Tuesday, September 25, 2012

999th Post: Some Summer Piccies

Jaguar at Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle
I'm still feeling a lot like this big guy so I needed a pick-me-up today and what could be better than looking through pictures from the summer?! Since I was enjoying them so much, I thought I would share a few with all of you today -- just in case you also need a reason to smile. Also, if you notice the post title, my next post will be my 1000th post on this blog. Holy cow! I'm going to have to figure out something special for that. No pressure or anything, right?

playing with long exposure on July 4th
little bunny in our front yard
Humboldt penguins at Woodland Park Zoo
emerald tree boa, our favorite snake
Z exploring the pyramids of Egypt (at the Pacific Science Center, Seattle)
King Tut's Golden Flip-flops
On the Canadian side of the border
A pacific white-sided dolphin at Vancouver Aquarium
Lions Gate Bridge from Stanley Park to North Vancouver
View from the Capilano Suspension Bridge
The flame cauldron from the 2010 Winter Olympics
The Pacific Northwest in a nutshell
Thanks for your patience everyone.

Healing slowly but surely,
K

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Worth the Wait: The Wizard of Oz Discussion



It's finally here! Come join the discussion of The Wizard of Oz at The Estella Society.

There's no place like home,
K

Sunday, September 16, 2012

BBAW Giveaway Winner and Update

The winner of a copy of Charlotte Markham and the House of Darkling is

Elizabeth of Silver's Reviews

Congratulations! Thank you to everyone who entered the giveaway. This is a fantastic book and I hope you all get a chance to get a copy.


You might have noticed that this announcement came a little late but I had a very tragic event in my family last Thursday and had to step out of regular life for a few days to be with those who needed me. I am sorry that I missed the end of an amazing BBAW week but as much as I love blogging, it just didn't seem important all of a sudden. I'm not sure how long it's going to take me to get back into the normal swing of things around here. Normal just feels wrong right now. But at the same time, this is an amazing community and if anyone can help me get back there, it's all of you.

Taking a moment to breathe,
K

Thursday, September 13, 2012

BBAW Day 4: Book Pimpin'


Well, today's BBAW writing prompt is this --
One of the best parts about book blogging is the exposure to books and authors you might never have heard of before. Pimp the book you think needs more recognition on this day. Get creative! Maybe share snippets from other bloggers who have reviewed it or make some fun art to get your message across.
But as my regular readers probably know, I am always loath to label any book as a "must read" for everyone because I don't think there's a universally beloved book out there (and I don't want anyone hating my favorite books). So, instead I'm going to invite you to find some new favorites with me while reading through a list of the "best" chapter books!

It's the Top 100 Chapter Books Read-Along that I'm hosting at The Estella Society (a new playground for book bloggers) -- and we're actually starting with my favorite chapter book so I guess in a way I'm breaking my own rules and telling you to read it.


We'll be discussing The Wizard of Oz starting this weekend (Sept. 15) so you still have time to download a copy and read along! I'm very excited to create some new fans of this 112 year old masterpiece.

Our next few titles are The Strange Case of Origami Yoda, The Graveyard Book, The Dark is Rising, The Secret Garden, Tuck Everlasting, Journey to the River Sea, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH and The Saturdays. So if any of these are books you've thought of trying, books you missed out on as a child or books you've read dozens of times and want to talk about, join us on the 15th and 30th/31st of each month for a fun discussion! There's no commitment to read all 100 books -- just join in when you can/when you want to.

What's your favorite chapter book? And have I convinced you to come read some books with me?

Pimping my own project,
K

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

BBAW Day 3: What Blogging Means to Me


Today's BBAW prompt is a simple one but definitely a tough one as well --
What does book blogging mean to you?
Well, it's late (as is usually the case when I'm writing blog posts) and my thinky part isn't working as well as I would hope. So here are a few words in non-sentence form that touch on what blogging means to me.
Sharing
Community
Discovery
Friendships
Challenges
Self-Expression
Learning
Comfort
Purpose
Growth

What is the one word that you would choose to represent what book blogging means to you?

Short of words but strong on emotion,
K

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

BBAW Day 2: Some Answers and a Giveaway


Well, today is BBAW interview day which is always extremely fun but I have been so swamped with the start of school that I didn't have time to do one. So instead, you get the alternative self Q&A and a giveaway!

Do you snack while you read? Not anymore because I'm losing weight. If so, favorite reading snack? BUT, if I was to slip and grab a snack, it would be Popcorners (kettle or sea salt) or dark chocolate M&Ms.

Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of writing in books horrify you? Yes the idea of writing in books is not my favorite but at the same time I wish I had a better record of my thoughts while reading a book. I tend to forget them by the time I reach the end. If I ever got in a more organized place in life, I might read with post-its handy.

How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog-ears? Laying the book flat open? Bookmark, receipt, photograph ... NEVER dog-ears. And I actually don't ever open a book flat -- most of my read books look brand new or might have a single crease down the spine.

Fiction, Non-fiction, or both? Both! There are awesome stories and ideas in both.

Hard copy or audiobooks? Hard copy. I don't have any time where it would be convenient to listen to audiobooks and my mind tends to wander anyway. I need the written words to keep my attention.

Are you a person who tends to read to the end of chapters, or are you able to put a book down at any point? I used to read to the end of chapters exclusively but now, as a parent, I've had to perfect my "putting the book down at any moment" skills. In fact, now I find myself putting books down in the middle of chapters more than at the end of them.

If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop to look it up right away? Depends. If I can guess what it means from context, I'll just move on. But if I can't guess and I think that it's an important word, I'll look it up. This is why we have smartphones now, right?

What are you currently reading? An Expert in Murder by Nicola Upson

What is the last book you bought? I bought a few books for the 100 Picture Books Read-Along (not so subtle plug) -- Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, Journey to the River Sea, The Dark is Rising box set. In the same order, I bought Matilda and Pippi Longstocking for my niece who turned 8!

Are you the type of person that only reads one book at a time or can you read more than one at a time? Usually just one at a time but sometimes more than one if I'm doing a section-by-section read-along or if I'm reading a slower non-fiction book. But I really like immersing myself in a story and sticking with it until I'm done.

Do you have a favorite time of day and/or place to read? All day, anywhere? But 11pm to 2am in bed is probably my super favorite.

Do you prefer series books or stand alone books? I like both for different reasons.

Is there a specific book or author that you find yourself recommending over and over? Diana Wynne Jones! Jasper Fforde! Read their books now!

How do you organize your books? (By genre, title, author’s last name, etc.?) By no discernable method at all right now. I have groups by authors but those aren't placed anywhere specific in relation to other authors. I have kid book shelves and a non-fictiony-type shelf and I have a TBR bookcase (that has spilled over into also being piles on the floor next to the bookcase). Organization will never truly happen until I have many more shelves or far fewer books.

Now for that giveaway ...


I want to buy one blogger a new paperback of the incredibly awesome Charlotte Markham and the House of Darkling by Michael Boccacino. This is open internationally to all book bloggers. One entry per person and the winner will be chosen on Friday night or Saturday morning.

I just finished this book yesterday and it was really, really good. I'll have a glowing review up next week but I want to give it away now. It's dark, creepy, supernatural Victoriana and the perfect RIP read! Just fill out this little form to enter --

Best of luck,
K

Monday, September 10, 2012

BBAW Day 1: Appreciation!


Welcome to another year of Book Blogger Appreciation Week! With no awards this year, this is a much less formal and (I think) more fun event where we are all winners for spreading our love of books. There's no pressure to be anything but jubilant and thankful.

Today's writing prompt is
Share with your readers some of the blogs you enjoy reading daily and why.
Well, this is the part of BBAW where everyone is afraid of leaving someone out and I'm no different. So I'm going to share as many as I possibly can but I truly apologize if I miss yours and you know I'm a reader. These are the book blogs that I've been reading for a while now, the ones who post regularly, the ones that have great content, the ones who have caused me to have a 200+ TBR, and the ones that make me proud to be part of this community. I'm listing names first because it's the blogger that makes the blog!

Fans of the Classics

Internationally Known
Iris of Iris on Books
Judith of Leeswammes' Blog

Witty and Smart
Heather at Capricious Reader
Jenners of Life ... With Books

Home of Great Discussions
Aarti at BOOKLUST
Teresa and Jenny of Shelf Love

Eclectic to the Max
Natasha/Vasilly at 1330v
Trisha of Eclectic / Eccentric
Kim of Sophisticated Dorkiness
Dana of Much Madness is Divinest Sense

Simons
Simon of Savidge Reads
Simon of Stuck in a Book

Killer Combos: Food + Books
Cecelia at Adventures of Cecelia Bedelia
Sakura of Chasing Bawa

Friends From the True North
Chris of Chrisbookarama
Kelly/Kailana of The Written World

Back Catalog Divas
Danielle at A Work in Progress
Gilion of Rose City Reader
Elizabeth at As Usual, I Need More Bookshelves
Col of Col Reads
Jenn of The Picky Girl

Genre Explorers
Memory of Stella Matutina
Chris of In a Bookshelf

The Esteemed Creator of Jenny's Law
Jenny of Jenny's Books

Reads for All Ages
Diane at Bibliophile by the Sea
Danielle of There's a Book

If I had an award to give to these bloggers, it would say something like

In Appreciation of Your Dedication to Books New and Old, Your Enthusiasm About the Written Word and Your Friendship in a Unique Community.

Thank you all for giving this nerdy and eclectic reader a place to feel at home!

Hugs all around,
K (and Z)

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Heroes of All Sizes


In April and May, you may recall that I was posting about Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson for a group read. Well, the group got back together and over the summer, ending last week, we read The Well of Ascension and The Hero of Ages, finishing the trilogy and having a great time together. This was a really strong series. There were times that I wanted to stop reading because it was so intense and other times that I couldn't put the books down because the story was so compelling. There were fantastic friendships, unorthodox romances and lots of intense battling. If you want to try some high fantasy that doesn't have wizards, typical hocus pocus or standard magical creatures, you might want to try this trilogy.

Hailing the hero,
K