will be frequenting. 🙂
Just took a look at your blog, and I really like it thus far. I’m hoping to read more of your reviews. =)
Hi, Katie,
You knocked me over with your Best Books of 2011 and your comments about Alice Bliss. Thank you so so much for reading my book and your kind, kind words. I’m thrilled to see that you’re in Quincy. I’m in Gloucester. I hope to meet you one day. I have a few more local events coming up, just in case you’d like to come: July 6 @ Gloucester Writer’s Center @ 7:30, July 12 @ BPL with Rebecca Makkai @ 6, July 13 @ Stellina’s Restaurant in Watertown @ 6 and the BBF in the fall. It would be lovely to meet you. Thank you again.
Katie, I feel like an idiot. When I met you at the BPL I didn’t put you together with your blog and your review. I remembered you from Twitter, but not that you had written that gorgeous review. So I missed my chance to thank you in person. Geez!
I’m gearing up to launch a new social media campaign and I will of course invite you to join us when I do. In the meantime, can you recommend some other bloggers that you really enjoy following? I’m especially looking for book bloggers in their 20s.
Katie!- When I saw your blog I got super excited because I am an English/Creative Writing major at Grove City College planning to get a PhD at Oxford in a few years and I love knowing like-minded people in my field! I can’t wait to explore all you’ve shared on here!
delaney
What a kindred spirit you are! I was looking at your book list saying to myself “read that one, have that one, want to read that one!”
I have played around with a variety of blogs, but have been working everday on my new one, since I am on summer vacation.
I want my blog to be something that others can enjoy and connect to.
I am a teacher, but have always had a love for writing. My young daughter also has this love for words. Today, in fact I have promised to take her to Barnes and Noble to get a new thesaurus!
Have a blessed day.
Shera
http://www.onehundred80days.wordpress.com
Katie, I love your writing. I am so happy we have found each other. 🙂
Katie, I love the site and would like to share your last post on my own new travel blog at trailinginspriations.wordpress.com/ as an example of an Adventure of the Day. I haven’t found a better one for writers, city-phyles, or general unexpected explorations that nearly anyone could immplement wherever they are. Each city has many of the same types of features that could lend themselves to such an adventure as yours and Allison’s.
I won’t share it on my blog if you don’t want me to. Just let me know if you objects. I am going to share it with my friends on FB, though. You can also find me at: http://claudsy.wordpress.com/ and http://claudsy.blogspot.com/
Feel free to poke around any of mine at any time.
I’ve definitely placed this blog on my faves list. Great job and fun.
Hi Katie! I’ve really been enjoying your blog so I nominated you for The Versatile Blogger Award. Check out my post that links back to you here http://booksandboston.wordpress.com/2011/10/10/the-versatile-blogger-award/ 🙂
I was drawn to your blog by its lovely name.
I’m glad I have found it as its a great blog. I’m following you and look forward to reading future posts 🙂
Katie,
love the name of your blog. mine is: http://coffee24tea.blogspot.com…can you tell I like to have a cup in my hand? and usually it’s a book or a gluestick in the other! I loved your post about advent….something that being raised a Baptist, we didn’t celebrate when I was younger. But now that my husband is my pastor, well, let’s just say he doesn’t do things the same way my daddy (who was my pastor growing up) did.
Merry Christmas,
Teelayoung at hotmail dot com
Psst.
http://pagesofjulia.wordpress.com/2011/12/17/the-versatile-blogger-award/
No further action necessary on your part.
Hello Katie –
Wonderful Blog you have here! I’m just down the road in Plymouth, so I can relate to everything you cover about Boston and New England.
Thanks for sharing, and have a Happy New Year!
Best,
Kevin
Hi Katie, fellow author and tea enthusiast here. My fav’rit is Keemun, but, in an effort to cut down on sugar, I’m alternating with Green (Megami sencha) and Tie Guan Yin (Oolong), which I drink straight. I’d love to post a guest blog with you, if you’d do the same for my site -we have totally different sensibilities, so it could be interesting -shake things up a bit. I’d write about a modern classic, maybe Catcher in the Rye. You could choose any topic. Check me out:
meyerwire.wordpress.com -plus Amazon author page: Amazon.com/books/Operation Ruby Slipper. Stay well and productive.
John Meyer
Hi Katie,
Thanks for your review of my historical novel HELEN KELLER IN LOVE. It was such a pleasure to write the book, and now it’s a real pleasure to find people like you talking about it. I’ll be reading at several Boston venues in May and June, and will keep you posted! My events are also on my website: http://www.rosiesultan.com
Thanks again!
fabulous
I found your blog through ‘Freshly Pressed’ and since then you have become one of my absolute favourites! Thank you.
A wonderful blog! Books, Cafes, Knitting, Relaxing…magic! Greetings from Japan!
Just found your blog – first thing I saw – Lark Rise to Candleford – a book my grandfather gave me for my 14th birthday. Still one of the great treasures of my life. Your blog is lovely.
Just found your blog—yay!
I came over intrigued by the title of your blog (i love cakes, tea and dreams!) and stayed because I love your writing! Happy blogging 🙂
Hi Katie,
Just a quick note to say hello and tell you that I enjoyed your review of Imperfect Harmony on Shelf Awareness and totally agree about high/low hems!
I hope all is well….
We’ll be visiting Boston this weekend–will we be “out of place” if we show up at Brookline in tennis shoes and jeans?
Absolutely not. It’s a casual kind of place.
Great! See you Sunday.
Good Morning Katie,
I have mentioned you in my post today -kathiostrom.com/2013/08/24/an-award-and-a-happy-anniversary – if you’d like to take a look. Have a great day!
Katie,
I don’t know why I was drawn to your blog but I felt such an authenticity about your “about” page. I will be following your blog to see what you are up to from time to time. If you get the time, please check out my blog as well.
God bless.
I have nominated your blog for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award and shared your link on my page! Find out about it at: http://theroofsofkathmandu.wordpress.com/2014/06/24/blogging-is-awesome-most-of-the-time/
Hello Katie,
I love your blog and have nominated you for the One Lovely Blog Award! 🙂
http://danielleelisemiller.wordpress.com/2014/09/18/stories-unfolded-one-lovely-blog-award/
I loved this post and you have a wonderful blog 🙂 I too have always wanted to see PEI and Green Gables. I think some of my favorite parts of her books are the descriptions of the countryside and homes on the island. My husband and I just bought our own old farmhouse. As things stand right now I will probably never get a chance to go to PEI, but love your pictures and am inspired to bring a bit of Green Gables to my own home 🙂 Thank you!
I love your tagline and all of your blog! 🙂
Hi Katie. Love your blog. You are so lucky to have an arc of After the War is Over by Jennifer Robson. I really enjoyed her first book and am anxiously waiting for this one! Hope you enjoy it!
I loved your review of After the War is Over on Shelf Awareness–so much that I put it on my TBR list, which like yours, is threatening to avalanche. Your website is great and I hope to visit often!
Came across your blog when I was googling Madeline tosh knits (saw the baby booties you knit in it) and noted you are an Anglophile and have a review of a Miss Read book on your blog, so I must bookmark your blog and return when it isn’t way past my bed time.
Katie, I’ve read your blog for about a year now. I appreciate how you write about rhythms, simple beauty, and the mundane. There are beautiful threads throughout your writing. I love getting your posts in my inbox…
[…] https://katieleigh.wordpress.com/about-contact/Let’s just admit it right up front, my 2016 has continued to be closer to chaos than perfection. I feel we do too much. Does anyone else feel like this? Actually, the feeling I get from my immediate universe is that pretty much all of us feel we do this. We are tired and busy more often than we are not those things – even me, though I hate “tired and busy” as an answer to “how are you doing” so much that I consider it a part of my life’s purpose to usually not have to say that. I truly believe we should avoid busy at all costs, mean every thing we commit to, and unregretfully say no to everything else. It’s a mission statement, not a resume. All I can really say is, I’m working on it. […]
Thanks for the kind words on my book. I love this site! David Hajdu
If you have a chance, can you email me a list of your favorite memoirs?
That is what I love to read!
lorihart559@aol.com
Thx!
Hello,
I just came upon your blog and it has done so much to cheer me in these troubling times.
I have been reading Shelf Awareness for years and I don’t know why I didn’t follow the links and find you before.
I became very nostalgic reading your post about the lilacs. I grew up in rural SW Pennsylvania and we had a lilac bush in our yard. That intoxicating smell. I miss it so much. And I also love New England.
I put your blog in my Favorites and when I take breaks from teleworking (like now) I will be stopping by.
Take care and Be Well!
Leah (government librarian, foodie, lover of the British Isles and bibliophile since the age of 4)
Thank you so much, Leah – welcome!
I just read your review of Mildred D. Taylor’s books on Shelf Awareness. I recently read All the Days Past All the Days to Come and recommened it for those looking for anti-racist literature. It was an outstanding story that looked inward at the effects of racism on Cassie and her family, as well as discussing issues in the Civil Rights movement pre 1964. I must read the other books as well. I am also very happy to have found your blog, which I will subscribe to and follow.
Hi Katie! I’m a native Georgian, transplanted to Boston (well Beverly) in 2015. I mostly love New England now, but also dearly miss the South. I’m so glad to find you through MMD today!
So nice to have you here!
Hi Katie,
I can’t remember how I stumbled on your blog, but I’ve been reading it and the comments for several weeks now. I would love to have you read and review my debut memoir, A Daughter’s Kaddish: My Year of Grief, Devotion, and Healing about a spiritual practice I undertook after my father died. I’m happy to send a copy of my book to you.