Sunday Salon - Don't Call It A Comeback...

Me as the mad hatter with a book cake.  ;-)

Apparently (lol)... I have been here for years.  Make that six years.  I always have seem to miss the anniversary which is in June. I wish I could say I have something special for everyone like a giveaway but I do not at the moment.  I stopped giveaways for the time being, at least until I figure out how to gain more viewers. The last couple giveaways I would only have the 2 same people signing up. Which I appreciate those two for coming regularly … I guess I just need more people...lol

I wish I could also say that I have some new ideas and reviews coming... Well reviews I do have but that is about it.   I feel kinda feel depressed about it.  I am not reading much at all. As for other ideas there is little things that might show up.

Well, I just wanted say hello, I am still here and hopefully see you soon.

Sunday Salon

Sunday Salon - Behind The Scenes

The picture on top pretty much describes how I read.  Technically I am reading 7 books right now.  Each one is from a different group ..I guess.  Yes there is a method to my madness.

I read seven books it seems to be working out that I get reading done although the cycle that I read them in one week I will have a bunch of books done and ready for review. Another week I will have none finished.   So I guess you can say there is a method but it needs tweaking.

My method is weird... I am pretty sure about that.  I read 7 books at a time.  I group them into seven subject, Read for Fun, Non-Fiction, ARCs, Classic, Ebook, Easy Read(book under 100 pages), and Sword and Laser monthly book club pick.

What about you?  Do you have a quirky way of reading your books?

Sunday Salon - Showing Some Love

(art by me Shannon McGee image sold on Zazzle store Confuzzled Designs)

Well Valentine’s Day is coming up and it got me thinking about what do readers want to read on this blog.   Actually an article got me thinking...but anyway...I want to tell those of you that stop by and comment even if it only for a giveaway.   I am trying to get better at the replying to comments.  I don’t usually because I’d hate for it to sound generic and not heartfelt.

I have done many different events on this blog but I never got the feeling that they were well liked.

Unless I am talking about Refer A Book Friday which just made my to read list out of hand.  I wish I could still do it …*sigh*

There was also the Mystery Twitter Book Giveaway.  Where I would give everyone a sentence (on Twitter) from the first half of chapters in a book and people could guess or not guess and just see if it was a book they were interested in.

Then on Wednesdays I use to write fictional short stories called Confuzzled Stories featuring my Confuzzled Fae.

I guess why I am listing these is there something any of you miss from the blog or would like me to do.   I want make this something you want to read, make you feel good and keep coming back to.

Happy Valentine’s Day!!

oh And

Happy Fat Tuesday!

Sunday Salon - Depression, Depression Go Away...

This past week I did not get much reading done.  I just found myself doing nothing.  Sometimes I think what is the point of me writing all the reviews  even reading the books.  My husband says you never know there might be a person who gets cheered up from reading your blog. I just can not see it.  I think why … I do like doing this but I just wonder if I should be doing other things you know.  This feeling will pass and probably come back again it always seems to.  I just wish I had an answer that I am moving in the right direction doing these blogs.   I wonder if it will lead to something else or … ah what do I know.

Sunday Salon - Beware Books... The Reading Monster Is Coming to Devour You

I haven’t posted on Sunday Salon in a while.  I am really trying to get caught up in Arcs that I have.  I have a schedule for reading and the blog.   If you came to the blog the end of December you would have seen that I was having a book review party.lol  What I was trying to do what get to my goodreads goal which was 100 books read.  I thought I had it but I missed it by 1!   1!  Can you believe that!  Ugh so frustrating...

I have a new reviewer helping out on the blog.  Her name is Marilyn.  I hope you give her a nice welcome.

More reviews coming up this week.  Don’t forget to check out this month’s Giveaway up in the right hand corner!

Sunday Salon - The Bad Habit Of A Fur Baby

Thanksgiving went well. Even though some family members could not come they were missed.
The whole time our dog Nala begged and begged.  Surprisingly she was much more quiet than she is with us.  She is especially whines when we have finished the food we are eating.   She is a little dog and I think that has something to do with lengthy whine she does.    She will and has literally whined for hours after we have fed her, taken her out, and given her attention.   It seems now that winter has come she is more and more bored.  We have tried shhhing her, yelling at her, which are things that use to work but now it gets no results.    I don’t know if it is because she is 18 in people years and she does not hear us but someday I just want ….I don’t even know what.   She drives me and hubby crazy.    Her cuteness is the only thing keeping her alive.

As for reading (which is also hard to do with the constant whiner)  I am still reading The Aviator’s Wife by Melanie Benjamin.   I also read a few children books for the holidays.  I reviewed one Friday and will have another review tomorrow morning.

Hope everyone had a good holiday or non holiday.   If you have any suggestions about how to quiet a dog …pllleeese do.  

Sunday Salon - Welcoming the New

 I would like to welcome Rebecca Graf author of Deep Connections.

http://www.rebeccagraf.com/deep-connections.html

She is going be writing some reviews every other week.  Looking forward to her opinion and just plain happy to have her here.  She also has a another book site here. http://www.thenewsinbooks.com 

As for me I am behind in reading.  Having a little slump I guess. I caught up to reviewing the books that I had on stand by.  Meaning I don't have any books finished reading to review yet.  I have to work on that.  I am reading the Aviator's Wife by Melanie Benjamin.  Love her writing.  Loved her first two books Alice I Have Been and The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb.  I don't know how much reading I will get as I have to get ready for Thanksgiving soon.

There is a new giveaway if you click the book called the Cutting Season on the right you will be taken to the page to see how to win it. It is a fairly new book and new author but if you like mysteries you might like this.

Happy Sunday Everyone! Best Wishes
Shannon

Sunday Salon - Flying with FlyLady

I don't know if I have mentioned FlyLady.net  before.   She is this awesome lady who helps you get through clutter of the household.  I have jumped on her bandwagon and fell off a few times.   Since holidays are coming I am jumping on again.  

I am a person that tends to see the mess and inside I am freaking out.  I don't where to start how it got like this and how to keep it neater.   Flylady helps with the routines she has and as you start out you start in baby steps.   You do 15 minutes at a time.   Not to overwhelm yourself.

Fly Lady also has books.  One on cleaning house the other on body clutter.

I hope this helps someone else.  As it has at times helped me.:-)

Go to Flylady.net for more info.

Sunday Salon - Books Full of Art and Knowledge

Last weekend my hubby and I went to an art exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. 

I bought the book (image and name above) that went with the exhibit.  When you go to these side exhibits that are not there all the time you get a set a head phones that give you a personal tour of the exhibit.

I love books and seeing books with art a double plus.  Now Gauguin, Cézanne, and Matisse are not my favorite artist from that period I am a  fan of George Seurat.  Seurat does get talked about a little in the exhibit and book.  

This exhibit, called Visions Of Arcadia, were mostly painting of bathers in a garden of paradise (image below).  Some were just landscapes.

(The Large Bathers by Cezanne)

I wish I could tell you more about the history but I don't remember too much from the exhibit (sometimes I wish I had a photographic memory).   That is another reason I wanted the book.

I took art history class in college but frankly I remember none of it..well maybe a little.  Studying for a test was major pain but I still have fond memories about studying and being in the class.  

It was still fun and looking forward to go to another one soon. :-)

Sunday Salon - Scheduled Reading

(image from oprah.com)

The experts bloggers say you should make a schedule of what to write each day on your blog.  I have done that and of course it keeps changing over the years but recently I have taken up a reading schedule.  

I read (5) books a day 50 pages each.  2 of them ebook.  Now of course I have told you I fear it may change again but so far so good. 

Does anyone else do this?  I have found that I read more quickly because of it which is great because I am behind on review of arcs.

Sunday Salon - First Author Ever

I had a thought this week that I never really wondered about before.  My thought was who was the first known author? I know some you have probably thought of this and have answers I am slow on the upkeep, which is not unusual for me.  My Google search brought up that whomever wrote the Epic of Gilgamesh was I guess you could say the first book but we really do not know who wrote it.   More interesting my search brought up that scholars believe the first known woman author is named  Enheduanna.  She was Sumerian from 23rd century B.C. and she mostly wrote poetry.  I couldn’t find any links of her poetry in english but I still think it interesting.

            So this is my question this week.  Do you remember the first author you loved and had to read everything they wrote?

Mine would have to be Beverly Cleary.   I read every last book she wrote.  I forget most of the stories but not really the characters.   Maybe one day I will read them again.

Sunday Salon - Pop Fiction: Stand Alone Vs. Series

So my hubby brought up a good question this week.  In popular fiction there seems to be a lot of push for authors who have had a hit book to make it into a series, usually a long going series.

Most popular books are not stand alone anymore.   Even if the book was a stand alone, say like Gone With The Wind, if they can’t get the author to write a sequel then they have someone else do it.

I mean really are there those of us who are satisfied with the stand alones that the story just ends and you don’t have to keep buying books to keep up with the series.

What do you think you would rather read more often series or stand alone?

Right now I have started so many series I love but wish sometimes the series didn’t go on forever (like Piers Anthony’s Xanth’s series, Sookie Stackhouse series, etc)

I am also hoping the new J.K. Rowling is a stand alone but that may be decided on how much money it makes which is not a good reason to start a series.

Sunday Salon - Reading Olympics

 

   

     2012 Reading Challenge

   

       

         

       

     

       Shannon has

            read 26 books toward her goal of 100 books.

     

     

       

hide

     

     

       26 of 100 (26%)

     

       

         view books

       

 

Many of you know what this is above if you are on Goodreads.  This is Goodreads challenge widget.  You decide how many books you read for the year and this keeps track.  So far I am 31 books behind my schedule.  I didn’t make last years by almost 20 but I going to keep trying.   I don’t really win anything in the end just the satisfaction of finish each book.  You know that feeling right especially one that was good.  You feel good about it but you wish it was over or it had a sequel.

So I am curious after I finish a book I usually feel a little like I accomplished something.  Is that what you feel when you finish a book good or bad?

What is your reading goal for this year? Are you behind or on target?

Sunday Salon - The Loss Of A Fur Baby

Over the past week we lost our cat Sweetie.  We had only had her a year and she was 17 years old.  Her name said it all about her she was sweetie.   She loved to be held in fact did not like it when you were doing anything else but holding her.   She was always purring and was very vocal.  We knew she was sick a couple month after we got her and there was not much we could do but just keep her comfortable until she got worse.   When I would read or wrap gifts or sit at the computer she would sit on my shoulders and purr happily.   We miss her.

We have our dog Nala still who is 17 years old she is enjoying being the center of the attention again.

Sunday Salon - Starting a Book You're Not Sure

Have you ever started reading a book you weren’t sure you were going to like?  I am having a hard time starting any books lately because I feel a lack excitement for the stories.  Some of the books I know I should be liking other I am not sure on.  For example I am starting the book Hyperion by Dan Simmons for a online book club called Laser and the Sword.  It is very Science Fiction and I am more a Fantasy girl.  I have read some Science Fiction books and have been happily surprised that I loved them.  I am hoping that Hyperion will be one of those.

Do you read books out your genre?  Do you end up surprised by them or do you dislike them?

and

What do you when you are not interested in reading but have so many arcs to review?

Do you push through? Do you take a break?

Sunday Salon - Rubber Eraser Day

With so much tv and other forms of info talking about the anniversary of the Titanic going down.   I was wondering if today was known for anything else and to my surprise it is Rubber Eraser Day.   Today we celebrate the creation of the Eraser!   

Which actually I can connect to the Titanic because everyone would have liked to erase that iceberg it hit.....if only the eraser worked like that.

Speaking of thing we wish we could erase.  Is there one book or more you wish you could erase from memory?   Or are there ones you wish your brain did not erase as well as it did?

I have a few I wish I did not read but I really wish my brain would not erase so good ones that I will want to reread now like Les Misrables.   I recently watched the movie and was like who is that person and I don’t remember her growing up.   Totally erase the book from memory.

The Sunday Salon - All Books Make Movies

Have you noticed all the books that has been being made into movies lately?  The Lorax, The Descendants, The Mysterious Island(journey 2), Princess of Mars (John Carter), The Hunger Games and so many more are being made.  I find it funny because I think the first time I see the book as a movie is in my head in it’s own magical movie. Now the only book I read being made a movie is The Hunger Games and I am eager to see the movie.   I saw the John Carter movie just Saturday and thought to be better then I thought.  

The John Carter movie is based on a series of books my Edgar Rice Burroughs, best know for creating Tarzan, the first called Princess of Mars.  It goes on for 11 books.  John Carter movie had many things that reminded me of Star Wars.

Next week will be the Hunger Games weekend!  Are you going to the movies to see it?  What else are you doing to celebrate?

I was curious to know if there was any one out there who had read the John Carter books and saw the movie?  How close is the movie to books?

Sunday Salon - Most Wonderful Time Of Year

Well the year is almost over and the tree is up for the holidays. First time in a long time it didn’t take us until Christmas Eve to set up the tree, I think.

I have almost made my reading goal on to read 100 books before the end of the year.

Right now I am half way through the first book of The Hunger Games.  I am also reading The Snow Queen by Mercedes Lackey(part of the 500 kingdom series) and the first Game of Thrones book.  That is a lot of series at once for me. lol
I usually read A Christmas Carol but I think I am going to skip it this year and just watch one of the movies.  
I started some Christmas shopping mostly for my husband have to work on others they are harder.  I got one present already from my husband, a android tablet.  It is pretty cool.

Had my first sale on Etsy (3 painted boxes) and had a sale on Zazzle (Original Halfling T-Shirt)
So you could say that things have been pretty good since Thanksgiving.

So are you prepared for the holidays?  Are you reading anything holiday related?

Sunday Salon - Thankful For Giving

This year we are not rich but we are doing okay.  Enough I try to give a little here or there if I can and to have contests that I can have internationally for now.  I am Thankful that we aren’t struggling this year (for the first time) and I know there are those that are.   I came across a post from One Busy Momma Christmas For Kids drive.  This year they are helping a single mother of three for Christmas by donating money or gift cards.

Now I am not a mother but I can imagine how hard it is to struggle with just one child or two especially with the way the economy is today.  So I please if you can to donate a 1 or 2 for this family.

On a another note of giving I also have a lot of Bookmooch points that I think I want to give away not sure where to yet but if anyone has thoughts please let me know because there are so many charities to choose from.

Sunday Salon - Mischief with Books

Tonight is what my town has always called Mischief Night.  The night before Halloween that kids or mostly teenagers go out and teepee a yard or throw eggs at a house.  You know do random mischief. This got me thinking what random mischief have you gotten into over a book?  Have ever damaged a library book?  or Heaven forbid stole a book?  

I have to say I have never stolen probably at least once damaged a library book but I don't really remember.  The most I have gotten in trouble with over a book is for reading a V.C. Andrews book in English class during a lesson.   And even that was mild as the teacher didn't want to really discourage me from reading just not during the lesson.