Let the games begin!

For participation in my first ever 24 hour Read-A-Thon I don’t have much of a game plan outside of not having a solid game plan.  Hee!  I didn’t pick a stack of books from which to choose and I don’t have a predetermined schedule of when I’ll post or Tweet.  What I do have is a an idea of how a few things will work:

• Blog Updates - I’ll be posting to my blog somewhat regularly.  I’m not going to go the hourly route because I don’t want to spam my subscribers so I’ll do a few posts over the day and edit them to update progress in between.
• Books - As mentioned I don’t have a predetermined stack, I’m going to go where the mood takes me.  Because I’m a slow reader and want to feel a sense of accomplishment, I’ll most likely be reading short, quick books.
• Break Time - Lupus = fatigue, which then = illness – I’ll be taking naps for sure. My body will tell me when it needs a break and I’ll be listening. So if I go silent for awhile I’m probably off in ZZZZ-land.  Also, I’m thinking that you all don’t want me stinky the entire time so there will be a shower somewhere in all this.
• Socializing – I feel like a big part of this event is the social aspect so I’ll do my best to be out and about cheering people on *but* since the main event is about reading it may not be at my usual levels.  You might see me around some mini-challenges
• Post Format – I’ll be stealing a format that Gail of Ticket to Anywhere has been using.  She says it works really well so I’m going to go with it since she’s a veteran of this whole shebang.  Thanks Gail!
• Being Charitable – From the jump I adored the idea of being able to give back as part of the fun. I was thinking I would donate to a literacy organization of some sort but have since changed my mind.  Instead I’m going to be somewhat selfish and donate to The Lupus Foundation of America.
  • For each book I read I’ll donate $10
  • For each comment I get on a Read-A-Thon blog post I’ll donate $.25
  • For each Read-A-Thon related Tweet that references @galleysmith I’ll donate $.10

There you have it all!  This is my first official post of the Read-A-Thon and I’ll be updating it with my progress until about mid-day when I’ll create a new one.  Please do check back now and again to see how I’m doing, I’ll be prompting everyone with my progress on Twitter.  Cheer me on y’all it’s not only motivational but it’s for a fabulously healthy cause!

Good luck!

Progress Report:

Title of book(s) read since last update:

• Hour 1:
  • Shaun Tan, The Arrival (Graphic Novel/Picture Book) – [complete]
  • Susan Beth Pfeffer, The Dead & The Gone (YA) – [chapter 2]
• Hour 2:
  • Susan Beth Pfeffer, The Dead & The Gone (YA) – [chapter 3]

• Hour 3:
  • Susan Beth Pfeffer, The Dead & The Gone (YA) – [chapter 4 & 5]
• Hour 4:
  • Cheerleading break
• Hour 5:
  • Susan Beth Pfeffer, The Dead & The Gone (YA) – [chapter 6]
• Hour 6:
  • Susan Beth Pfeffer, The Dead & The Gone (YA) – [chapter 7-9]
• Hour 7:
  • Susan Beth Pfeffer, The Dead & The Gone (YA) – [chapter 10-11]
• Hour 8:
  • Susan Beth Pfeffer, The Dead & The Gone (YA) – [chapter 12-15]
• Hour 9:
  • Susan Beth Pfeffer, The Dead & The Gone (YA) – [chapter 16-19]
• Hour 10:
  • Break time!
• Hour 11:
  • Laura Ruby, Bad Apple (YA) – pg 1-48
• Hour 12:
  • Laura Ruby, Bad Apple (YA) – pg 49-96
• Hour 13:
  • Laura Ruby, Bad Apple (YA) – pg 97- 153
• Hour 14:
  • Laura Ruby, Bad Apple (YA) – pg 154- 247
• Hour 15:
  • Alex McAulay, Shelter Me (YA) – pg 2-12
• Hour 16-24:
  • Alex McAulay, Shelter Me (YA) – pg 13-32

Hour 1:

• Shaun Tan’s book was gorgeously illustrated.  It’s my first graphic novel/picture book and was disconcerting to have to use my imagination more to draw out the story.
• Susan Beth Pfeffer’s book is a sequel to Life As We Knew It, which I read over the summer.  The city perspective isn’t much different than the rural perspective of the first thus far.

Hour 2:

• Susan Beth Pfeffer’s book is slow going much as was the case with the first. Still in the information gathering phases post-tragedy. Things will likely speed up in the forthcoming chapters.

Hour 3:

• Susan Beth Pfeffer’s book is building pace though I feel far less emotion from the main character Alex than I did from the main character in the previous novel in the series.

Hour 4:

• none

Hour 5:

• We’re starting to progress to more dire circumstances I have a feeling something horrible should be happening soon.

Hour 6:

• The weather is spiraling down ward, food is in even shorter supply, and humanity as we know it starting to fail.  Exactly what you think is to happen in end of the world/dystopic fiction.

Hour 7:

• A moment of happiness for survivors. I suspect we’ll be seeing some giant tragedy soon as a result.

Hour 8:

• The family endures more catastrophic weather and is now contemplating varied methods of survival.

Hour 9:

• Chaos ensues but there is light at the end of the tunnel.  Cliffhangerish ending so that third book in series has a place to jump from.

Hour 10:

• Break time consisted of checking the news, chatting with mom on the phone and talking Thanksgiving plans with the fam.

Hour 11:

• Bad Apple is the story of a girl who is accused of having an affair with her HS art teacher. Some slightly humorous moments thus far but overall a pretty mediocre story about family dynamics and social outcast status.

Hour 12:

• Story has gotten romantic element when boy of own age appears to take a liking to the social outcast/apparent seducer of older men. I’m questioning whether that is true or if it will end up being some sort of ruse.

Hour 13:

• Interesting nuance in the story arose — element is about blogging/truth/behavior and “group think” (pg 130). Persecution and witch hunting by people who feel “in the know” but aren’t leading to destructiveness.

Hour 14:

• Main character lashes out, reels back in, and overcomes adversity (or does she?)

Hour 15:

• At only 10ish pages in we are just meeting main character.

Hour 16-24:

• The main character must endure an act of war and tragic circumstances as a result of that.

• Hour 1:
  • Shaun Tan, The Arrival (Graphic Novel/Picture Book) – [complete]
• Hour 2 – Hour 9:
  • Susan Beth Pfeffer, The Dead & The Gone (YA) – [complete]
• Hour 10:
  • No book reading this hour
• Hour 11-14:
  • Laura Ruby, Bad Apple (YA) – [complete]
• Hour 14-15:
  • Alex McAulay, Shelter Me (YA) – [chapter 1]
• Hour 16-24:
  • Alex McAulay, Shelter Me (YA) – [chapter 2]

• Hour 1: 148 pages
• Hour 2: 30 pages
• Hour 3: 52 pages
• Hour 4: 0 pages
• Hour 5: 23 pages
• Hour 6: 37 pages
• Hour 7: 30 pages
• Hour 8: 55 pages
• Hour 9: 60 pages
• Hour 10: 0 pages
• Hour 11: 48 pages
• Hour 12: 48 pages
• Hour 13: 56 pages
• Hour 14:  93 pages
• Hour 15: 12 pages
• Hour 16-24: 19 pages

• Hour 1: 50 min
• Hour 2: 35 min
• Hour 3: 55 min
• Hour 4: 0 min
• Hour 5: 30 min
• Hour 6: 45 min
• Hour 7: 45 min
• Hour 8: 40 minutes
• Hour 9: 35 minutes
• Hour 10: 0 minutes
• Hour 11: 40 minutes
• Hour 12: 40 minutes
• Hour 13: 45 minutes
• Hour 14: 60 minutes
• Hour 15: 20 minutes
• Hour 16-24: 30 minutes

• Hour 1-2: none
• Hour 3: Where in the world is the read a thon
• Hour 4-24: none

• Sent out good vibes to #readathon’ers via Twitter
• Watched running commentary of #IHeartTheSpark
• Devourer of Books
• Trish’s Reading Nook
• The Book Lady’s Blog
• The Zen Leaf
• 1330V
• BethFish Reads
• A Patchwork of Books
• Read What You Know
• Ticket to Anywhere
• Read This Book
• Linus’s Blanket
• Jenn’s Bookshelves
• I’m Lost in Books
• Bookworm Barista
• Crazy Comma Mama
• Book Blather
• Bart’s Bookshelf

• Hour 1-14: The Couch (though I did shift pillows, blanket placement and position)
• Hour 15-24: Bed

• Hour 1-2: Fuse TV’s Totally 80′s
• Hour 3-6: Classical music station on digital cable tv
• Hour 7-12: 80′s music station on digital cable tv
• Hour 13-14: Blues music station on digital cable tv
• Hour 15-24:  Classical music station on digital cable tv

• Hour 1: Bfast included egg sandwich, cinnamon twist & water
• Hour 5: Lunch included roast beef sandwich, salt & vinegar chips and chocolatey chip teddy grahams
• Hour 10: Dinner consisted of a bowl of Cocoa Krispies
• Hour 11: Cheddar Chex Mix
• Hour 14: Cheddar Chex Mix

Today I have the pleasure of chatting with a fabulous blogger and great friend Debbie of Debbie’s World of Books. I met Debbie on Twitter (follow her @DebWorldOfBooks) and I’m so happy to have made a good friend to talk books, blogging and television with! Without further ado let me share more about Debbie with the rest of you:

Q: What is your current read?
DWB: Never Slow Dance With a Zombie

Q: What was your favorite book growing up?
DWB: The Black Stallion

Q: Who are your favorite authors?
DWB: Julie Garwood, Julia Quinn, Richelle Mead, Scott Westerfeld, Mercedes Lackey and Christine Feehan

Q: What is the worst book you’ve ever read?
DWB: I have such a horrible memory and I think I’ve blocked out some of them but I remember East Garrison by GM Weger being horrible.  I never heard of it or the author before and I wish I had not picked it up.  It was such a depressing book!

Q: What is the best book you’ve ever read?
DWB: Gosh, this is a hard one! You know that is a cruel question to ask a book blogger right?   It is a tight race between Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen, Arrows of the Queen by Mercedes Lackey or The Eight by Katherine Neville.  Any of the three would be safe picks as I’ve had to buy second copies of each because I re-read them so often the originals fell apart.

Q: What book have you bought simply for the cover?
DWB: I don’t usually buy just because of the cover but one book that I picked up because of the cover and then the blurb intrigued me was City of Bones by Cassandra Clare.

Q: Is there anything you’d like to tell that you haven’t been asked?
DWB: Ummm…pressure, not feeling a bolt of creativity or originality here.  Ok, as I’m sure many people already know not only am I a book lover but am also a geek.  I love Star Trek: TNG and Voyager, Stargate and Sanctuary.  Hey don’t knock it til you’ve watched it!

Q: What is your favorite word?
DWB: Yucka.  Yes, not a real word but it’s the only thing I’ve found that will keep my two year old from touching things she shouldn’t so it is now my favorite word.

Q: What is your least favorite word?
DWB: No word in particular but am not fond of words with more than 3 syllables cause then you just start sounding like you are pretending to be smart. LOL.

Q: What turns you on?
DWB: A sense of humor

Q: What turns you off?
DWB: Snobs

Q: What sound or noise do you love?
DWB: Raindrops (not falling on my head) but on our roof.  It’s such a relaxing sound and I love curling up on the sofa and reading while listening to it.

Q: What sound or noise do you hate?
DWB: Nails on a chalkboard.

Q: What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
DWB: I really would love to try being a YA librarian.  I have an MLIS but have only worked in a corporate library.

Q: What profession would you not like to attempt?
DWB: Doctor. I am one of the clumsiest people I know and would feel sorry for my patients.

Q: If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
DWB: Eat all the chocolate you want and you never gain a pound!  Ok, not the most profound thing but it was what first popped into my head.

Q: What is your favorite curse word?
DWB: My vocabulary has tamed since my daughter was born so “awww, crap” is probably the worst I get nowadays and hopefully not often!

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions Debbie I enjoy helping readers get to know you better!  Which is my round about way of asking you all to go check out Debbie’s World of Books her blog totally kicks butt!

There was a constant theme throughout this year’s Kidlitosphere Conference – being the best blogger you can be.  Embracing our individuality while still focusing on the mechanics and social aspects of blogging was the name of the game and many of the panels and presentations provided real-world examples and suggestions for taking the opportunity to step outside the box and embrace being the type of blogger we’d all set out to be.

What better way to do that starting the day with Mother Reader‘s The Blog Within: An Interview with Your Inner Blogger.  Leading participants through a series of thought provoking questions Pam Coughlan encouraged us to reflect on the 5 W’s of blogging.

* Why do we blog?
* What do we blog about?
* Who do we blog for?
* Where are out blogs positioned in the crowded blogosphere?
* When will we revisit our blog’s mission?

The glory of this reflective exercise is that it allowed each of us to put serious thought into the direction and goals of our blogs.  Even better, it also went to point out how blogging may be an individually based practice but it also happens to encourage a community spirit.  We all touch someone else’s life in some way regardless of personal reasons for putting ourselves and our thoughts out there.

This exercise segued nicely into the second presentation of the morning in which Pam and yours truly spoke about Building a Better Blog: Best Practices, Ideas and Tips.  Taking a more nuts and bolts approach it was all about the P’s — purpose, passion, professionalism, participation and perseverance.

Pam gave insight as to quality and unique content, making posts reflective of your personality, sharing the wealth by crediting sources and disclosing relationships, and take responsibility for actions and behavior online.  She went on further to speak of providing industry professionals and authors with guidance by posting specific and clear review, interview and disclosure policies. She encouraged us all to be part of the larger whole by — (1) participating in community aspects of blogging such as commenting within our own blogs but also on the posts of others and (2) joining in events such as carnivals, memes and features.

Most importantly, though, she wanted participants to walk away from the presentation understanding that blogging is a lot of hard work that requires dedication and perseverance.  Building a larger audience, should that be one of a blogger’s goals,  doesn’t happen over night it takes time and energy and above all else patience.

For my part I touched on a number of technical aspects related to blogging. Aesthetics — contrast of color, placement of graphical elements, working with text and imagery, and how to best incorporate multimedia.  I also took some time to speak to organization – navigation links, chunking content, categorizing and tagging, as well as archiving.   I also spoke briefly about search engine optimization, social media, marketing and branding.  Lastly I talked about involving and engaging your audience – targeting your blog’s audience, creating unique content that differentiates, encouraging interactivity and participation and building relationships through reciprocal linking.

I must admit there are likely some better recaps of our session out there since it’s hard to really get perspective of your own presentation but I’ll finish this post off by thanking both Pam and all the participants of Kidlitcon 09 for welcoming me so graciously and warmly.  I was so happy to have met wonderful people and have walked away with great and exciting ideas to make my blog a better place to visit.

Related posts:
Mother Reader – Kidlitcon Report: Part II
A Chair, A Fireplace and A Tea Cozy – The Blog Within & Building a Better Blog, Kidlitcon 09

(if you have a link you’d like me to add feel free to point me to it in the comments)

Hola my fine bloggish friends!

Hot on the heels of my fabulous experience attending the amazing KidLitosphere Conference (thanks again Mother Reader) held here in DC this weekend I’m already excited at the prospect of being able to participate in more great events of this nature.

It’s been a bit of time since Trish (of Hey Lady Whatcha Readin’ fame) and I put the first feelers out to the community about this so I wanted to take the opportunity to update everyone on where we’re at.  There has been increased buzz on Twitter as people are starting to talk about BEA and making travel arrangements and we thought it would be a good time to let you all know where we are in the planning process.

In our initial research we’d found a venue that was a bit further away from the Javits that could accommodate up to 100 people.  We got a quote and put together our initial survey about people’s potential interest and as you can all imagine the response rate of interested participants quickly rocketed well past that 100 person limit. Not wanting to turn anyone away we had to shift focus and start researching other venues that would allow for us to accommodate more.  In doing so it became very clear that holding the convention in a hotel was not going to be our best bet.

At the moment Trish and I are working with two different convention center type locations that specialize in meetings of this nature.  These facilities are meeting centers only and are not tied in any way to hotels or rooming accommodations.  As one would expect it’s not a fast process, we’re in the midst of exchanging emails and phone calls to iron out particulars and come to an agreement on which of the two is our best bet.  We’re scheduled to hear back from the last of the two this week (we’ve been told Thursday) and hope to have a definitive location on the books by next week.  I can’t guarantee this, however, as we are really at the mercy of the sales people of these locations.  If they want to call or email they do and if they don’t they don’t.  We’re trying to be as forceful as possible but we’re also well aware of the fact that we don’t have any control of it.

Once we get this final discussion out of the way we’ll be able to choose which location and ultimately which date the convention will be held.  It’s important to note that based on feedback from the survey, date preference for the convention was literally 50/50 down the middle, haha. So we’re going to leave that decision to what the ultimate venue has available.  Could be Monday, could be Friday we just don’t know yet.

Further, at this time we’re not going to be able to negotiate a room rate that is better than what BEA is offering so we are stopping that effort and are focusing solely on the function facilities.  We had hoped to put something together for everyone but it’s become increasingly clear that we simply don’t have the kind of buying power that will allow us to do that.

Having said that, that doesn’t mean we can’t all be in the same place.  I am going to be looking at where I’ll be reserving a room this week and will happily let others know where that will be when I confirm the details.  I’m sure any hotel will be happy to reserve rooms with all of us on the same floor so we can have a large group together.

As always if you have any comments or questions you can leave them in response here or email me directly.  My contact info is all over the blog!

Hi ho party people!

I have some bad news. Unfortunately,  the Read-a-Thon Slumber Party is canceled. 

In an effort to keep from diminishing the efforts of the event organizers and the mission they are trying to carry off I’m going to stop my plans.  I strongly and enthusiastically encourage you all to focus your attention on reading the day through and participating in the many wonderful mini-challenges they’ve already got planned.

Good luck and happy reading!!