There are worse crimes than burning books. One...is not reading them.
— Joseph Brodsky
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Monday, January 31, 2011
Award Shows and Book Covers
Today's Blog Tour Stops:
Today I will over at the lovely Colene Murphy's and Steena Holmes's - tomorrow is the last day of the tour so come on by and leave some comments for more entries in the super huge Grand Prize giveaway!!
For today on my blog...a confession....
I only watch award shows for the clothes.
In fact, I often only watch the PRE-award shows when the stars are arriving. I just want to see the pretty gowns and shiny bling and then I'm good for the night. It makes me feel slightly guilty as I know these nights are the most important nights of the year for the people involved, and really some of the host stuff is pretty funny.
But nope, I just watch for the clothes.
Kind of reminded me about books and their covers. A lot of people (myself included) pick (or don't pick) books by their covers. They don't care much about what is between the covers, how much work has gone into every word on every page, how important those pages are to the person who wrote them....they just care about the pretty shinies on the front cover. (Or the horrible covering on what is really a very talented actress...er, book).
I once refused to read a series that everyone I knew loved because the covers were so ridiculous IMO. I finally broke under peer pressure and grabbed one and it's now one of my favorite series. On the other side of the coin, there is a series I have no interest in reading based on the blurbs, but the covers are so gorgeous it's all I can do not to buy them all just to have them on my selves.
Am I the only one who does this? Who else watches the awards shows just for the clothes? Or buys or refuses to buy a book based on the cover?
Today I will over at the lovely Colene Murphy's and Steena Holmes's - tomorrow is the last day of the tour so come on by and leave some comments for more entries in the super huge Grand Prize giveaway!!
For today on my blog...a confession....
I only watch award shows for the clothes.
In fact, I often only watch the PRE-award shows when the stars are arriving. I just want to see the pretty gowns and shiny bling and then I'm good for the night. It makes me feel slightly guilty as I know these nights are the most important nights of the year for the people involved, and really some of the host stuff is pretty funny.
But nope, I just watch for the clothes.
Kind of reminded me about books and their covers. A lot of people (myself included) pick (or don't pick) books by their covers. They don't care much about what is between the covers, how much work has gone into every word on every page, how important those pages are to the person who wrote them....they just care about the pretty shinies on the front cover. (Or the horrible covering on what is really a very talented actress...er, book).
I once refused to read a series that everyone I knew loved because the covers were so ridiculous IMO. I finally broke under peer pressure and grabbed one and it's now one of my favorite series. On the other side of the coin, there is a series I have no interest in reading based on the blurbs, but the covers are so gorgeous it's all I can do not to buy them all just to have them on my selves.
Am I the only one who does this? Who else watches the awards shows just for the clothes? Or buys or refuses to buy a book based on the cover?
Monday, January 3, 2011
52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge
(Essay Horror Stories contest runs through 11:59 pm tonight! See yesterday's post to enter! Prizes include a signed copy of my book and fun swag including bookmarks, calender magnets, mouse pads, and more!)
Okay, so I toyed with the idea of joining the 100 book challenge for this year. But, I barely made the 52 book challenge last year and only did that because I counted a crit partner's novel (hey...it's not published but is under contract and it WAS a whole book....and a very good one too!)
So, this year I'm going with the 52 books in 52 weeks challenge again. Which I always find more difficult than I expect, because I know I read more than 52 books a year. But, I can't count rereads....I can only count books I've never read before.
I'm off to a great start! It's only Jan 3rd and I already have 1 and a half books read :D
Wanna join the challenge!?
I'll keep a running list of my books on my side bar like I did last year. I hope you join in!
Have you read any good books yet this year? I know we are only 3 days in but, come on.....I know some of you have!! :D
Winner of the Essay Horror Story contest will be posted tomorrow! And as entries are sparce (apparently the people I hang out with over here are a little strange like myself and enjoyed writing essays....though I forgot a few due dates and had a couple horror stories along the way) :D I'll probably just pull a winner from the comments left on that post (scroll down to Saturday's post for deets!) Details on our next game will go up Wednesday!
Okay, so I toyed with the idea of joining the 100 book challenge for this year. But, I barely made the 52 book challenge last year and only did that because I counted a crit partner's novel (hey...it's not published but is under contract and it WAS a whole book....and a very good one too!)
So, this year I'm going with the 52 books in 52 weeks challenge again. Which I always find more difficult than I expect, because I know I read more than 52 books a year. But, I can't count rereads....I can only count books I've never read before.
I'm off to a great start! It's only Jan 3rd and I already have 1 and a half books read :D
Wanna join the challenge!?
I'll keep a running list of my books on my side bar like I did last year. I hope you join in!
Have you read any good books yet this year? I know we are only 3 days in but, come on.....I know some of you have!! :D
Winner of the Essay Horror Story contest will be posted tomorrow! And as entries are sparce (apparently the people I hang out with over here are a little strange like myself and enjoyed writing essays....though I forgot a few due dates and had a couple horror stories along the way) :D I'll probably just pull a winner from the comments left on that post (scroll down to Saturday's post for deets!) Details on our next game will go up Wednesday!
Thursday, December 9, 2010
A Writer's Christmas
So my husband and I were sitting at the table the other day discussing what to get the kids, and each other, for Christmas this year. I usually just get my own presents and pretend I'm all surprised :) but this year I'm making him get me something (aren't I mean? Mwahaha) I told him I already had his present picked out. He said he had no idea what to get me.
I'm confused by this.
Aside from the fact that we've been married almost 10 years, I'm a writer. I'm not that hard to figure out. I'd be giddy over a few spiral notebooks and a new pack of pens. Especially if there was a cute stack of designer PostIts on top. (I heart me some stationary!) Sure, there are some "harder to figure out" gifts I'd really enjoy like a few new computer programs or maybe some new CDs for my playlist.
But really, if you are ever in doubt about what to get a writer, you can resort to the always popular gift card to your local bookstore. I go after new books the way our cat goes after cat nip. Want to make me really happy? Get me a huge gift card to the bookstore and a new bookshelf to put all my shiny new pretties on....and a pile of new stationary 'cause like I said, that stuff is ALWAYS fun :)
What is your ideal Christmas gift? What do you think the perfect writer gift would be?
p.s. thanks for all the "warm" wishes :) The heater is still out (we've dropped a few more degrees so I am REALLY hoping the heater parts come in SOON) but we are really doing okay. It's toasty warm upstairs in the bedrooms with the doors closed and the space heaters going full blast, so we've just been hanging out up there. My real whine is because my laptop is dead until my new charger gets here (hopefully today!) so, since the main computer is downstairs and it's too cold to work down there, I'm not getting anything productive done. Except laundry. But, you know, I'd rather be writing LOL
I'm confused by this.
Aside from the fact that we've been married almost 10 years, I'm a writer. I'm not that hard to figure out. I'd be giddy over a few spiral notebooks and a new pack of pens. Especially if there was a cute stack of designer PostIts on top. (I heart me some stationary!) Sure, there are some "harder to figure out" gifts I'd really enjoy like a few new computer programs or maybe some new CDs for my playlist.
But really, if you are ever in doubt about what to get a writer, you can resort to the always popular gift card to your local bookstore. I go after new books the way our cat goes after cat nip. Want to make me really happy? Get me a huge gift card to the bookstore and a new bookshelf to put all my shiny new pretties on....and a pile of new stationary 'cause like I said, that stuff is ALWAYS fun :)
What is your ideal Christmas gift? What do you think the perfect writer gift would be?
p.s. thanks for all the "warm" wishes :) The heater is still out (we've dropped a few more degrees so I am REALLY hoping the heater parts come in SOON) but we are really doing okay. It's toasty warm upstairs in the bedrooms with the doors closed and the space heaters going full blast, so we've just been hanging out up there. My real whine is because my laptop is dead until my new charger gets here (hopefully today!) so, since the main computer is downstairs and it's too cold to work down there, I'm not getting anything productive done. Except laundry. But, you know, I'd rather be writing LOL
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Having a Good Day :)
Why, you ask? Well, despite the fact that my heater is once again not functioning (the pipes are probably frozen again so hopefully by this afternoon they'll thaw enough for it to kick on) and the fact that my kids are home due to flooded roads all over town (they were back to school for a whopping 1 day after a very long Thanksgiving vacation) I am STILL having a good day because....
MY BOOK IS BEING PRINTED AS WE SPEAK!!! Or...as I type LOL AND I also got to look over my full cover (front, back, and spine) for final approval yesterday. Just TOO cool :)
Ooooo, AND there are two incredible blurbs on the back cover of my book - one by the lovely and wonderful Suzanne Palmieri, and the other by my very dear friend/crit partner/agent sista Christine Fonseca. How cool is that!!!?
So, despite the minor set backs of the day, still:
How is everyone else doing on this fine Thursday?
MY BOOK IS BEING PRINTED AS WE SPEAK!!! Or...as I type LOL AND I also got to look over my full cover (front, back, and spine) for final approval yesterday. Just TOO cool :)
Ooooo, AND there are two incredible blurbs on the back cover of my book - one by the lovely and wonderful Suzanne Palmieri, and the other by my very dear friend/crit partner/agent sista Christine Fonseca. How cool is that!!!?
So, despite the minor set backs of the day, still:
How is everyone else doing on this fine Thursday?
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Book Lover Contest!!!
Welcome to my first ever contest! Well, drawing, I should say. As I said yesterday, it's time to make room for some new books! (Plus, I have a really bad habit of buying books and movies and forgetting that I already have them) :D
Entering is very easy. All you have to do is LEAVE A COMMENT ON THIS POST and you are entered. That's it! You can enter any time from today to midnight on Thursday, September 10th (Mountain Time).
Opportunities for extra entries:
1 entry = for being or becoming a follower of this blog
1 entry = for referring someone here - make sure they mention your name in their comment!
1 entry = mentioning this contest on your blog/website/Facebook, MySpace or Twitter account (if you have all of the above, you will get one entry for each mention. So, if you mention this contest on your blog, your website, and Facebook, you'd get 3 extra entries and so on)
1 entry = mentioning Elana Johnson's soon-to-be released ebook From the Query to the Call on your blog/website/Facebook, MySpace or Twitter account (by the way, she will also give you a discount on her book for mentioning it - check it out HERE for details)
1 entry = mentioning Jessica Verday's newly released book The Hollow on your blog/website/Facebook, MySpace or Twitter account
Leave your total pointage in your comment. I will tally everything up and draw a winner who will be announced on MONDAY SEPTEMBER 14th!
Grand Prize:
(Almost all of these are new hardcovers)
Hunted by P.C. and Kristen Cast
Intent to Kill by James Grippando
Marion Zimmer Bradley's Ravens of Avalon by Diana L. Paxson
Ice Trap by Kitty Sewell
Tribute by Nora Roberts
The Appeal by John Grisham
Wicked by Gregory Maguire
The Nature of Monsters by Clare Clark
The Memoirs of Helen of Troy by Amanda Elyot
The Book of Shadows by James Reese
The Lady Elizabeth by Alison Weir
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
A Painted House by John Grisham
The Summons by John Grisham
Midwives by Chis Bohjalian
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian DVD
Le Divorce DVD (starring Kate Hudson and Naomi Watts)
And various other fun writer trinkets.
Hurry and get your entries in!! The contest will run for one week only! Good luck!
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Reading List Update
Okay - I think I'll make Thursdays my update day :) So, for this week, I have two books to add to my list....
9. Wolf Wing by Tanith Lee (enjoyed it, but out of the series of 4, my favorite, by far, was book #1)
10. Fairest by Gail Carson Levine
--this is the author that wrote Ella Enchanted - so if you liked the book (or movie) of that, you'll enjoy Fairest (it is Ms. Levine's take on Snow White). I really enjoyed it :)
I have Melissa Mar's Wicked Lovely on the way and have book # 2 of that series on my table (courtesy of my awesome friend Bethany). I am also in a twitter over book #5 of the Casts' teenage vampyre series coming out next week (I believe), so hopefully next Thursday I'll have a few more to add!
Actually, there is another book on my table as well, but I can't remember the title and I don't want to run upstairs to look :D But I'll be starting that one today :D
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