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1/21/11

Bloggiesta--challenges (including advice I can give!) and a YA Giveaway!

I'm taking part, a tad sporadically, in Bloggiesta this weekend--tidying up a few things, organizing a few things, and (I hope) writing lots of reviews and organizing my tbr pile.

I also will be dipping into the challenges (which come with Prizes!!!), and I'll be using this post as a catch-all for every one I do.

The first, from My Friend Amy, challenges us to think about our Blogging Goals. I love Amy's own goal: "to keep trying to write the blog I want to read." And I think that the most faithful readers of my blog are people like me who like reading the same sort of books I like, and so one of my goals for the coming year is to write more about the books I love, and to try to avoid cliches, and to try to have more fun with it all.

I will also be trying to have my Timeslip Tuesday books read before Tuesday morning (and an immaculate house ha ha).

The second, hosted by Truth, Beauty, Freedom, and Books, challenges us to Help Others. I love helping others, and will look for opportunities to do so as I read other people's Bloggiesta posts. And anyone who thinks I might be able to give them advice is welcome to contact me....I can, for instance, talk for hours on the subject of "How Bloggers Who Can't Spell Can Overcome the Embarressement (sp?) Of Bad (really really bad) Proofreading." And I'd like to take this opportunity to apologize to every author whose name or character name I've misspelled, especially Laura Resau and A.C.E. Bauer.

The next challenge (I had to skip the one that implied organizational aptitude) is about buttons and banners, hosted by SMS Book Reviews. Do I need a button/banner for my middle grade sff roundups???? What should it look like????

Here's the giveaway part:

As part of blog related housekeeping, I went through the ARCs I have on hand, and there are forthcoming books that I'd like to pass on to readers who will enjoy them more than me:

Sean Griswold's Head, by Lindsey Leavitt (March 1), and Jenna and Jonah's Fauxmance, by Emily Franklin and Brendan Halpin (Feb 1), both from Bloomsbury.

Leave a comment to let me know if you'd like these by midnight EST on Sunday. THE RANDOM NUMBER GENERATOR SPOKE, AND THE WINNER IS LAUREN!

Or, even if you don't want the books, feel free to leave me a comment telling me how to make my blog a brighter, better place...
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22 comments:

  1. Megan EarleyJanuary 21, 2011 at 9:21 PM

    I recently discovered your blog, and I really enjoy it! Keep up the good work! (I'd love to win the giveaway as well...)
    mearley1979 at gmail dot com

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  2. CharlotteJanuary 22, 2011 at 7:59 AM

    Thanks, Megan!

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  3. Andromeda JazmonJanuary 22, 2011 at 8:16 AM

    I really like that goal, of making my blog like the one I want to read. I think I will work on that this spring.

    Yours is always interesting! I admire the love & work you put into it.

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  4. Andra LynJanuary 22, 2011 at 10:18 AM

    I really like your blog...It might be easier to organize the review differently? I had a little trouble finding some of the books i wanted to see if you reviewed. But I love the blog!!! and thanks so much for the giveaway!

    hense1kk at cmich dot edu

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  5. VasillyJanuary 22, 2011 at 1:06 PM

    I love your goal for this year. Good luck with bloggiesta!

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  6. KTJanuary 22, 2011 at 3:15 PM

    I always really enjoy your reviews. I think your goal for next year is perfect.

    I love buttons/banners, but I am not creative enough to give you ideas for yours...sorry.

    And, I would love to get Sean Griswald's Head! thanks for the chance.

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  7. Shooting Stars MagJanuary 22, 2011 at 3:36 PM

    I would love these. And I need to fix up my blog too. It's always a good idea to get more on track and really make the blog the best it can be.

    -Lauren
    lauren51990 AT aol DOT com

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  8. CharlotteJanuary 22, 2011 at 3:44 PM

    hense1kk, I'm not sure what I could differently, other than to have an index of the books I've talked about. And since at a guess there are over 800 of these, it is a daunting task.

    There's the search button, up on the top, which I tested and it seems to work, and I keep my labels up to date...

    Anyone have any thoughts on how to make it easier to find specific books?

    and thanks, all you other commenters, for stopping by!

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  9. ScootJanuary 22, 2011 at 11:18 PM

    I am a new follower! Sean Griswold's Head has been on my TBR list for a while. Thanks for the chance to win! seescootread[at]gmail[dot]com

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  10. Chloe BookloverJanuary 22, 2011 at 11:35 PM

    Would love to be entered for the giveaway! Nice blog!

    chloe.hope.bookie(at)gmail(dot)com

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  11. buddytJanuary 23, 2011 at 1:27 AM

    I think you have to be carefull when changing your blog that you don't put people off rather than encourage them.

    That said, maybe a few more graphics (but only if they load quickly) would be nice to make it feel more exciting.

    If the giveaway is open worldwide, I would like to be entered.

    Thanks.

    Carol T

    buddytho {at} gmail DOT com

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  12. AshleyJanuary 23, 2011 at 3:37 AM

    Fun post! I'm loving Bloggiesta, and have just had a very productive day!

    One of my goals was to point and click randomly through the Bloggiesta starting list, and visit/discover new bloggers, and I'm super glad I found you! (I've been wanting to read SGH for a LONG time, so I'm definitely hoping to win that one. :) )

    I wish you lots of luck in getting the rest of your list done during this Bloggiesta!

    basicallyamazingbooks [at] gmail.com

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  13. Madigan MirzaJanuary 23, 2011 at 5:48 AM

    Hi Charlotte,

    If you make a button or banner for your middle-grade sf/fantasy round-ups, you should echo the color palette of your header... I love that image!

    I'm trying very hard to restrain myself from jumping up and down, "Pick me! Pick me!" (remember Donkey, from Shrek?) I've been trying to get my hands on a copy of Jenna and Jonah's Fauxmance for a while. I may have to settle for waiting for when it comes in at the library. I think I'm number 37 in line for it? It could be a while!

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  14. Natalie AguirreJanuary 23, 2011 at 8:51 AM

    I don't want to win the books, but thanks.

    I love your blog because it focuses on fantasy which I love and almost exclusively read because of time constraints. Maybe you want to review middle grade and tie in with Shannon Messenger's Monday middle grade reviews. Here's the link: http://ramblingsofawannabescribe.blogspot.com/

    Can you sometime suggest what other blogs you read mostly review fantasy and paranormal? I'm looking for good middle grade and YA book review blogs.

    Also, I love when you list the books coming out each week and when you review the newer published books. It helps me decide what to read. Thanks.

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  15. AnonymousJanuary 23, 2011 at 10:03 AM

    I would love to read Lindsey's book! Thanks for the opportunity.

    As for you blog, I've only been reading it for a short while, but I can tell you it is one of my _favourites_. I know exactly what to expect, trust your recommends, TOTALLY get the house keeping Tuesday thing, bwahahaha!

    I'm am off to check out some of the challenges--taking part in the bloggiesta too, but think what I wrote down for my ownself are will spill over into the week, lol.

    My blog goal is much like yours..share my passion for the books I read and love, make the blog an extenstion (<<yes I am interested in your advice for misspelling bloggers :P**) of what I do at work.

    Deblah blah blah!!

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  16. AnonymousJanuary 23, 2011 at 1:25 PM

    Can you put my name in the drawing for Sean Griswold's Head. Thanks

    Doret

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  17. CharlotteJanuary 23, 2011 at 1:34 PM

    Thanks, you all! Yes, I agree that some more pictures would probably jazz things up...and thanks, Natalie, for the reminder to join Shannon on Mondays!

    You've probably seen that I talked briefly about my sff blog list in this Sunday's post--I'll try to be conscious of mentioning blogs that aren't on it when I discover them!

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  18. Reading Mind / The Loyal Book January 23, 2011 at 2:15 PM

    These goals look really good, especially the one focusing on writing what you want to read. It's really the best thing you could do.

    The ARC sound very interesting, so if it's international count me in.
    aliasgirl AT libero DOT it

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  19. veela-valoomJanuary 23, 2011 at 2:21 PM

    Would love to win a book!

    cassilee85 AT hotmail DOT com

    I'll take a look around the blog, seems a pretty happy place

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  20. Deserae McGlothenJanuary 23, 2011 at 2:52 PM

    Hahaha! You're a Sweetheart. Thanks for the giveaway opportunity--- been dying to get my hands on Sean's Head!!! :D

    desimcg@hotmail.com

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  21. MinasJanuary 23, 2011 at 3:34 PM

    Thanks for the giveaway! I would love to win.

    minas_1989(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  22. AnonymousJanuary 23, 2011 at 6:40 PM

    Admirable goals...and nice giveaway!!

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