lit*chick

Bullet Point Monday

• Alright Round Robinettes - mail your book off this week. Let's keep it moving people

• and some bonus etsy eye candy:

  I love everything at Creative Thursday's shop, but these two especially.

Over the last year, I've ordered quite a few prints from dazey chic (studio mela) but here are some more on the cute list:

wall decals & paper dolls combined make me smile from lovemaestore

i love these skirts and dresses from PrettyMe - they look like scrapbook pages:

 

• Don't forget to sign up on the mama day giveaway post to win lotsa books.

The End.

 

Good Good Friday

The review for An Offer You Can't Refuse by Jill Mansell is up on the feed.

If you haven't mailed your Round Robin book yet, please get on it.  For many, this is not the only book in their stack - so the more time the better.   I'm opening up comments in the RR section - if you are still waiting for your April book, leave a note there so I can follow up.

Have a wonderful Easter weekend everyone! He is Risen!

The End.

Neither Spring, Nor a Break

Despite evidence to the contrary, I'm still here and still reading. We are on Spring Break this week in which we enjoyed one day of spring-like weather and mama got no break (except for the sleeping in part, thanks grammy).

I have been reading. And have lots to share including a new book review for Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven by Susan Jane Gilman.

I'm not going to bother writing a review for the icky book I finished this week - The Story of Janeby Catherine Cusset.The premise - a professor at a small New England College finds a package at her door that contains a novel about her. And it is frighteningly accurate.  She begins to read and the story alternates with the "novel" and Jane trying to unravel the mystery. Sounds good, right? It's not. Trust me on this one.

Next week I'll be reviewing my advanced copy of An Offer You Can't Refuse by Jill Mansell - some British chick lit.

I also finished my Round Robin book - Coming of Age in Mississippi by Anne Moody which was totally worthwhile. I won't say anymore and spoil it for the rest of the people in my group. But I highly recommend it as one of those books everyone should read. 

Also to all  of the READING ROUND ROBIN ladies - if you are finished with your books, nothing says you can't mail them early. You should mail them starting next Wednesday April 1 anyhow. If you aren't finished reading your first book - get a move on. :) And yes, I realize some people received their books late because I don't know how to type - my apologies.  If you mailed your book late because life is crazy - well, welcome to the club...mail it earlier this month please. :)

That was the lit*chick brain dump for this week. How's everyone doing? And what are you reading?

The End.

Update Shmupdate

Lots going on in spite of the clutter in my head. I'll recap:

• Reading Round Robin - up and running.  If you are involved you can chat, leave questions, check in...click the linky along the top.
• My In Real Life bookclub met and selected books this week...they were kind enough to conference me in. The list is in the Lit Chick Bookstore.
• Putting the spit & polish on 3 reviews - all very different. Look for them on Monday. Really.
• Getting Baby Gs room ready...still. Does anyone know a good wallpaperer? If not, I'm going to have to learn quick. Any advice?
• Still no baby name, or lots of names, depending on your perspective.
• I saw a book today that looks very cool.. and I wish I'd bought it. But I was exercising restraint.

Lost Crafts: Rediscovering Traditional Skills by Una McGovern

• Next week, I'm planning to go to Borders in DC to see Molly from Orangette and have her sign her new book:             I'll pick one up for you too or you can come along...Tuesday 12:30. Be there.

That's all for now. Enjoy your weekend. Especially if your having a baby shower - you know who you are. :)

The End.

Let the Wild (Reading) Rumpus Start!

To the lovely ladies of the Reading Round Robin:

If you haven't received an email with your group info, lemme know. You should be getting your traveling bookmark any day now if you haven't already. Now here are some reminders:

• Put the bookmark inside the book YOU are mailing.
• Go ahead and put your name on the bookmark.
• You will be sending to the next person on your list (no 6 you are sending to no 1)
• This will be the person (and address) that you mail every month - you are passing books along.
• After you have finished the book, you can sign your name to the bookmark/library card with any comments or greetings and your town/state.

• You will get your original book back.

If you have additional questions, please feel free to ask. If you haven't received a bookmark by Wednesday, let me know and we'll figure it out.

Ladies, mail your book selection THIS WEEK. :)

Finally, I just read a FANTASTIC book that I received as a review copy. Look for an actual review this week. It's called The Girl She Used to Be by David Cristofano.

We're expecting a nice big winter storm here and I already have a nice stack of books at the ready, but I must get provisions for the rest of the family so I can read in peace.

The End.

Today

...is the last day to sign up for the Reading Round Robin. There are 2.5 groups so far - looking to complete that last one...

The book choices look awesome so far - so come play along! I promise I'll make it as painless as possible.

And if you haven't emailed me your address and book choices yet, please do it soon so I can get you in a group.

The End.

Reading Round Robin

If I wait to have any cohesive thoughts about this, I'll never begin. So if you are willing to step into the great unknown, let me outline what I think will be the plan. Subject, of course, to tweaking based on your questions/suggestions.

1. Choose two books that you'd like to pass along. (You'll only be sending one, but I'm trying to avoid repeats. And you'll get it back.)

2. Sign up - in the comments. I'll contact you for your personal info & book choices. A simple, "I'm in" will do.

3. You will be assigned to a group of 6 chicks.With a good balance of books/locations. All in the US - although if there is int'l interest, you can be your own group of 6 or 3.

4. I will email you your group info - addresses and email addys so you can communicate amongst yourselves if you run into a glitch. Also, I may be asking one member of each group to act as the mama bird - checking in with the group, being a contact person, ironing out any wrinkles.

5. The schedule will look something like this:

Example group of 3:  Me, J, L

On March 1st, I'll mail my choice to J, she will mail her choice to L. L will mail to me.

(You will have one week to mail your books - obviously it is cheaper to do it sooner - bookrate. But the idea is to get it to the next person giving them ample time to finish)

6.Inside each book will be a traveling bookmark (which I will mail to each particpant) - and will be a travel log of sorts, tracing your book's journey. I will also send some library cards to include for additional comments. Finish up the book, sign the bookmark, and send to the next person on your list the week of April 1 ( or sooner, if you are a rockstar)

7. You will be allowed one pass....but without messing up the schedule.  Life is full of curve balls, if you just can't finish (or even start) a book, take your pass. This only lasts 6 months so you'll either read 5 or 6 books.  Obviously, you may get a book you've already read. Just consider that a BONUS, but please sign & make your comments afresh. :)

8. I will open up comments either in a separate forum, or just in a regular post at the end of the month.  I haven't quite worked that all out yet.....how much I'll be involved past the administration end. Bear with me.

9. In summary - magically books will appear monthly at your door. You will be responsible for mailing books in a timely fashion to the next member of your group. And at the end, you'll get your book back with comments and some mileage.

Additional info:

Right now, my only requirement (besides willingness), is no chunksters (books over 400/450 pages)  - with a few exceptions. If a book is 420 pages but moves quickly, that's fine. If it's Pillars of the Earth - not happenin'.  You are free to choose any genre  - I'll try to get a good mix in each group.

If you know anyone you'd think would be interested in giving this a whirl - please direct them here - we don't bite. I'd love to involve more friends in reading this year.

Questions, comments, suggestions?

SIGNUP in this post. I'll be in touch.

SIGNUPS will shut down February 13th. This is a firm deadline since I'll need to do some mailing & organizing of groups. Let's plan to begin March 1st.

The End.

AND I have an additional copy of Love and Other Natural Disasters to GIVEAWAY. Go enter at this post.