I've been having a bit of trouble posting as of late. Like you hadn't noticed.
Firstly, my sleep schedule is waaaaaay off the normal rotation. Seems living in a cave (my bedroom is underground and has no windows) allows for sleeping during daylight hours a little too easily. Case in point, yesterday I slept from 10am to 5pm.
As you may guess, sleeping during the day doesn't bode well for functioning during that time. It's a little hard to drive your sister somewhere when you're going through REM. So I've been attempting to get to sleep earlier so I can wake up earlier (waking up is the hardest part of my 'day').
Unfortunately, my brain has decided that lying in bed trying to go to sleep is the BEST time to start coming up with ideas. Of course, I can't guarantee they're great ideas—my brain is starting to 'shut down,' after all. But whether it's my subconscious coming to the forefront, my inhibition/critique center shutting down, or the universe conspiring against me, I don't tend to get a lot of my ideas posted.
Because I'm trying to go to sleep, and it sorta defeats the purpose if I get up and write out (or draw or whatever) what I think of. Again, perhaps that's a good thing since a tired brain isn't known to make the greatest decisions. Plus I've noticed that my language gets pretty convoluted when I'm tired—my internal thesaurus/dictionary is downright horrible.
But here's a few of my sleep-deprived ideas:
A review of House M.D. (and why I stopped watching)
A review of the movie Dragon Hunters (mostly focusing on character stories)
A list of Pokemon teams based on Disney movies (...)
Pottermore OC comics
This post...
So that's my conundrum. Should I get up and act upon my ideas, even if it means staying awake longer? Should I ignore my exhausted brain's ramblings completely? Or should I try sleeping pills in an attempt to recalibrate my schedule back to normalcy? Decisions, decisions...
And a bit more randomness to finish off:
Thank you McDonald's toys!
Just let the awesomeness soak in...
Too bad Disney owns Marvel instead of DC, eh?
Now, GoodReads (GR) has been a great site for cataloging what books I've read, am reading, or want to read. I've created shelves for genres, lists for my challenges, and even gathered books I was forced to read in school. It has a huge listing of editions, summaries, and reviews. And if you hadn't noticed, I link to it all the time in my reviews, sidebars, and even have the app linked to my Facebook page!
But there is one thing that I wish they had...
A Re-Read Option
Has anyone else noticed that missing feature?
I tend to re-read books a lot. When the latest sequel comes out I like to re-read the entire series. Or perhaps it's for a reading challenge or book club. And heaven forbid reminiscing over an old favorite.
As it stands now, I can see a few different options to handle my re-reading.
Option 1: Don't count re-reads at all. Makes things a lot simpler, right? Unfortunately, this counts against my GR-sponsored reading challenge, as the "Date Finished" must contain the current year. I suppose I could say, 'computer be damned,' and make my own counter but...where's the validation in that?
Option 2: Change reading dates to current/last time read. I then add a personal note that tells me the last time I read it. Unfortunately, changing the dates read not only removes the book from my GR timeline, but also my Facebook one. It also gets complicated when I try to remember when I first read a book after I've re-read it a few times.
Option 3: Read/Review multiple editions of a single book. Unfortunately, that option hinders more than it helps. Firstly, it adds a copy to my overall books list, which is silly if anyone else looks through and finds 15 copies of the same book. Secondly, it clutters shelves if I label them with genre/theme/etc.. And lastly, it's confusing when I actually have read multiple editions (print & audiobook versions) of one book.
Obviously, I'm not a coding expert, so I can't say it'd be an easy thing to change. But here's the review form as it stands now. As you can see, under the main review space, there's "Date Finished" and "Date Started" followed by "Number of Times Read".
Now, here's the second part of the review form. As soon as you click the "I Own A Copy" box, a new section opens up, letting you fill in more information.
Why couldn't they add a "I've Read This More Than Once" bump-out?
I know I'm not completely alone in this, as there is a Suggestion Topic on GR specifically addressing the re-reading issue. Feel free to add your own two cents on the topic there, too.
But before you go off and do that, what do you think? How do you handle re-reading books? Is GoodReads the premiere book cataloging site, or do you use something different? Let me hear you howl!
Since not everyone is familiar with the term, I'll go ahead and lay it out for you. I read, analyze, and write about books. I give my opinion on characters, setting, genre, style, and sometimes even covers. I say what works, what doesn't, and what I'd like to see.
In short, I criticize.
Back - back foul demon! Burn the witch! Don't come anywhere near me!
Yeah, I know you're all thinking it. What gives me the right to rifle through someone's hard work and put its flaws on display? Who do I think I am, slandering authors with false interpretations and quotes made out of context?
I'm a writer.
Yeah, of nothing but muck and lies.
No, no, I mean I write my own fiction. Or at least I did.
What, couldn't take some of your own medicine?
Yes and no.
Huh?
Like most writers, I crave exposure. I want my work out there, read by the masses and enjoyed. DeviantArt, my blog, they're both small outlets where my writing can be seen.
But, as most writers have discovered, exposure can be a double-edged sword. With the good results (loved it! you're great!) come the bad (wow, this is horrible! use spell check next time!). These one sentence wonders are usually good for a 2-minute burst of joy/anguish, then are forgotten.
Moving past these frivolous 'reviews', we move into the longer, more thought-out comments that every writer craves. Unfortunately, you can still get long, eloquent descriptions of how you stink. Case in point, here's a comment on one of my pieces I'd written for class, revised for a challenge, and posted on DA:
I don't want to spend more time in a character's head than necessary; pathos is something to be avoided anyhow, not embraced.
Might I also point out that simply re-writing a story to increase the potency of the effect it already has does not qualify as a revision.
And I don't want to know a character that's going to be murdered a page or two away. I mean, yeah, there's some clumsy writing and some of the detail selection is careless and awkward, but to taunt the reader with a character and then to kill them off is some nerve. I mean, a lot of the breadth here could be summed up in a few good, short, strong paragraphs instead of the engrossing play-by-play the reader is treated to. That way we're not bored and ready to quit by the time the male thief is murdered and don't feel irked with the writer for essentially misleading us and thus wasting our time by teasing us with the eccentricities of a thief we never get to fully explore.
Bottom (yet superfluous) line: Tricking the reader is a cardinal sin, and allowing the reader enough rope to hang themselves with is just plain carelessness--its not much better, but it is excusable, and I think that's the case here. If the story is about the female thief, which it appears to be, then for Heaven's sakes -don't- have the male thief be the object of third-person limited! Don't even use third-person limited at all! Such a beginning requires the use of the omniscient narrator, that way a switch between subjects/people occurs without a second thought, and the narrator is allowed to keep distance between characters the reader isn't supposed to bond with.
Yours Sincerely, [name redacted]
Ouch.
Out of all of the critiques I received on that piece (10 plus replies), his by far hit me the hardest. It was actually hard enough that I wrote a scathing reply about how nothing said was constructive and he stunk as a reviewer. Not quite in that language, but that was the gist. I was hurt and I didn't care who knew.
That's right, I've been there.
So why the hell would you do that to us/other writers?
I'm not finished.
There are also critiques that are actually helpful, more along the lines of, "I liked this, but I didn't understand that," or, "I think you need to work on your dialog tags - it feels choppy when you use he said she said over and over again," or, "I wish there was a bit more buildup to the kiss - I didn't feel it was believable quite yet." These offer that blessed balance of good and bad that gives the writer encouragement, while still pointing out their weak spots.
This is the kind of critique I try to give every time I write. "I really liked ___, it made this a joy to read. Unfortunately, I wasn't feeling ____ which was kinda distracting. But on the whole, I think you have a great plot/character/style and I hope to see more from you in the future."
Well, that's not so bad...
Right?
But what about stuff that's already finished and published? They can't go back and fix what you catch! You're attacking defenseless authors & books at that point.
Firstly, I'm flattered that you think best-selling authors are reading or feeling the backlash of my reviews. And even those independent authors are tougher than you think.
Secondly, I treat my reviews just like I do my critiques. I try my hardest to present the good with the bad. And if that fails, I emphasize emphatically that I'm stating an opinion which is solely my own and may in all likeliness differ for other people.
Yeah right.
Okay, here's an example I handled just recently. Over the course of two days I read Crushed by K.C. Blake, an independently published book that she sent me for review. I didn't like it.
I never connected with the main characters, I noticed a couple continuity errors, and I thought there needed to be a lot more polishing overall. I also had a personal issue with the way the main character handled one situation. And I wrote as much in my review.
At the end of my reviews, I always have an Overall & Recommendation section in which I summarize my feelings and generalize who I think would enjoy that book. Here was my final summary for Crushed:
Overall, I was disappointed with Crushed. I thought the story concept was interesting, the mystery surrounding the villain was engaging, but the main characters and writing left me wanting to get it over with. I'd recommend it to those who like YA Paranormal-Romance, but are tired of the vampires and werewolves ruling the scene. Sex, language, and violence are negligible, so I'd say it's appropriate for the middle-school crowd as well as high-schoolers.
Though not my favorite book, Crushed was an engaging introduction into a world of powerful witches, a world I would like to visit again. The second installment, Witch Hunt, features a brand new cast coming into their own trials and triumphs. And while I wasn't too enthused about this particular game, it gave me enough that I may just try my hand at the next one.
Approximate Reading Time: 5.5 hours
I posted the full review here, GoodReads, and DA, plus the final paragraph alone on Smashwords (where she'd originally uploaded it). My GoodReads and Smashwords reviews also received 2-star ratings.
Ouch.
Yeah, I know.
I don't know what made me dislike Crushed so much, but I did. Maybe it was having just read an amazing professionally-published book just before it. Maybe I wanted to read the next book on my list too much. Maybe it was never connecting with the main character. Or maybe I was just in a pissy mood.
To make me feel even worse, it seemed like absolutely everyone else who'd read it (and reviewed) rated it at 4 or 5 stars. What was my problem?
What was your problem?
I don't know. But I wasn't going to lie about it. I wasn't going to suddenly say, "Wait guys, just kidding, I loved it!" Cause I really didn't. But I felt like I needed to fix my review...so I did:
Overall, I was disappointed with Crushed. I thought the story concept was interesting, the mystery surrounding the villain was engaging, but the main characters and writing left me wanting to get it over with. Sex, language, and violence are negligible, so I'd say it's appropriate for the middle-school crowd as well as high-schoolers. While Crushed and I had our differences, I think it could make an enjoyable read for those who like YA Paranormal-Romance, but are tired of the vampires and werewolves ruling the scene.
Approximate Reading Time: 5.5 hours
P.S.
Though not my favorite book, Crushed was an engaging introduction into a world of powerful witches, a world I'd like to visit again. The second installment, Witch Hunt, features a brand new cast coming into their own trials and triumphs. And from the sample I've downloaded from Amazon, I'm already looking forward to reading more.
So you see, I do try to promote the book I read, even if I wasn't too thrilled myself.
But why do it in the first place? What makes you so great?
Honestly? Nothing. I just enjoy reading and writing about what I read.
And why I do it? Well, in theory, I'd love my reviews to spark conversations. I kinda miss the book-fueled conversations we'd have in school, even if they were assigned reads. And even outside of school, I met some great friends while bonding over Harry Potter. By sharing what I read, I'd love if my work somehow facilitated a bond like what I have with my friends.
I'd also love if my reviews prompted someone to read and enjoy a book they'd otherwise not have read. When I was in school, we were forced to read so many depressing books. One year we even had the theme "Man's Inhumanity Towards Man", for which we read A Farewell to Arms, Of Mice and Men, Night, and The Crucible one right after the other. I remember thinking to myself, "No wonder some people hate reading! If this is all they're ever made to read, I'd hate reading, too."
So I'd like to think I'm doing my small part in promoting good literature. I may not reach thousands, or even hundreds of people, but I'm doing what I love.
And if, in the process, I step on some toes or ruffle some feathers, I'm sorry. I always try to be as polite and tactful as I can be, but in the end I'm not going to stifle my opinion. If someone has a problem with what or how I write, please critique me!
And that's why I critique and review. So...we good?
Please do let me know what you think.
Love, hate, agree, disagree - I want to know!
I was entering a few book giveaways on Goodreads.com the other day (yes, I’m officially hooked on that “giveaway crack”) and whenever I came across a compelling new (to me) YA book, I would click on the author’s website or blog to check it out.
It was a really nice way to get to know more about some fellow YA authors and I ran across one in particular who was a grade-A, hmmm, how should I put this? A grade-A… personality. And I mean that in the epically most awesome way ever.
Seriously; she had attitude to spare and it was such a… revelation. I think she was ranting about some bad review or another and just really going to town; about readers, writers, publishers, the whole ball of wax. It was great to read because I was like, “Wow, she said what she really wanted in a really honest and unvarnished way… and no one’s running her out of town with pitchforks and torches!”
Personally, I try to come off as very polite, non-feather-ruffling and generally a helpful, nurturing kind of guy. Part of that is the teacher in me; I was trained to be politically correct, helpful, nurturing and generally stay in control of my emotions in front of a class full of kids.
Part of that is just me; if you meet me I pretty much am polite, helpful, calm, even-keeled, etc. But it’s not ALL of me. Drive with me for five minutes and you’ll hear enough cussing to get an NC-17 rating. Stick around while I read a bad review and you’ll hear a whole lot more! And I certainly have VERY strong feelings about writing, reading, reviews, bad reviews, publishing, agents, eBooks, print books and more.
I just always figured I should avoid sharing that hardcore, personal or angry or venting or rant-y stuff with my young, impressionable readers. Then I remembered, most YAs don’t exactly flock to my blog! (Come to think of it, most adults don’t either!) And even if they did, wouldn’t they prefer getting the “real” me versus the watered down version?
It’s not that I’m some big, fat phony when I post. I’m always honest, but I’m generally… polite. I don’t swear or foam at the mouth or rant and rave and, well, would it be so terribly bad if I did once in awhile?
So, I dunno, reading that YA author’s blog the other day was a real revelation. It kind of made it “okay” to be me, or at least a little bit more like the real me.
I don’t think I’ll be swearing and ranting and raving like this one author, but she’s far from alone. I know of several YA author blogs where writers, readers, even reviewers are quite frank, fun, wise, sarcastic, sassy and with plenty of… personality.
So what do you think? How polite is too polite? Or should bloggers abide by a certain “code” and keep themselves to themselves? Comment boxes are open; fire away!"
Yours in YA,
Rusty
~~~
My Reply:
I'm in the same boat as you are. I try to be as polite and tactful in my posts (even my negative ones) while still infusing my personality in what I write. Whenever I read over something of mine and go "Ooh, that's a bit harsh," I delete and re-write it in a less-harsh way.
At the same time, I enjoy reading a couple other blogs that don't hold back anything. They think it - they write it. Sometimes I agree with them, and sometimes I can only wince as books I love get flaming tomatoes thrown at them.
I think that by all means, you shouldn't censor your thoughts or emotions. If something pisses you off, and you think it's worth posting about it, go right ahead.
But most importantly, you still need to tailor your posts to the audience you want to attract. Language, content, and subject matter should focus on them. If you want a blog that can be read by teachers, parents, and teens, you're probably going to be a lot tamer than, say, just writing for high-school/college age.
Most importantly, and I think all writers know this (or will eventually), you can't appeal to everyone. You gotta do what you know how to do, and what you like to do. If you prefer your writing to ruffle feathers, and enjoy reading the responses of such, go for it.
As you may or may not have noticed, here at The Wolf's Den, I don't usually read many e-books. It's not that I have anything against them, I just don't own an e-reader. Now, I have accepted some e-books for review now and again, but I read them at my computer.
I use free programs such as Kindle for PC and Adobe Digital Editions. I tend to prefer the Kindle program, but it doesn't accept all formats (PDF), so I'm stuck with either a converted mess or using Adobe for some books. Unfortunately, sitting and reading at the computer has two major disadvantages:
First, I find that oftentimes sitting at the computer gives me too many distractions to allow me to focus on the material I should be reading. YouTube, GoodReads, DeviantArt... I swear I don't have ADD, but——Ooh shiny! Ahem, second, the eye-strain and required seating arrangements (needing to be able to see the screen) don't allow me much in the way of comfort or variety. Frankly, I love reading in bed or sprawled out on the couch—just so many ways to toss and turn and cozy-up while I read!
An e-reader seems like it would answer both of those problems. Plus the fact that I could take my e-books out of the house! The library might be a nice change of scenery now and again. Or maybe when I'm chilling at Powell's?
And that's where you guys come in! I've stayed out of the e-reader scene mostly due to expenses. Now, I'm still not rolling in dough at the moment, so I'm really trying to balance out spiffy gadgets with my budget. Here are a few brands I've heard of, ranging from $79 to $199: Kindle (Basic $79, Touch $99, Keyboard $139, Fire $199), NOOK (Touch $99, Color $169, Tablet $199), Sony (Reader $130), Kobo (Basic $100, Touch $130, Vox $200),
and BeBook (One $99, S Club $129, Neo $159).
Honestly, I'm kinda leaning towards a Kindle at the moment. I've used the PC software for about a year now, and other than the PDF issues (which I don't know if there's a better option right now) I don't have any huge problems. Plus I already have a lot of free books downloaded, and I'm sure I'll run across other freebees regularly. Plus my library already offers a large selection of e-books in the Kindle format!
So here's my checklist: Price - Not able to spend tons right now. Weight/Size - Not a huge issue for me, actually. Ease-of-Use - I'm pretty tech-savvy, so unless it's a nightmare to use, I should be fine. Loyalty/Format - I'm not really loyal to one company over another. Powell's and Jan's are indie, and Borders kinda died. But when it comes to formats, how much of a pain is it going to be getting the right book format? Memory - I'm not planning on replacing my library, this will be primarily for review requests that aren't available in print. Touch or Not? - Is touch worth it for ease? Or is it a stress headache waiting to happen if it gets scratched? Durability - Along the same lines as above, I'm pretty careful with my things and I'm not typically clutzy, but will I need a force-field around this thing? Gadgets - I don't need tons of bells and whistles, but I won't turn them down either. Not really looking at 3G, video, or net-browsing, though music might be a plus... Extras - Do I need to budget in for extras to get full use out of this? I don't foresee a need for an adapter, but will I need/want a case, light, etc.?
A tall order? Probably. So, what's your vote?
If you could cast your vote above then leave a comment below, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks a bunch, guys. I can't wait to hear from you!
I was reading a post about someone fondly remembering his time working in a bookstore. To quote a phrase or two:
I was surrounded by great books all day, and I could always snatch a few moments to write during the work day. Now, I worked a lot, six and sometimes seven days a week, without taking a break or vacation for five years. But those stolen moments during the day were wonderful. It made each work day somehow more alive.
Now, he's talking specifically about jobs vs personal writing time, but it got me thinking...
I visit a Borders store on average once a week. As soon as I walk into the store I'm usually greeted by an employee and asked if there's anything I need help finding. If this conversation isn't made near the door, I'm usually addressed as I'm wandering. Sometimes I'm asked multiple times (by different people). Employees are seldom stationary (unless working a busy register) and always seem to have a book or three (or a stack) in their hands to re-shelve. Even those 'stationed' at the information desk (recently renovated into an e-reader/e-book station) seldom stay there for long unless working with a customer. Actually, the few times I have needed help, there was no employee in sight and I ended up going up to the register (though I think this was due to the holiday rush and being understaffed).
From having worked in the customer service industry, I'm pretty used to the "connect with customers" angle that stores often try to enforce. It was the same where (movie rental store) I worked - we were supposed to say "hello" to everyone who walked in the door, offer our services in locating their wants, and suggest other selections that they might enjoy. Customer Service is about the customer...and what will make them come back and spend more.
Of course, just down the street from my local Borders is another bookstore that I visit quite often. Not quite independent, but not a corporation either, Powell's New & Used Bookstores are a proud staple around here, well, at least among the book-buying community. Often a cross between a warehouse (in size and inventory) and a coffee shop (in coziness and atmosphere), their stores are pretty much made of awesome.
The inventory of the stores is pretty even: Both have comparable new/current releases; Powell's has a good selection of older and used books while Borders has music and movies. However, the one difference that stands out (and what Bryan's Post made me think of) is the employee protocol.
Powell's employees don't usually make an effort to engage their customers. They either stay at the registers or they're stocking the shelves. They don't dress in uniform, and they're actually sometimes hard to spot if you don't happen to see their "Ask Me" sticker. Even if you do happen upon one in the aisles, they're more likely to apologize for needing to squeeze by than ask if you need help. And yet, I don't feel any less welcome there. Because there's usually someone posted at a register or information desk, they're easy to find. And if you do have a question, they're always very knowledgeable and friendly.
As far as working at a store goes, I think either one of these would be great. But I guess I'm curious...
Which would you prefer to shop at?
Assuming you're dealing with knowledgeable staff, would you rather the hands-on but endlessly-busy workers, or the hands-off but easy-to-locate workers? Have you ever felt intruded upon by inquiring employees, or been reluctant to bother those behind the Desk Of Power?
So, I turned on the TV today while I fixed and ate my breakfast.
Not too exciting, I know. But wait for it...
Wait for it...
Wait for it......
BLAM!
A commercial comes on for James Patterson's newest Maximum Ride novel, Angel.
Now, though I have seen this series at bookstores, I haven't read any of it. I've never had any interest in reading it.
But now...
Perhaps I'm intrigued by the people running around with wings (which I had no clue of before). Perhaps I'm just easily swayed. But now I kinda want to read it...
Is this the power of TV? And if so, why aren't they using it more often!? I mean, the last commercial I saw for a book was...Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows back in 2007. Not that it really needed it, but I'm sure the commercial didn't hurt things.
So what do you think? Is TV a powerful weapon in book-selling? Would you be more interested in a book you saw on TV? Or is the whole thing a waste of time since bookish people don't watch TV anyway?
The other day, as I was perusing my regular list of blogs, I came across one that made me take a step back.
On Rachelle Gardner's blog, she posted a plea made by guest blogger, Marcus Brotherton. A hardcover a month, that’s all we ask. Essentially, he's asking for writers, readers, anyone interested in books or the publishing industry at all, to help the industry and spend $20 a month on books.
At first glance, I was completely on board. Sure! Anything I can do to help! We writerly people have got to stick together!
But then, I realized that I regularly go months without buying books. The majority of my reading comes from the library, where I can get just about any book if I'm willing to wait a couple weeks/months (depending on popularity and supply).
As much as I love books, that $20 a month is a problem for me. Being unemployed is a matter of making sure you get what you need. I've gotten to the point now that I have to double and triple-check every book I pick up to see if I'm really interested in it, or if I can live with checking the library.
And even the books I do talk myself into buying are usually pre-owned or discounted with coupons. A majority come from Goodwill or Used Bookstores, such that I'm not even sure their sales would make a difference in the publishing industry.
So, I'm asking...does this make me a bad person? What do you think about utilizing the free (or cheaper) resources versus helping the industry?
1. Answer every question to the best of your ability.
No one or two-word responses. Take some time with your replies. 2. Each question must at least be acknowledged.
If you're uncomfortable providing a truthful response,
at least thank the commenter for their curiosity. 3. If there are no questions, provide a question of your own.
What're you reading? How was your day? What'd you do this weekend?
And then, of course, respond to it.
There's no reason you can't indulge your readers' curiosity.
This Meme may be copied on your own pages, but please link it back to me and my blog.
Thank you!
Is a thundering rainstorm really relaxing? The real ones don't exactly do that to me...
~ Having grown up in Indiana, I grew up with thunderstorms. Oregon, however, does not have thunderstorms, except for maybe one or two in the summer (last year we had 5+, this year none). I miss them a lot, and so I find listening to them very soothing. Also, the particular version I listen to is supplemented with flute music, so there's that too.
And Spirited Away, that had some awesome music, so did Princess Mononoke. Or is there actually a movie that's not the anime I'm thinking about?
~ If there is, I don't know about it. I'm thinking of the Miyazaki anime as well. I've only seen 4 of his so far (Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, Castle in the Sky, and Kiki's Delivery Service), but my sister owns all of them so I'll no doubt get around to the rest eventually. And yes, they all have amazing soundtracks.
And now, a question for you:
How many blogs are you following, and how do you keep track of them?
I am currently following just under 400 blogs. I keep track of them all (and read them all) in Google Reader, only actually visiting those I want to respond to.
Some of these blogs I've already shifted into my Stop Following folder because I added them purely out of Blogger Hop necessity. Others I'm still on the fence about whether I enjoy them or not, and then I have the ones that I absolutely love. Unfortunately, even the ones I enjoy are a bit overwhelming at times, and my blogs to-be-read list goes over 1000 if I fall behind even one day.
So, I'm wondering, am I simply following too many? Or is there a better way to manage them?
1. Answer every question to the best of your ability.
No one or two-word responses. Take some time with your replies.
2. Each question must at least be acknowledged.
If you're uncomfortable providing a truthful response,
at least thank the commenter for their curiosity.
3. If there are no questions, provide a question of your own.
What're you reading? How was your day? What'd you do this weekend?
And then, of course, respond to it.
There's no reason you can't indulge your readers' curiosity.
This Meme may be copied on your own pages, but please link it back to me and my blog.
Thank you!
I've been wanting to read the City of Bones by Cassandra Clare. Is it awesomeness?
~ Well, I found it pretty enjoyable. I might have been a little put off by the hype surrounding it, and so didn't find it quite up to my expectations, but it was good enough to propel me to continue with the series. You can read my (spoiler-free) review if you'd like more of my opinion.
I don't know about this Tilney fellow. He's almost too mysterious, ya know?
~ Hm, I suppose he might be. But so far, he's the best alternative to John Thorpe, and I just can't imagine Miss Austen would torture poor Catherine with two ineligible suitors! Horror of horrors! ;)
I haven't seen My Book Essential before, what is it?
~ It is an external hard-drive that hooks into your computer via USB. My laptop only has so much disk space, and it runs best when it's less full, so I use an extra hard-drive to store large files, such as my music library (60+ GB) and the occasional video file or large (book-size) PDF. It's also useful for creating back-ups, in case my main hard drive (or laptop in general) dies. That way, if something happens I can still save my important documents (school projects, stories, pictures) and access them on a new computer.
The 'My Book Essential' is the specific model of hard-drive I got.
Don't forget to answer my poll questions below. That's A Wrap!
1. Answer every question to the best of your ability.
No one or two-word responses. Take some time with your replies.
2. Each question must at least be acknowledged.
If you're uncomfortable providing a truthful response,
at least thank the commenter for their curiosity.
3. If there are no questions, provide a question of your own.
What're you reading? How was your day? What'd you do this weekend?
And then, of course, respond to it.
There's no reason you can't indulge your readers' curiosity.
This Meme may be copied on your own pages, but please link it back to me and my blog.
Thank you!
My reviews read like James Joyce! Is that a bad thing?
~ Hmmm. Not having read anything of his, I'm not quite sure. However, since I have heard of Ulysses, I'd say he's at least notable.
Plus, from what I've read on Wiki, "Each chapter [of Ulysses] employs its own literary style, and parodies a specific episode in Homer's Odyssey. Furthermore, each chapter is associated with a specific colour, art or science, and bodily organ. This combination of kaleidoscopic writing with an extreme formal schematic structure renders the book a major contribution to the development of 20th-century modernist literature."
So, no, I'd say it isn't a bad thing at all!
And since that was the only question asked this week, I'm going to have to ask my readers a question.
What is the purpose of Blog Buttons? Should I make one?
~ I've been pondering this for some time, seeing them on various blogs I visit, but I've never actually figured out what they're for... A little help?
1. Answer every question to the best of your ability.
No one or two-word responses. Take some time with your replies.
2. Each question must at least be acknowledged.
If you're uncomfortable providing a truthful response,
at least thank the commenter for their curiosity.
3. If there are no questions, provide a question of your own.
What're you reading? How was your day? What'd you do this weekend?
And then, of course, respond to it.
There's no reason you can't indulge your readers' curiosity.
This Meme may be copied on your own pages, but please link it back to me and my blog.
Thank you!
~ No. I've seen her various books and series at the bookstores a lot. And I believe I even heard her speak at the local Powell's when her last book came out earlier this year. But I haven't yet taken the plunge and dived into her (slightly daunting) series. She is on my list, though.
And since that was the only question asked this week, I'll go ahead and provide one of my own:
How many unread books do you own?
~ Well, let's see... 102 fiction books, 16 non-fiction. I'd give an excuse, but really I can't come up with one. Though, I will say that I wouldn't be able to own NEARLY that many extra books if they were all in hardcover. *wink*
Okay, really it's just an excuse to answer some of the questions I've so recently been receiving.
Each Wednesday I will answer any questions I've received as blog comments in the past week, well, to the best of my abilities, that is. Since there's no direct-reply option on comment feed, this seems to be the most logical solution to replying to my followers' and visitors' comments and questions.
This is a brand new and original Meme created right here in The Wolf's Den!
Wonder-No-More Wednesday Rules:
1. Answer every question to the best of your ability.
No one or two-word responses. Take some time with your replies.
2. Each question must at least be acknowledged.
If you're uncomfortable providing a truthful response,
at least thank the commenter for their curiosity.
3. If there are no questions, provide a question of your own.
What're you reading? How was your day? What'd you do this weekend?
And then, of course, respond to it.
There's no reason you can't indulge your readers' curiosity.
This Meme may be copied on your own pages, but please link it back to me and my blog.
Thank you!
Firstly, a HUGE thanks to all my new followers and your compliments on my blog's appearance. It's really great to hear that the work I've done appeals to more than just myself. Even if, at the same time, it does make me a little more self conscious about it, too.
Is [Diane Duane's Young Wizards series] similar to Harry Potter?
~ Yes and no, but mostly no. Where Rowling has a wizarding world cut off from the rest of society, Duane's wizards are very very much involved with the real world. The first book takes place in the middle of Manhattan, after all.
Where HP has a villain with minions bent on conquering the world, these wizards are fighting what could be considered a god, the creator of death itself. In that respect, there's really no "end-goal" they're pushing for over the course of the series, it's more of a book-by-book, problem-by-problem theme.
Yes, both series have young (teenage) wizards who grow and age through each book. But instead of a year's time in HP, the YW's events/books are only a few days or maybe a couple weeks. Thus, the YW kids age much slower (allowing for more books before they're no longer 'young').
I could draw more comparisons, but I don't want to go into too much detail for fear of spoilers. Perhaps I'll make a longer, more detailed post after I finish reading and reviewing the series. In fact, plan on it.
My release date [for The Thirteenth Chime] is Friday the 13th, (August this year) isn't that crazy?
~ Yes, that is a little crazy, but an awesome kind of crazy. Crazier still is the fact that the release date is the day before my birthday. Hear that, people? Sounds like there's no reason why I shouldn't get this as a birthday present!
~ Ooh, great question! It's a long story, actually, but I'll try to slim it down as much as possible.
I've always loved wolves, probably starting at least as far back as Balto, but possibly longer. In 2005 I joined a Harry Potter fansite under the username StormyWolf, and shortly afterward I began to role-play a character of the same name. In the years since, my character acquired some wolfish characteristics and I acquired the nickname (from some friends) of Wolfy. Now, it's been quite some time since then. That character has 'retired', and most people refer to me by the first half of the username instead of the last. Yet...the affinity toward wolves still remains.
However, I cannot take full credit for my blog's name. When starting this blog, I was scrambling for ideas of what to call it. One friend (who knows me primarily by my moniker) suggested The Wolf's Den and I glommed onto it immediately. Not only does it take in my online identity and love for wolves, but the Den can either mean the wolf's home or, in urban terms, a study or library. Perfect for a reader or writer's blog, no?
As I continue outlining my UrbanFantasy/Paranormal novel, I've even found myself jotting in The Wolf's Den as a location. How's that for getting a head-start on publicizing? Hehe, but we'll see how far that goes.
Including a 'read time' is a really good idea but how do you keep track?
~ Well, when it comes to reading along with audiobooks it's actually quite easy. For the few other books I have read and reviewed on this blog thusfar, I've made my best guess. I mostly like to read books in one sitting (often at night), so it's fairly easy to keep track.
If I ever get in a situation where I'm stopping and starting a lot, I might just have to invest in one of those timer-bookmarks! I'd have to be pretty desperate for that, though, as I NEVER use bookmarks.
...I need to practice commenting instead of just lurking most of the time. How else can bloggers know that people enjoy what they wrote?
~ Well, I see two options. They can either develop psychic abilities and use Cerebro to search the world for what people think about their blog, OR they can follow the yellow brick road to find the Wonderful Wizard of Oz and ask him.
...Or maybe we should just learn to lurk less and comment more? ;D
Wow, how did you keep track of how many blogs you visited?
~ Well, there were 261 blogs listed at Crazy-For-Books' page, and I visited all of them, plus one. I didn't follow/add all of them because not all of them had Google-Follower as a part of their website (WordPress or LiveJournal).
Holy cow... This is crazy! Are you still following all of these [375] blogs?!
~ Ahem...yes. Yes, I am. It took me the better part of two days to get my Google Reader to say "Zero Blogs Unread". And since starting this post, I have 39 waiting to be read.
I have, however, moved many blogs to my "Probationary" Folder and three to my "To-Delete" Folder. In one or two weeks, I'll start un-following the blogs I'm not interested in.
[Concerning the Young Wizards series] Just based on your review... maybe a mixture of Wizards of Waverly Place and the Magic Treehouse series?
~ Wizards of Waverly Place is very, very comedic and concerns mostly the kids learning life-lessons in and around the magic use. The YW series is very much a life-or-death adventure series with some elements of comedy relief woven through. There's not so much a "the moral of the story is..." as there is a "Wow! I wanna see magic in the world like they do! -Well, I guess I can start out by..."
Unfortunately, I've not read the Magic Treehouse series, so I can't really make a comparison there...
As many of you know, I posted MANY questions around the blogosphere over the weekend: Care to venture into The Wolf's Den?
And, just because I feel like it, here's the best response to my question I've yet received:
Hey Vicki, thanks for stopping by my blog. Lately I've had the notion to venture into a wolf's den, on the hope that it might spur my link to the world of werewolf, but alas I had not been able to. So, without further adieu yours is the first so I thank you! :D I'll be following you to see what lovely wolfy things you provide.
Oh, and though you've all been so kind and haven't asked this yet, I'll go ahead and do it for you...
All my followers ask:
Yo! Where's that latest update of the Young Wizards series you promised us "Tuesday at the latest"?!
~ Heh, well, I haven't yet started the 4th book yet. I've been a little bogged down with all my following, after all.
*dodges rotten fruit*
Hey! Alright! I'll read it tonight!
In fact, I'll probably have to be reading one or two books a day in order to get through #9 in time for it to go back to the library on Tuesday. Sigh.
(Basic $79, Touch $99, Keyboard $139, Fire $199), 
