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For Twitter Users: Book A Day

By Jan
 on June 8, 2014

The Borough Press in London has launched a fun meme for those of you who use Twitter. It’s called “Book A Day” and uses the following list for the month of June:

Book A Day list

Simply tweet once a day, answering the corresponding query for the day of the month, and include the #bookaday hashtag and a photo of the appropriate book if you can. Although I’m a little late with this, I’m going to follow along. It looks fun and something that others can adapt for their own use.

You can find me on Twitter at @mcfitzsatx and this meme at #bookaday.

In categories List, Reading Tagged with

Booking Through Thursday: Mood Reading

By Jan
 on January 30, 2012

From Booking Through Thursday, I found this question from December 1, 2011 that I’d like to explore:

Do you find that your mood affects the things you read? Like, if you’re in a bad mood, do you tend to indulge in reading that will support it or do you try to read things that will cheer you up? Do you pick different types of books on dreary, rainy days than you do on bright sunny ones?
For that matter, does your mood color what you’re reading, so that a funny book isn’t so funny or a serious one not so deep?
I definitely choose my reading based on mood, and my reading affects my mood. I carefully avoid certain genres when I’m feeling vulnerable or depressed, for instance. Other times, I seek ‘heavy’ reading to occupy my mind (“The Complete Works of George McDonald”) or ‘light’ reading to escape the real world (“The Hunger Games”).
The weather affects my mood, so the result is often predictable [pun intended]. Those dreary, rainy days call for a heavy amount of humor mixed with happy endings. Bright, sunny days are open to more variable conditions, and the outlook could be any kind of atmosphere… OK, I give up!

I often have more than one book going at once so I can choose a genre based on my mood at the time. This is especially handy with my iPad and all the ebooks on it. I’m fairly sure I have all of the compatible ereader apps known to man on there.

© Jan McClintock of We Need More Shelves

In categories Booking Through Thursday, Reading Tagged with

451 Challenge

By Jan
 on February 12, 2010

Oh, just what I need, another challenge! But this one looks so wonderful, I can’t pass it up. (That’s what I said about the others, too, of course.) The 451 Challenge originates from the book “Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury, and is hosted and managed by Elizabeth at the As Usual, We Need More Bookshelves blog (no relation :-).

What would we do if all books were suddenly banned and/or destroyed? What ideas are worth saving? Which volumes would you want to memorize or even “become” in order to pass it on to the next generation? That is the premise and worthy challenge. Join me!

My TBR list, so far:
Collected Poems of Robert Frost [WORKING ON]
Ender’s Game – Orson Scott Card [DONE, see Recent Reads]
The Stand – Stephen King
Time and Again – Jack Finney
Water for Elephants – Sara Gruen [DONE, see Recent Reads]

© Jan McClintock of We Need More Shelves

In categories Reading Tagged with

Teaser Tuesday

By Jan
 on February 9, 2010

“Murdered!” said John Tyler. “General Harrison was not murdered! The very idea is absurd!” (p25)

“I recognize that ring,” she said, pointing to an exposed finger. “This is Frank! This is my husband!” (p50)

Die Like A Hero: A Josiah Beede Mystery by Clyde Linsley

© Jan McClintock of We Need More Shelves

In categories Reading Tagged with

The Short Story Reading Challenge

By Jan
 on January 28, 2010

The Short Story Reading Challenge is hosted by Kate and has different options for readers on varying levels. This is a genre that more people should try, in my opinion, and one in which you can find as much variety as novels.

I have to admit that I’m a sucker for a good short story. The ability to tell a compelling story and not waste words is something I admire. This harks back to my technical editing (once an editor, always an editor), but also to the love of language. I only wish I had the imagination to produce it myself.

My ongoing list for 2010
1. Pedro Antonio De Alarcon’s “Captain Veneno’s Proposal”
2. Pedro Antonio De Alarcon’s “The Nail”
3. Robert Barr’s “How the Captain Got His Steamer Out”
4. Robert Barr’s “My Stowaway”
5. Voltaire’s “Zadig the Babylonian”

To be continued…

© Jan McClintock of We Need More Shelves

In categories Reading Tagged with ,

Teaser Tuesday

By Jan
 on January 26, 2010

“Before he could react, there was a movement behind him and a stunning blow at the base of his skull.” (p17)

“Boy, as far as I can see, you picked the only genuinely ugly building in Heidelberg.” (p31)

Fellowship of Fear by Aaron Elkins

© Jan McClintock of We Need More Shelves

In categories Reading Tagged with

Bookmarks: The Beginning

By Jan
 on January 22, 2010

I’ve used many everyday items as bookmarks over the years as well as special bookmarks given as gifts or made by hand. Here I’m going to document the many types of bookmarks I use and will link to fun sites online about bookmarks.

A great idea: combine the jacket with a bookmark! Jacket + Bookmark

Many wonderful hand-crafted bookmarks are available at Etsy.com; beaded, woven, crocheted, tatted, embroidered, painted, drawn, photographed, metal, wood, paper, fabric — you name it! Here is one I particularly like from Singing Sunflower Jewellery:

Neat blog about a Bookmark Collector – and further study shows a whole page of links about Bookmark Blogs and Sites. Who knew?

A nice (and easy) idea for Fabulous Photo Bookmarks from Craftzine.com

These beautiful Twelve Audubon Bookmarks are just a sample of lovely and inexpensive sets available at Amazon.com
Some of the eclectic items I’ve used as bookmarks: tickets (movie, airline, parking garage, etc.), photos, candy wrappers, postcards, prescription drug labels, scraps of paper towels, gift cards, pipe cleaners, ribbon, bath tissue (who hasn’t?), recipe cards, legal tender, and yes, strawberry Twizzlers. I have been known to use leaves and dryer sheets and other potentially messy things at times. But so far, I haven’t ruined any books that way.
I love Kleenex-brand facial tissues because the large tab that you remove from the top of the box to access the tissues makes a perfect bookmark!

I don’t fold corners or use paperclips unless I know I am going to keep the book and use it for future reference. The same goes for writing in it. Otherwise, it would be VANDALISM!!>

© Jan McClintock of We Need More Shelves

In categories Reading

Teaser Tuesday

By Jan
 on January 20, 2010

“The Nellie, a cruising yawl, swung to her anchor without a flutter of the sails, and was at rest. The flood had made, the wind was nearly calm, and being bound down the river, the only thing for it was to come to and wait for the turn of the tide.”

First line of Joseph Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness“

© Jan McClintock of We Need More Shelves

In categories Reading Tagged with
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