Angie Pedersen's The Blog of ME

Become a Book Review Ninja: 10 Steps to Mastery

Guest post by Scott Dinsmore of ReadingForYourSuccess

How do you get someone to find real value in your book review; Let alone read the book? With only 10% of books being read past the first chapter, it’s a tall order indeed.

The simple answer: you must become a ninja. Only a true master of the written word can successfully capture the all-powerful opponent: your audience.

Four years of writing reviews and summaries for ReadingForYourSuccess has taught me all kinds of ninja-like tricks. I almost exclusively cover non-fiction books that can somehow improve one’s life but what I’ve learned can be adapted to most genres. At times they’re counterintuitive at best, so pay attention.

The goals for me when writing reviews are three-fold:

1. Get them to read the review.
2. Give them something that can directly use to improve their life–Get them to take action!
3. Get them to order the book and read it cover to cover.

Read the rest of the article at writetodone.com

I've been logging my reading list at GoodReads.com for over a year, and have started writing reviews there. It's hard for me to compile a comprehensive review that provides enough content to convince someone to read the book (or not), while not giving away spoilers.

So I'm sharing this article from WritetoDone, as a resource to improve my own writing skills. Have you found any good resources to improve your own book reviews?

Posted via email from Angie Pedersen's Posterous

Book Review: Gimme a Call by Sarah Mlynowski

Gimme a Call by Sarah Mlynowski

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I had read about 20 pages of this book, when my 12yo daughter noticed I was reading it. She asked what it was about, so I explained the concept - a girl in her senior year of high school breaks up with her boyfriend, so she's at a mall to return a gift she had gotten for him. She accidentally drops her cell phone in a mall fountain, and the ensuing technological malfunction leaves her only able to call or text one person - her 14-year-old self back in Freshman year. Devi-Sr proceeds to give Devi-"Frosh" all the advice she wishes she could have had when she was younger - which changes her present-day life immediately, with varying success rates.

With this description of the book concept, my daughter yanked the book from my hands, and I didn't see it again for a week. Then she gave it back and demanded I "hurry up" and finish it, so we could talk about the ending.

I LOVE the concept for this book. So often we wish we could give advice to our younger selves. "If I had only known then, what I know now...." I love the idea of making it contemporary with cell phones and texting. A book like this helps feed my author brain, for figuring out innovative book concepts - start out with something many people wish they could do, then figure out some wish or snafu that will allow that to happen. Very interesting.

I loved the author's twists and turns - great pacing. It didn't really feel like a young adult book for me - it was still a good read as an adult. It was definitely chick-lit-y, in that there was quite a bit of introspection and second-guessing, but I felt like it all lead to the development of the characters. And I thought it was interesting how the author was able to develop the two Devi's into unique characters, even through they were technically the same person. I was very pleased with the amount of growth and strength of personal integrity, particularly in the younger Devi, which I wouldn't have predicted.

The ending wrapped up nicely, with some great building toward the end with the cell phone battery running out of charge. Great pacing.

Nothing questionable in the content (no swearing, sex, or drugs), so this is suitable for late pre-teens through adult.

View all my reviews >>

Operation Helmetliner: Complete

Just finished another knitting project, thanks to a little 'mentoring' from friends - a helmetliner for Citizen Sam. My husband graciously modeled it for me.

You can find the helmetliner pattern, and other accepted patterns, here: http://www.citizensam.org/html/patterns.html

citizensam.org

Posted via web from Angie Pedersen's Posterous

Vote for your fav Animal Shelter @ The Animal Rescue Site

via theanimalrescuesite.com

Just wanted to let you know about The All-Star Animal Rescue Site $100,000 Shelter+ Challenge. Together with Petfinder, the Animal Rescue Site is awarding $100,000 in grants to eligible Petfinder.com member rescue organizations to help animals. The grand prize is a $10,000 grant, along with many other prizes!

Visit www.theanimalrescuesite.com to vote every day and learn more. You don't have to register, and voting is free. I voted for Wayside Waifs in Kansas City, MO. Support your favorite shelter and vote today!

Posted via web from Angie Pedersen's Posterous

Ideal Job Description - Web Content Writer | Kansas City

Do you know someone looking for someone like me?

In order to better equip friends and colleagues to recognize a good job match for me, I put together the following Ideal Job Description.

General job description: Act as company ambassador/evangelist: Develop company’s strategy to reach and attain new clients/customers, stir discussion, and drive traffic to company website and social media platforms. Responsible for writing and publishing Web content; maintaining and updating Web pages/blogs; monitoring and responding to user-contributed website content; and participating in social media efforts for the company.

Read the full job description here: Web Content Writer resume

Posted via web from Angie Pedersen's Posterous

Your chance to win a custom Facebook Landing page from Kizer & Bender!

Kizer & Bender is igivng away a custom Facebook landing page! This is quite an opportunity for a retailer (must have an existing FB page AND a company/store website to enter). Also, be sure to check out the tips on "5 Steps to help you become an effective Social Networker", linked on K&B's blog.

via kizerandbender.blogspot.com

 

Posted via web from Angie Pedersen's Posterous

Scrapbook Journaling Idea - Family Gratitude Album

I love this idea from JournalBuddies - a family Summer Gratitude album would make a neat keepsake! What are you grateful for during the summer months?

JOURNALING TIP

Commit to writing in your journal for 5 minutes each day and to recording at least 3 things from your day that you are grateful for having experienced.  If you do this for three months you will list out nearly 100 items that you are grateful for and you’ll create a wonderful keepsake journal in the process.

BONUS TIP:

Add some fun and excitement to the mix and use the journal idea from above but this time invite your family to help complete each journal page. This is a shared, family-friendly summer journal keeping activity that is simply tons of fun.

Read more at journalbuddies.com

Posted via web from Angie Pedersen's Posterous