Reading Room Review

Bloggiesta Wrap-Up and Changes

I've made some minor changes to some things around the blog this weekend. You may or may not notice it, but I wanted to bring a few things to your attention.

• Starting this week, the format of reviews is changing.  I am going to begin including the publisher information and page count.  Also, I will have links to each author's twitter, website, and/or facebook page.  This will allow you to connect more with authors that you are interested in.
• As well as adding new information to reviews, I will be changing a little of the way they look. I am hoping the new changes will make them more aesthetically pleasing.
• I've been able to get my email inbox situation under control.  I plan to reply more to your comments whenever I'm able.  If you are using a blogger account, I suggest you enable your email so that I can reply directly to your comments. (link to tutorial on Housewife Eclectic). If your email is enabled, there is a very good chance you'll get a reply from me on your fantastic comments.
• A look back at my history of posts revealed that I am becoming quite stale in my content (at least in my opinion). So, in the coming months, I will be adding more discussion posts, author interviews, and guest posts. In fact, if you are interested in doing a guest post, send me an email.
• Want to see a full list of what I did (and didn't) accomplish? Check out my first bloggiesta post.

In My Mailbox

Okay, I haven't done one of these forever, and if I listed all the books that I've acquired since November, this would be the longest post ever. So, I'm sticking to the books that I've received in the last couple weeks.

For Review:

Vesper by Jeff Sampson

Enclave by Ann Aguirre (I was so happy when I got a pitch for this one. I've been on the lookout for it since I first heard about it a year ago. It had a different name and title back then. Can't wait to dive into it.)

From Paperback Swap:

Gone by Michael Grant (This book really looks fantastic, but I think the page count is freaking me out. It's a massive book, even in paperback.)

From Library Book Sale:

On the Banks of Plum Creek by Laura Ingalls Wilder (Who didn't want to be a frontier girl after reading these books?)

Tangled by Carolyn Mackler

Fablehaven by Brandon Mull

The Actor and the Housewife by Shannon Hale (The only book of hers that I haven't read).

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

Rebel Angels by Libba Bray

The Giver by Lois Lowry

The Sea of Trolls by Nancy Farmer

Dragon's Milk by Susan Fletcher

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor

Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson

Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper

Purchased:

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand (I HAD to have the shiny cover) 

Across the Universe by Beth Revis (I immediately switched the cover to the blueprint one. My husband approved)

If you've made it this far in this post, bravo. Sorry it was kind of dry, but I figured I may as well get it all over with in one post rather than dragging it out through several.  Thank you as always for reading. You guys rock!

Doing the Bloggiesta

It's bloggiesta time again! I've got a fantastic laundry list of items that need to be completed. (And laundry, but I'm not counting that for this particular challenge.)

Want to join in the fun? Head on over to Maw Books and sign up!

1. Update Reviews on Goodreads
2. Update Reviews on Amazon
3. Clean up email inbox
4. Fix tags
5. Add Book Blogger Confidential to menu bar
6. Go through blog roll and clean up
7. Update review policy, about me page, and advertising page
8. Write 10 reviews
9. Write blogger confidential posts
10. Write 2 discussion posts
11. Organize bookshelves
12. Update Review by Title page
13. Update Review by Author page
14. Create local author signing calendar, page or something
15. Change blogger accounts from old email to new one.

Bloggiesta Wrap Up!

What a productive weekend! I was able to get a lot of things done with my blog that I had been meaning to do for awhile.

Here are the mini-challenges I participated in:

Kim and Jackie at the Blog Improvement Project (@kimthedork and @farmlanebooks): Long-term and short term blogging goals. Having some ideas of where to go with the blog have made it easier for me to come with ideas for posts.

Jennifer at Girls Gone Reading (@girlsgonereadin): I updated my review policy to reflect the types of review copies I prefer to receive. I also updated the stats on my advertising policy.

Pam from MotherReader (@MotherReader): I got out of my comfort zone and emailed a few authors that I admire and asked them for a guest post. I don't know if anything will come of it, but it was something I had been meaning to do for awhile.

Danielle at There’s a Book (@the1stdaughter): I took a look at my google analytics. I've had it on my site for awhile, but it's been so complicated, I haven't tried figuring it out. But, I looked at a lot of the other stats, including bounce rate and tried to determine what types of content works best on my site.

One note of interest. I tried doing domain masking on my site this weekend, but it turns out that if you do that, you can't take your favicon with you. (At least not if you bought your domain through GoDaddy like I did.) I even called the tech support people to try and get it to work.

But, I did update my reviews by title and authors pages. If you are looking for a specific review, check out those pages. (They took a lot of work!)

I also updated my Goodreads reviews. I made a lot more bookshelves, and updated the ratings. I didn't get around to linking up my reviews yet, but that will be done over the course of the next week.

I made review posts templates for books that I'm still reading. This will allow me to just write my review and post it. Because I'm such a scatterbrain, I often forget important links or information in my review posts when I do them quickly.

A couple of you asked about doing a blog analysis. I'm going to do a "Ask HTMiLy" post about it in a couple weeks, so be watching for it.

Thanks to Natasha at Maw Books for hosting such a great event! I got a lot done, and had fun meeting a lot of new bloggers.

Bloggiesta!

I participated in the Bloggiesta last year at this time, and it was awesome! I got a whole bunch of design and layout things done.

This year I am fortunate to have a new design done by a professional. But, I do have a lot of other things I'd like to get done this weekend. Here's my to-do list:

Set goals for next year's blogging
Update review policy
Update About Me Page
Run a blog analysis and make suggested improvements
Update "Reviews by Author" and "Reviews by Title" pages
Create templates for future review posts
Plan out a blogging schedule for the next month
Organize Goodreads reviews into categories and link up my reviews
Make sure all my reviews are on Amazon.com
Answer questions for a blog interview
Clean out my Google Reader
Write a couple Ask HTMiLy posts
Set up domain masking
Search for broken links and fix them

Bloggiesta Mini-Challenge

Google Alert Mini-Challenge

This mini-challenge is pretty simple. Using one of the tasks from the 31 Days to Building a Better Blog, we will be creating Google Alerts. I use Google Alerts frequently in my job to keep up on trends in the industry. I have to admit that I don't use them in blogging, but I definitely will be starting some! Head on over to ProBlogger and read the instructions on setting up a useful Google Alert.

When you are finished, post a comment in the comments section to win some fabulous prizes! Make sure you've been over to Maw Books Blog to sign up for the Bloggiesta! Ole!

Bloggiesta Wrap Up

I had a productive weekend of blog maintaince. Taking the weekend was totally worth it. I feel like my site reflects a lot more of who I am and has a much cleaner look. Here's the run down of the weekend.

Friday:

• Designed background
• Designed Header
• Attempted to upload header
• Added Tweeple, cleaned up google reader
• Planned future posts
• Brainstormed meme and award ideas

Total Hours: 6


Today:

• Uploaded new site design including header and background. I think it looks fabulous!
• Fixed all sidebars and links
  
• Created and uploaded new Favicon
• Created a gravatar account
• Did a web grader analysis. Then, implemented changes
• Helped out with technical stuff on Twitter
• Read through comments and started responding through email.
• Updated Goodreads
• Made comments on social networking sites.
  

Goals: Will be updated 6/21 am

• 10/10 New Subscribers (Thanks everyone! I've got 35 total. Not bad for one month of blogging)
• 20/15 New Comments (This isn't counting the mini-challenge, btw)
• 1/10 Backup Posts

Total Time: 10 hours

Mini Challenges Completed:

Rebecca at The Book Lady's Blog: Cleaning up Google Reader
Trish at Hey Lady! Whatcha Reading?: Creating Favicons and Gravatars
Michelle at Galley Smith: Correctly Using Anchor Text
Ruth at Bookish Ruth: Grading Your Website

Comments Left: Probably about 10. I will do follow-up comments later, promise

Tweets Sent: Hundreds. I'll have to count another time, lol.

TOTAL Hours: 16

My favorite part of the Bloggiesta was getting that formatting change done. Now, I've got to do some updating on my other book challenges, and most importantly, get some reading done!

Bloggiesta Starting Line

This my official starting line Bloggiesta post. However, I have to get to work... like right now... so it's going to have to wait.


Okay, I'm off work. Here's the breakdown of today:

20 minutes spent cleaning up google reader. Made folders for different topics, got rid of old feeds, and added some new ones!

20 minutes spent adding google alerts for my blog. In the back of my mind I had thought of doing this before but never did.

Currently: Thinking of a weekly meme or award to call my own.

Next: Make a fabulous favicon!

A Little Preview

For the Bloggiesta this weekend hosted by Natasha at Maw Book Blog, I've decided to revamp my blog. It's going to have a new look, based on this graphic.

 

What do you think? Pretty cute, huh?

Bloggiesta!

I spend hours on my blog every night. I know it may not look like it, but I am constantly tweeking links, pictures, blogs, lists, and everything in between. It's all part of starting up a new blog, I guess. I'm also participating in the 31 Days to Building a Better Blog at ProBlogger. It's a fantastic program. So, Maw Book Blog is hosting a 24-hour book blog maintainance event, which coinsides perfectly with all the work I was planning to do on my 31 Days to Building a Better Blog.  Thanks Natasha!

Edited to Add: This is open to anyone with a blog, no matter the topic!
Edited *again* to add: I have been so dutifully informed that it is next weekend, not this weekend. Either way, I'll be participating.

Tasks:

• Create new blog template
• Create Favicon
• Fix all links, and sidebars
• Add another sidebar
• Create backup posts
• Brainstorm ideas for challenges and giveaways
• Develop a pitch for publishers when requesting ARC's
• Finish the 31 Days to Building a Better Blog 

Goals:

• Increase subscribers by 10
• 15 new comments
• 10 back up posts
• More user-friendly blog