Home Girl's Book Blog: December 2010

How To Make A Blog Sidebar Button (Re-Run)

Sorry for the deluge of posts. I've gotten all my 2011 challenges up and running. I will make challenge buttons for anyone who wants to grab one for her/his blog, but other than that, we're in business. All of the 2010 pages are still functional, so feel free to wrap up your 2010 reviews and post them as time permits. In the meantime, I thought I'd re-post the How To Make A Blog Sidebar Button discussion in case anyone wants to give that a whirl this year. Happy New Year! Let the games begin.

***RE-RUN***

Sometimes, a blogger will want to display a picture on the sidebar of her blog that links to another blog (or a specific page on another blog). Often, book bloggers use these picture links, or "buttons," to connect to the various challenges in which they are participating.

Let's say you are participating in the 100+ Challenge on this blog, and you like to interact with other bloggers who have signed up for the same challenge by visiting their blogs, reading their reviews, and providing links for them to read yours. A blog button will allow you to access the specific page (in this example, the 100+ Challenge sign-up page) on Home Girl's Book Blog with a single click. Also, a well-made button will show an image (a picture) that suggests something about the link to increase the interest of your blog readers.

The two main pieces of information that you need to make a blog button are the following: a link to the page you wish to access, and a link to an image.

Notice I said a link to an image. Not an image that you have saved on your computer. You may wish to use an image that you have saved on your computer (like the 100+ Challenge image on this blog, which you can "rip" from this blog by right-clicking on the image and saving it to your computer); however, the image will THEN need to be stored in a public place. To store an image in a public place, you simply need to open up an account with http://www.photobucket.com/ (free and easy) or a similar image hosting site. Then, upload an image from your computer and follow the directions on the site to save the picture. Every photo that you upload will now have a "direct link" which you can copy and use later. You will probably wish to resize your photos so that they are smaller and fit neatly in your sidebar. Photobucket offers lots of easy photoshopping options, including resizing.

To begin, you will need to copy the URL of the exact page you wish to access when clicking your sidebar button. In our example, I would want to access http://j-kaye-book-blog.blogspot.com/2009/11/new-2010-reading-challenge-100-reading.html (the 100+ Challenge sign-up page) and not merely this blog's web address. Do you see the difference?

Now. Go to your blog's "Layout" option ("Layout" is accessed by clicking on "customize" on the top, right corner of your blog). Under "Layout," you will see an option to "Add A Gadget." Click the "+" mark to the right of the words "HTML/JavaScript." A blank box will appear. You may choose to add a title, or simply move your cursor so that it is blinking in the main box. It is time to begin to write the HTML code. For blog button making, you need to begin by typing these characters exactly: <a href="

Got it? Okay. Now, paste the direct page link that we copied before directly after the quotation mark. So now we have: <a href="http://j-kaye-book-blog.blogspot.com/2009/11/new-2010-reading-challenge-100-reading.html

Next, we close the tag by adding "> directly after the "html" ending of our link. All together now: <a href="http://j-kaye-book-blog.blogspot.com/2009/11/new-2010-reading-challenge-100-reading.html">

Now, we are ready to add the image code. Below the code (it doesn't seem to matter if you have a couple of hard returns between the lines of code, so long as the code lines themselves are not broken), type these characters exactly: <img src="

Now, we are ready to paste the "direct link" to the image we copied from photobucket directly after the quotation mark: <img src="http://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af69/HomeGirlRachel/HomeGirlsBookBlog/100_Reading_Challenge-1.jpg

Finally, we close the tag by adding these characters after "jpg":" /></a>

The whole image code should look like this: <img src="http://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af69/HomeGirlRachel/HomeGirlsBookBlog/100_Reading_Challenge-1.jpg" /></a>

So for our example, the whole code--direct page link and image together--should look like this: <a href="http://j-kaye-book-blog.blogspot.com/2009/11/new-2010-reading-challenge-100-reading.html"><img src="http://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af69/HomeGirlRachel/HomeGirlsBookBlog/100_Reading_Challenge-1.jpg" /></a>

Click "Save," and when you view your blog, you should have a button on the left or right sidebar, depending on where you added the code.

Voila. Magic.

2011 Support Your Local Library Challenge: Post Your Book Reviews!

This is NOT the sign up page. If you'd like to sign up for this challenge, click here.

Although it isn't 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.

2011 Support Your Local Library Challenge Sign Up Page

1. The goal is to read 12, 25, 50, or 100 books from your local library. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate. Non-Bloggers: Post your list of books in the comment section of the Post Your Reviews post.

2. Any book from your local library counts.

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 and continues through the end of December, 2011.

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.

2011 Support Your Local Library Challenge

I heart my local library. I recently moved from Kentucky to Virginia over the 2010 holidays, and even though I was up to my forehead in boxes and chaos, I certainly did schlep my kids to the local library the day after we arrived here. I was so excited to meet the library ladies and gents. They would've been excited to meet me, too, if they knew how much money they'd make off of me in late fines in 2011. This challenge works as a great companion to THIS and THIS and THIS challenge, so go ahead and sign up for all four.

Sign Up Page

Post Your Reviews

2011 Short Story Collection Challenge: Post Your Book Reviews!

2011 Short Story Collection Challenge Sign Up Page

1. The goal is to read short story collections. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate. Non-Bloggers: Post your list of books in the comment section of the Post Your Reviews post.

2. Any collection of short stories counts.

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 and continues through the end of December, 2011.

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.

2011 Short Story Collections Challenge

I love a good short story collection. I really slow down and savor short stories, and I find that short fiction often provides a pants-down peek into the psychology of the writer. (Don't judge--you like it, too). Short story collections are sometimes expensive to buy, but libraries often carry a good selection. I thought this challenge would overlap nicely with the Library Challenge. Get on board, people. Mix it up this year with some short stories. They're worth the effort.

Sign Up Page

Post Your Reviews

2011 100+ Challenge: Post Your Book Reviews!

2011 100+ Challenge Sign Up Page

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.

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.

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 and continues through the end of December, 2011.

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.

2011 100+ Challenge

Ready for the Big-Daddy-Challenge? If you are aiming to read a hundred books or more in 2011, this is the challenge for you. To make it more friendly, I'm structuring the challenge in levels.

25+ Challenge: You rock.

50+ Challenge: You are a reading machine.

75+ Challenge: You are a frickin' marvel.

100+ Challenge: The world has never seen your equal.

Sign Up Page

Post Your Reviews

2011 Winners Challenge: Post Your Book Reviews!

2011 Winners Reading Challenge Sign Up Page

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. We still want to know what you think about what you read!

2. Audio, Re-reads, eBooks, Library books-- any book counts as long as it has won an award for excellence in children's literature.

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 and continues through the end of December, 2011.

6. When you sign up under Mr. Linky, put the direct link to your post where your Winners Challenge 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.****

2011 Winners Reading Challenge

I have three children in elementary school, and it's important to me to cover as many great books with them as possible. I like to read challenging and emotionally dense literature aloud to them so I can help them unpack the themes, define the vocabulary, etc. As is the case with all good books we read, quality children's literature brings up all kinds of valuable conversations--even if we end up hating the book, feeling weird about the characters, etc. Some of my favorite moments with my kids are when the four of us are piled on my bed, reading and talking about what we read. This year, I'm setting the bar at completing 25 award winning novels for young people in 2011. See here for a list of medals awarded to quality literature for young people, and what the qualifications of each award are. I hope you join me!

Sign Up Page

Post Your Reviews

Looking Ahead to 2011

I'm excited to get the pages up for the 2011 challenges I'm hosting on Home Girl's Book Blog. This year, I'm going to reprise the 100+ Challenge and the Support Your Local Library Challenge. Instead of the YA Challenge, I'm going to host a Winner Challenge for Children/Middle Grade fiction. In this challenge, I'll focus on reading and reviewing award-winning literature for young people (think: Newberry Medal, National Book Award for Young People's Literature, Coretta Scott King Award, Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal, etc.). Lastly, I'm going to do a Short Story Collection Challenge. I read three short story collections in 2010, and I enjoyed the concentrated depth of the reading experience. I found myself slowing down, receding deeper into my mind as I read. It's a poignant contrast to novel-reading. Local libraries can be a great resource for short story collections, so that will be a fun way to blend the two challenges.

I plan to review one book a week. I'm going to end each post with a Mr. Linky option so that you guys can provide a link to any related reviews you have posted. For instance, if I review A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle, and you've done a review of A Wind in the Door by Madeleine L'Engle, I'd love to have our reviews linked to broaden the discussion. I'll post more specifics when the time comes.

I plan on doing some Vloggy Reviews, too, since those are fun.

The site will be under construction for a few days around Jan. 1, 2011 as I get the challenge pages designed and up. Don't forget to post a summary of your reading year under the challenge pages for 2010. I can't wait to hunt through them and see how we all did. Happy Holidays!

We Have A Winner, Folks.

Congratulations, AsylumGirl, for winning an autographed copy of David Jack Bell's The Girl in the Woods!

In unrelated news, many of you have asked if I am going to host the 100 Book Challenge in 2011. I AM going to host it again and several other fun challenges, too. I know my bloggy presence has been spotty this year, but I think 2011 will allow me a little more consistency. Thanks for sticking with me, All, and stay tuned for a Mr. Linky opportunity to share a summary of your reading year with all of us later this week.

The Girl in the Woods by David Jack Bell

Normally, I don’t read scary books, because I am a ninny.* If you’ll recall, I had to hide The Lovely Bones under my bed after reading it each night because I was rigid with terror at the thought of getting nabbed by a pervert in a cornfield, even though I am in my thirties and can—by now—spot a pervert a mile away and would never follow one down into a hidey hole. But I digress. I do, however, like watching suspenseful thrillers. Not demon-y gory horror flicks (see *), but spooky, mysterious, brain candy-ish, hi-action movies.

A few weeks ago, I decided to branch out. I bought A Girl in the Woods by David Jack Bell because I wanted something that contrasted with the scads of medieval poetry I’ve been reading for a class. It was risky. The cover alone freaked me out. I dove in, however, and was quickly trapped—it was too riveting to quit, almost too creepy to continue. In A Girl in the Woods, a young woman, Diana, experiences strange blackouts following the mysterious disappearance of her younger sister. An ex-cop, Diana is unable to function because of tormenting visions that drive her to behave bizarrely. She knows her sister’s trail is cold and the odds of solving the mystery of her disappearance are slim. When a stranger claims to have detailed knowledge about her missing sister’s fate and promises to exchange the information for Diana’s help in finding another missing girl, Diana embarks on a hunt for the truth--about her sister and herself. A driven, eccentric university professor believes something more sinister is in play, and together, the cast of characters stumble into a supernatural den of chilling secrets and silent victims.

I read this book on my Kindle, and I found myself reading it compulsively—at red lights, during dinner, while my kids were trying to talk to me... The plot dragged me along at breakneck speed, but the characters were also three-dimensional and well-drawn. The reading experience was as vivid and chilling as watching a movie, which is probably why many of you love this kind of book.

For a chance to win David Jack Bell’s A Girl in the Woods, tell me what thriller/suspense writer I absolutely *have* to try, and leave me your email in the comment section below. I’ll use Random.com to pick a winner and mail you a hard copy in time for the holidays.