Home Girl's Book Blog: November 2009

Sign Up Page: 2010 Reading Challenge: 100+ Reading Challenge

1. The goal is to read 100 or more books. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate.

--Non-Bloggers: Post your list of books in the comment section of the wrap-up post. To learn how to sign up without having a blog, click here.

2. Audio, Re-reads, eBooks, YA, Manga, Graphic Novels, Library books, Novellas, Young Reader, Nonfiction – as long as the book has an ISBN or equivalent or can be purchased as such, the book counts.

What doesn't count: Individual short stories or individual books in the Bible.

3. No need to list your books in advance. You may select books as you go. Even if you list them now, you can change the list if needed.

4. Crossovers from other reading challenges count.

5. Challenge begins January 1st thru December, 2010. Books started before the 1st do not count.

6. When you sign up under Mr. Linky, put the direct link to your post where your books will be listed. Include the URL to this post so that other viewers can find this fun challenge. If you’d prefer to put your list in the sidebar of your blog, please leave your viewers the link to the sign up page. Again, so viewers can join the challenge too.

****You do NOT need to review your books. That is optional.****

Sign up Page: The 2010 Support Your Local Library Reading Challenge

1. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate.

--Non-Bloggers: Post your list of books in the comment section of the wrap-up post. To learn how to sign up without having a blog, click here.

2. There are four levels:

--The Mini – Check out and read 25 library books.

--Just My Size – Check out and read 50 library books.

--Stepping It Up – Check out and read 75 library books.

--Super Size Me – Check out and read 100 library books.

(Aim high. As long as you read 25 by the end of 2010, you are a winner.)

3. Audio, Re-reads, eBooks, YA, Young Reader – any book as long as it is checked out from the library count. Checked out like with a library card, not purchased at a library sale.

4. No need to list your books in advance. You may select books as you go. Even if you list them now, you can change the list if needed.

5. Crossovers from other reading challenges count.

6. Challenge begins January 1st thru December, 2010.

7. When you sign up under Mr. Linky, put the direct link to your post where your library books will be listed. Include the URL to this post so that other viewers can find this fun challenge. If you’d prefer to put your list in the sidebar of your blog, please leave your viewers the link to the sign up page. Again, so viewers can join the challenge too.

****You do NOT need to review your books. That is optional.****

The 2010 Young Adult Reading Challenge

Click on the below links:

Sign Up Page

Post Your Reviews

Your Wrap Up/Completed List Post

Note: Each of the reading challenges hosted in 2010 by this blog will have a page like this with the button/link on the left hand sidebar.

Grab this picture link for your blog!

New Reading Challenge: The 2010 Young Adult Reading Challenge

1. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate.

--Non-Bloggers: Post your list of books in the comment section of the wrap-up post. To learn how to sign up without having a blog, click here.

2. There are four levels:

--The Mini YA Reading Challenge – Read 12 Young Adult novels.

--Just My Size YA Reading Challenge – Read 25 Young Adult novels.

--Stepping It Up YA Reading Challenge – Read 50 Young Adult novels.

--Super Size Me YA Reading Challenge – Read 75 Young Adult novels.

3. Audio, eBooks, re-reads all count.

4. No need to list your books in advance. You may select books as you go. Even if you list them now, you can change the list if needed.

5. Challenge begins January 1st thru December, 2010.

6. When you sign up under Mr. Linky, put the direct link to your post where your Young Adult novels will be listed. Include the URL so that other viewers can find this fun challenge. If you’d prefer to put your list in the sidebar of your blog, please leave your viewers the link to the sign up page. Again, so viewers can join the challenge too.

****You do NOT need to review your books. That is optional.****

The 2010 Young Adult Reading Challenge: Post Your Reviews

This is NOT the sign up page.

If you'd like to sign up for this challenge, click here.

Although not required, some bloggers like to link their reviews when participating in a reading challenge. That's the purpose for this post. Use the Mr. Linky Widget to link your review page.

Posting reviews for this challenge is optional.

Grab this picture link for your blog!

2009/2010 Lisa Jackson Reading Challenge

Click on the below links:

Sign Up Page

Post Your Reviews (Optional – books do not need to be reviewed.)

Your Wrap Up/Completed List Post

Note: Each of the reading challenges hosted in 2010 by this blog will have a page like this with the button/link on the left hand sidebar.

Grab this picture link for your blog!

Your Completed List: The 2010 Young Adult Reading Challenge

This post serves as a way to link your completed list of books read for this reading challenge. When you have completed your reading list, create a blog post and link that post with the Mr. Linky widget. For non-bloggers, simply list your completed list in the comment section.

To sign up for this reading challenge, click here.
To link your reviews for this reading challenge, click here.

Your Completed List: 2009/2010 Lisa Jackson Reading Challenge

2009/2010 Stephanie Plum Reading Challenge

Lynn Viehl's Darkyn Series Reading Challenge

How to create a Blogger Profile Page

As you read these steps, please keep in mind this doesn't create a blog for you. This is for your Blogger Profile Page. Remember that when you look at the photo below.

Go to https://www.blogger.com/start. Click on Create A Blog. Remember, you aren't really going to create a blog. You can later if you want, but that's optional.

Don't panic when you see this page. Click on the skip this step option.

You will need to create a Blogger Account. Fill out your email and other information.

At the bottom of this page, you'll see the orange arrow with the words "Continue". Click that.

Next you might have to verify your account. If you don't see the circled information above, move on.

Click Edit Profile.

This next page is the privacy page. IMPORTANT: Make sure you click "Share My Profile" and "Show Sites I Follow".

You can fill out as much of the rest as you'd like. When you are done, don't forget to click the orange Save Profile button.

Whenever you enter a contest, make sure this is the account information you use when signing in. Again, let me remind viewers that I am not tech savvy. There might be an easier way of doing this. If so, write up a blog post and link it below.

Giveaways & Following with Google Friend Connect

Don't let the fact that your avatar shows up here fool you!

Many viewers believe they are following with Google Friend Connect and maybe they are, but if I can’t verify this, then it doesn’t count. So how do I verify this information?

Take a look at the picture above. See the circled name? I click on there.

The page that pops up is a Blogger Profile page. If you look under Ash's blogs she follows, J. Kaye's Book Blog isn't one.

Yet if you click on Ash's avatar above, she is right next to the Insane Bunny, the below photo is what will pop up.

As you can see, Ash is indeed following this blog, but it doesn't show up on her Blogger Profile page. It's the profile page that's important. Google Friend Connect and Blogger still have a few glitches to overcome. Until then, you'll need to adjust your Blogger Profile settings as well as adding your Blogger Profile link to your Google Friend Connect. So how do you know if it's correct?

Sign out. Once you are, click on the comments. You'll know that you aren't automatically signed back in when your USERNAME & PASSWORD are blank like photo above.

Then click on your name and under the blogs you follow, J. Kaye's Book Blog should be there.

If not, you haven't adjusted your setting correctly. I am not tech savvy, so if I can figure it out, so can you.

PLEASE NOTE: You do NOT need to have a blog to create a Blogger Profile Page. More about that in the next post.

Special thanks to Ash as I used her as an example for the above information. She has two rocking blogs: English Major's Junk Food and Young Iowan Writer. Take a moment to visit both.

Your Completed List: 2009/2010 Lynn Viehl's Darkyn Series Reading Challenge

The 2009 - 100+ Reading Challenge: Post Your November Reviews

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY:

This post serves as a way for bloggers to post their NOVEMBER reviews for the 2009 - 100+ Reading Challenge . DO NOT put your blog's URL in below. Put the link to your review here. If you would like to sign up for this challenge, then click here.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Name: Title of the Book
Your URL: The Link to Your Review

If for some reason you aren't able to see the Mr. Linky box below, that means the Linky people are having difficulty. You can post your book's title & URL in the comment section below.

PLEASE NOTE: Posting reviews isn't necessary to complete this reading challenge. Review are optional.

Update: 2010 Reading Challenges

Tomorrow I’ll be posting some massive changes coming in 2010. Between that and the talk about reading challenges last week, I realized that I won’t be signing up for many in 2010. So if I’m not going to participate, then why host. Sounds kind of silly, right? I’ve narrowed down the ones I’ll be hosting in 2010. Some of these are 2009/10 challenges. The rest will be hosted by other bloggers and their URL is posted below.

The Reading Challenges I will be hosting:

2009/2010 Lynn Viehl's Darkyn Series Reading Challenge - Sign Up Page

2009/2010 Stephanie Plum Reading Challenge - Sign Up Page

2009/2010 Lisa Jackson Reading Challenge - Sign Up Page

2010 Young Adult Book Challenge (Click here to sign up.

2010 - 100+ Reading Challenge (Click here to sign up.)

2020 Support Your Local Library Challenge (Click here to sign up.)

I’d planned to host two more, but have changed my mind. With the new direction I am taking, reading challenges won’t be a huge priority this will be enough.

Book Chick City will be taking over Suspense & Thriller Challenge

Erotic Horizon will be taking over Erotica Reading Challenge

Alaine - Queen of Happy Endings will be taking over the following:

1st in Series Challenge
2nds Challenge
eBook Reading Challenge
Audiobook Challenge

As soon as Book Chick City, Erotic Horizon, and Alaine - Queen of Happy Endings have a sign up post ready, I’ll post an announcement here. Sorry for the last minute changes, but those who know me understand this isn't abnormal. I've been working on changing for a few months. Only recently did a plan manifest itself. That will be posted tomorrow.