Blogger Confidential: Rude Comments

Have you ever been faced with an issue while reading or blogging and thought: I wonder what other bloggers think about this?  No matter what genre or audience you blog for, we all face the same problems.  Are you a publisher or author wondering what goes on in a blogger's (and by extension a reader's) head?

Blogger confidential is a series of 9 questions asked to 10 bloggers about the nitty gritty details of blogging. Everything from what prompts a blogger to pick up a book, to what happens when a book doesn't live up to its hype.  This series was inspired by Wastepaper Prose's Author Insight series.

What's your policy regarding inappropriate comments on your blog? How do define "inappropriate"? (Rude, self-promotional, etc.)

"Seems like we've managed to steer clear of this also because we haven't had any rude comments, and honestly if we did get some, chances are we would just delete it. We're both very opinionated but we don't feel that our blog is the appropriate place for stupid or unnecessary arguments." Vanessa and Isalys from Book Soulmates

"I don't allow them, same goes for my forum. My sites are set up to be family friendly. I don't have the time to deal with nor do I tolerate rude comments, put downs or comments that I couldn't read if my children were sitting on my lap while I'm reading through my blogs and forum. I also don't allow for bashing. There's a way to get a point of cross without coming out and bashing someone or their book." Katie from Mundie Moms

"Well, if they attack me personally, I delete and forget about it. If they simply state a different opinion than mine, I accept and maybe respond. Self-promotion I've never minded, but lately it's getting ridiculous. So I might have to do something about that... I'd love to know what others do!" Sabrina at YA Bliss

"Personally, I am okay with people having their say on my blog. The only comments I delete are the ones that sound like spam. Other than that, I want to hear people’s opinions, even if they are rude. I leave rude comments alone, and respond only if I feel the need to defend myself. I screencap it all, though, so be prepared for your words to haunt you even if you delete your own comment. :)" Penelope from The Reading Fever

"There's very little that I'd deem inappropriate in terms of insulting me but if personal attacks get involved that's when I step in. As for self-promoting comments I don't think anything of them because they get deleted. I do have a section on my policy that generally addresses comments." Donna from Bites

"We haven't have any inappropriate comments on our blog. But we've definitely seen them. Being rude or calling a reviewer a name isn't very nice and we don't understand why some people would do that!" Sash and Em from Sash and Em a Tale of Two Bookies

"As far as comments, self-promotional I usually delete, if you want advertising, buy it. Rude, like small digs, or sharp disagreements, I'll usually respond and leave them there. Unless they get graphic or really nasty, then I'll delete them. Responding wouldn't work most likely." Rachel from Parajunkee

"I don't have a written policy regarding comments on my blog, but since it is MY blog and is, in many ways, a reflection of myself, I tend to think that I have the right to delete something if I find it particularly offensive or inappropriate. However, I will also say that I believe everyone has a right to his or her opinion, so I welcome healthy debates, as long as people keep it relatively respectful. Lucky for me, the people who comment on my blog have for the most part been extremely sweet and courteous. To this day, I have never had to delete a single comment that wasn't spam (ex: unsolicited advertisements that have nothing to do with the topic being discussed)." Natalie from Mindful Musings

"I’m lucky – I don’t think I’ve gotten rude comments on my blog. I have gotten a couple of self-promotional comments but I usually just ignore those. If I get rude comments (e.g. contains swear words or angry comments that don’t have a point), I’ll probably delete those." Chachic from Chachic's Book Nook

"For the most part, our readers are intelligent, articulate and respectful. Occasionally, we get comments from ignorant people, but before we even get a chance to respond, our readers have addressed it. FYA is a pretty self-governing place, and there's only been a few times when we've had to remove a comment for being hateful." Sarah from Forever Young Adult

Free Book Quote Printables

I am crazy about cool quote printables on Pinterest. I've seen a bunch of really good ones for Harry Potter and The Hunger Games. But, there were a bunch of books that I've loved with great quotes that I wanted to see some good designs for.

So, I made a few! What do you do with these? You can print them out, or just keep them on your computer. They are about a 8x10 size for printing. My plan is to print them on photo paper using the free printables that come up every once in awhile for Walgreens or Rite-aid. Then I'll frame them and hang them in my soon to be library.

If you want to download the largest version, click on the picture which will bring you to flickr and allow you to download any size you'd like.


I absolutely loved this quote from The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight. Reminds me a lot of my dad.








If you've read the book Code Name Verity, then you'll understand the significance of the gray scarf. Of course, the quote is significant either way.

I hope you enjoy them! If you like them, why don't you share them on Pinterest?

Revived by Cat Patrick: Review

Revived
By: Cat Patrick
Review by: Kylie Comfoltey

From back cover: A secret government agency has developed a drug called Revive that can bring people back from the dead, and Daisy Appleby, a test subject, has been Revived five times in fifteen years. Daisy takes extraordinary risks, knowing that she can beat death, but each new death means a new name, a new city, and a new life. When she meets Matt McKean, Daisy begins to question the moral implications of Revive, and as she discovers the agency's true goals, she realizes she's at the center of something much larger--and more sinister--than she ever imagined.

This was a quick read. No deep thinking involved on my part as the reader, and sometimes that's exactly what I'm looking for in a book. Unfortunately, Revived didn't entirely live up to the synopsis above. I didn't feel that Daisy took extraordinary risks--not until the end of the book, anyway. I expected a story about a girl who is fearless and driven to action. This was only somewhat that story.

Daisy was not as strong or dynamic of a character as I'd been expecting at the start of the book, but she grew and developed while the story unfolded. She is likable, sweet and tough. I liked the way relationships developed for her, both friend and boyfriend. Her life became more meaningful after her 5th death, but I felt that she grasped onto that sudden meaning and decided too quickly to give away secrets and tell her story to someone she hardly knew. But she's a teenager experiencing first love, so maybe the real problem was in her being entrusted with so much top secret information to begin with.

My favorite relationship in the book was between Daisy and her "fake" dad, Mason. Mason is assigned to care for Daisy as part of the Revive program, and it becomes clear early on in the story that he cares for her more as a daughter than a work assignment. He is protective but trusting. Mason is great and really the one true constant in Daisy's life (lives).

By the end of the Epilogue, it seemed that the real purpose of the story shined. I went into this book expecting some mystery and trouble and reckless behavior, what with all the secret government drug talk, so I was left wanting when most of the pages were filled with Daisy's inner searchings. Friendships and romance blossom in the book, and yes--Daisy does question the moral implications of Revive and find herself in the middle of a sinister scheme, as promised--but the real purpose of the story seems to be a lesson on coping with death. Real death, not Revive Program temporary death. Daisy has to learn the hardest way that, while she tends to think of it as an inconvenience given her own circumstances and raising, death is permanent and heartbreaking.

The message I walked away with is that life goes on after the death of a loved one, and that happiness isn't lost forever. It's a great message, especially for young readers. It's not what I expected to get out of the story. Cat Patrick spent a good number of pages on Daisy's grief and recovery, and ultimately her newfound appreciation for life and the desire to live it well.

I would have loved more about the Revive program and more about Daisy's different lives and deaths. I went into this expecting more mystery and daring fiascoes, but I'm not disappointed in what I got. It's a quick, interesting read with some great messages. Give it a try!

    

Sexuality: Mild-moderate.
Drugs/Alcohol: Moderate. There is underage drinking at one point.
Profanity: Mild.
Violence: Mild. Unless you count bee attacks. Nasty little killers.

---

amazon | goodreads | author twitter | author website

BEA Link Round-up and Armchair BEA

There's only one more week until BEA. I will be there, and will be filming some video for you guys so you can be a part of the action if you aren't going to New York.

 But, if you are going to BEA and it's your first year, I thought that a round-up of all the links that I could find with tips and tricks would be in order. So, settle down with a nice cup of something and get reading!

Wastepaper Prose: BEA what in the heck do I do now? great tips on how to navigate the floor.
Bird Brain(ed) Blog: BEA Tips Part 1 and Part 2. Great stuff about business cards, not being grabby, and the like
Michelle Madow: Awesome tips here. Especially about keeping up with people and what to wear.
The BEAN: Not all of this is going to be relevant to you, but there are some good tips from the official BEA blog.
Mawbooks: Do's and Dont's of BEA.
The Girl from the Ghetto: 20 Tips to Survive BEA
Linus's Blanket:7 BEA tips
Reading Teen: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of BEA

My videos from last year:
Day One
Day Two
Day Three
Day Four
Day Five

"But I'm not going to New York City!"

If you can't make it to BEA this year, I very strongly suggest that you sign up for Armchair BEA.

It's not too late to sign up, and you can be as involved as you want. The agenda is up, and there are plenty of giveaways and ways to connect with your fellow readers. I'll also be vlogging from BEA again, and we'll have plenty of behind-the-scenes pictures and video to share as well.

So, are you going to BEA? Or will you be joining in from home?

Of Poseidon by Anna Banks: Review

Of Poseidon
By: Anna Banks
Review by: Kylie Comfoltey


From Goodreads: Galen is the prince of the Syrena, sent to land to find a girl he’s heard can communicate with fish. Emma is on vacation at the beach. When she runs into Galen—literally, ouch!—both teens sense a connection. But it will take several encounters, including a deadly one with a shark, for Galen to be convinced of Emma’s gifts. Now, if he can only convince Emma that she holds the key to his kingdom . . .

Told from both Emma and Galen’s points of view, here is a fish-out-of-water story that sparkles with intrigue, humor, and waves of romance.

Loved this one! I got wrapped up in this story early on and flew through the last half.

I like a feisty female protagonist, and Emma is great. She is both a smart girl and a smart-aleck without being annoyingly so. I'm not really a stubborn person, but Emma is. Her stubbornness made me laugh. Of course, there's always a point when enough is enough, let's just get over it and move on, and luckily Emma does. I really liked her. She is a loyal friend and an independent girl and quick to blush, but Emma is not a pushover. As she would say, she's not "that girl." Except she thinks she kind of is.

She's also super pale, so I can relate. We bonded over the paleness. And over the clumsiness and disdain for all seafood. Unfortunately, I have maybe a 32-second breath-holding capacity and fish ignore me, so I don't think we'd be besties. Let's not even get into my irrational fear of the ocean.

Galen is great. He is kind, smart, noble and hott (yes, with a double T; there was a lot of talk describing how hott he is. The double T seems like a requirement at this point). Also, broad-shouldered and sometimes finned. Awesome. Tall, dark and handsome, too, in case you were wondering. It was funny to follow his attempt at acting like a normal human (learning teenage slang, how to text, etc). He is a great brother and a jealous boyfriend. He has rage issues, but apparently that's normal among Syrena.

I wish Anna Banks had spent more pages building the undersea world of the Syrena because I want to know more. I have a feeling that is to come.

Of Poseidon is a fun, light read with a good mix of humor, mystery, drama, and romance. Now I can feel you wondering: yes, there is a cliffhanger. A big one, if you're invested in the story. Don't shoot the messenger!

I have a soft spot for Greek Mythology and wanted to read this from the name alone. And honestly, I just like mermaids. Ever since I first saw Arial's trove, all those treasures untold. There. I said it! I love mermaids. And I loved this book.

    

Sexuality: Mild. Mostly kissing, and even that doesn't come up until later in the book.
Drugs/Alcohol: Mild. I'm trying to think of any actual references to either and I'm coming up blank.
Profanity: Mild.
Violence: Mild to moderate. There is more reference to considered violence ("I want to punch his face") than actual violence, but there are at least two fights where someone does in fact get punched in the face.

---

amazon | goodreads | author twitter | author website

Blogger Confidential: Negative Author Interactions

Have you ever been faced with an issue while reading or blogging and thought: I wonder what other bloggers think about this?  No matter what genre or audience you blog for, we all face the same problems.  Are you a publisher or author wondering what goes on in a blogger's (and by extension a reader's) head?

Blogger confidential is a series of 9 questions asked to 10 bloggers about the nitty gritty details of blogging. Everything from what prompts a blogger to pick up a book, to what happens when a book doesn't live up to its hype.  This series was inspired by Wastepaper Prose's Author Insight series.

Have you ever had a bad experience with an author (i.e. in response to a critical review)? How did you handle it?

"Honestly, we haven't! It seems like most authors understand the role of book reviewers, and while we always strive to be honest, we try to avoid being mean or cruel." Sarah from Forever Young Adult

"Thankfully, we have not had a bad experience with any authors. We've managed to stay under that radar! We always strive to be honest and respectful and even in extreme case where we've actually hated a book, we kept the author anonymous." Vanessa and Isalys from Book Soulmates

"I did. Very early in the game, in fact. I just moped a bit and tried not to be public about my anger. I was very new so I think I handled it a lot more calmly than I would handle it now." Sabrina at YA Bliss

"Thankfully, I haven’t had a bad experience with any authors...and I hope I never do! I’m not one to be bullied, though, and I’m not afraid to defend my opinions. So if I were to have a bad experience, I’m prepared to put up a fight." Penelope from The Reading Fever

"Nope and I'd like to keep it that way. I don't know how I'd potentially react but I'm sure rampant screen-capping and reposting would be involved. The internet's been around for about 20 years now. If people don't know how to act on it by now then may their own feet taste sour." Donna from Bites

"We haven't! We try to keep most of our reviews upbeat and even if we didn't like a specific book, we try to highlight things that we did enjoy!" Sash and Em from Sash and Em a Tale of Two Bookies

"I had a terrible experience with an author in the very beginning, along with her rabid fans. I tried to respond to her logically and explain that I didn't mean for her to feel like I attacked her (she stated that it was as if I raped her), that I only reviewed her book and never mentioned her as a person. The review might have been harsh, but it was only my personal opinion. The logic didn't work, she continued to call me everything under the sun (in a public forum of course) and her fans had their fun also. I decided to try to ignore it and the comments that I could delete I did." Rachel from Parajunkee

"I've been lucky so far. I've gotten a few rude responses to declined review requests, but other than that, the large majority of the authors, publicists, and publishing companies that I've worked with have been fantastic." Natalie from Mindful Musings

"No, I’ve never had a bad experience with an author but I’m always afraid that it will happen. I do my best to be honest in my reviews but I also emphasize the fact that what I say reflects how I felt about the book. So even if I didn’t like a book, I still encourage other readers to pick it up because they might have a different reaction. Most of the time, I end up not liking a book because I can’t connect to the characters and I feel like that kind of thing varies from one reader to another." Chachic from Chachic's Book Nook

"Luckily I haven't. I know a few authors who were hoping I would have liked their books more, but I think they understand that not every books is for everyone. I totally felt bad I didn't like their book more than I wanted to. The only time I've had problems has been with a few self published authors who didn't like that I said no to reviewing their books. At first it bothered me that they got mad, as I explained that either it was a book that didn't fit the needs of my blog or they asked at a time when my review schedule was full. Now that I've been blogging for a few years I don't feel bad any more/nor let it bug me when someone replies with a rude response, and that might sound mean, but they're choosing to get mad over something like that, vs trying to understand why I can't or won't read their book. Don't get wrong, I do feel bad I have to turn requests down, but it's impossible for me to take every request that I receive." Katie from Mundie Moms

Waiting on Wednesday: The Peculiar

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

The Peculiar

by: Stefan Bachmann

THE GRAVEYARD BOOK meets JONATHAN STRANGE & MR. NORRELL in this gothic steampunk page-turner for readers of all ages.

Bartholomew Kettle won't live long. Changelings never do. The child of a human mother and a faery father, Bartholomew is a secret, despised by both his races. If the English don't hang him for witchcraft, the faerys will do something worse. So his mother keeps him locked away, hidden from the world in the faery slums of Bath.

But one day Bartholomew witnesses a mysterious lady kidnap another changeling through a shadowy portal, and he realizes the danger is closer than ever before. Changelings are surfacing in the rivers, their bodies empty of blood and bone and their skin covered in red markings. A powerful figure sits in the shadows, pushing the pieces in place for some terrible victory. When a sinister faery in a top-hat begins to stalk Bartholomew's steps, he knows it's his turn. Something is coming for him. Something needs him. But when you're a changeling there's no where to run...

---

I'm not sure if it's the whimsical and creative cover that grabs me, or if it's the idea of a middle-grade steampunk. But, either way, this looks like a fun new addition to the genre!

Shadows on the Moon by Zoe Marriott: Audio Review

Shadows on the Moon
By: Zoe Marriott
Read by: Amy Rubinate

Suzume is 14 years old when the soldiers come and murder her father and cousin. She and her mother flee their home and are taken in by her father's best friend, Terayama. Suzume, suffering greatly from witnessing the murder of those she loves, is forced to keep silent about her haunting memory and forget that it ever happened. Suzume takes on a new name, and uses the memory of her cousin to make a mask of tranquility on her face. As she battles with her anger, fear, and deep loss, Suzume soon realizes that she has tucked her real self so far away that she no longer remembers who she is.

Audio Review: This audio was magnificent. It is apparent that Amy Rubinate spent a great deal of time learning the different words and intonations for all the vocabulary that was in this book. She also channeled Suzume's (and Otieno's) spirit very well. I love an audio book that makes me want to sit in my car a little longer. This book is definitely going on my list of favorites and most recommended for audio. This is one that I would recommend the audio because of the experience. There were several times that I was moved to tears. It was because of the glorious writing as much as the beautiful narration.

Review: This book will definitely be the most under-rated in 2012. Perhaps because it was originally published in the UK, it hasn't received as much buzz in the US. And that is just a crying shame. And you can bet that I'll be telling every one within shouting distance about this one.

Where to begin? The setting is vivid, rich, and I can smell the cherry blossoms right off the page. The world borrows heavily from Japanese culture, and I just couldn't get enough. There were beautiful descriptions of the clothing, jewelry, and even the furniture and architecture. It's not often I read a book that the setting is also an important character!

The impact of watching her father and beloved cousin's murders sits deep within Suzume. Her pain and anguish are so real that even though she makes some very bad decisions, I couldn't help but love Suzume. Her need for love and tenderness is so real, that I could not abandon her. I triumphed with her when she was saved by Youta, and as things went from bad to worse, I was sad for her. Another amazing thing that Marriott was able to do with this book was make self-harming (cutting) something that I could understand. Those are actions that I have zero experience with and find it hard to connect with characters that engage in them. Not the case with Suzume.

And, possibly my favorite part is the romance with Otieno. It's part love at first sight, and part slow-burn. They hit it off pretty well at first, but Marriott does a great job at separating them early on in their relationship so that it can develop a little without a need for constant contact. Otieno has everything that Suzume does not. Confidence, a family that cares for him, and safety. Suzume pushes very hard against Otieno, for her own reasons. Otieno, the persistent fellow that he is, realizes that she is in a lot of pain and that she really does need the reassurance that he's going to stick around. I think this is why sometimes he acts a little possessive or harsh with her. And truthfully? She can take it. She's a tough cookie.

I mentioned the self-harming aspect. There is also some sexual content. I thought it was pretty tastefully handled, but this is a novel that is probably suitable for older teens. It has an overall darker tone that fits the subject matter. I enjoyed it, but understand that it's very different from most fairy tale retellings.

I can't say enough about Shadows on the Moon. It's earned a spot on my most beloved shelf and will probably be one that I read over and over again. It appears to be a stand-alone novel, and has one of the best endings I've read in a long time. Read this one, I promise you won't be sorry.

---

amazon | goodreads | author twitter | author blog