How to use this Page

Never Jam Today:
www.noeldevries.blogspot.com

Thanks, Erin!

Okay, I won't be modest. Add me...
Megan Germano
Read, Read, Read!
http://www.5thgradereads.blogspot.com

Sincerely,
MG ;)

I've been blogging for six years about a variety of topics, including my two young adult fantasy novels (the third on the way for the end of this year). I'd be honoured if you'd include me:

http://bowjamesbow.ca/blog.shtml

Kelly,

I may have gotten these from you, but in case they're NOT on your list:

http://shrinkingvioletpromotions.blogspot.com/

http://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/

And if you think my blog would be a good addition, it's http://beckylevine.livejournal.com

Thanks!

Crooked House, Stephany Aulenback's blog, is a good one.

I'd love to be listed in your esteemed blog roll, Kelly.
www.juliemprince.com is where I keep my writerly blog and discuss children's literature.
I'm taking a mini-blacation right now, but it's definitely an active blog.
Thanks for the consideration! :-)

Thanks everyone! I will add all these blogs and more over the weekend. (Julie and Becky: I can't believe you're not on there already!)

Hey Kelly,

I'm lucky enough to already be listed on your author page, but please consider adding TheBrownBookshelf.com to your blogroll as well. Thanks.

See what I mean, Varian. Brown Bookshelf has been in my Reader but I keep forgetting to add it to my roll. It will be done!

Hi! I'm just starting my own blog- fourstorymistake.blogspot.com. Thank you, Kelly!

Well, I'm not sure Dark Party is up your alley most of the time, but it is about literature.

We recently did a post on children's literature that won't drive parents insane. You might like it.

http://tiny.cc/QgIdc

I love the name of your blog, by the way.

Hi Kelly!

I'd love to see my Audiobooker blog on your blogroll! Thanks for asking for suggestions.
http://audiobooker.blogspot.com/

Mary Burkey

Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast is a fun kids blog...
http://blaine.org/sevenimpossiblethings/

I love visiting an author's website after reading his/her book. I get so much more from my reading when I can gain insights through the author's bio and website information. It's a lot of fun to contact the author immediately after you put the book down to share what you liked about the book.

I've always liked writing letters to writers to let them know I enjoyed their books. But it was a pain to try to locate addresses -- usually had to write to the publisher and hope your message got passed along. The Internet makes it so much easier to send those notes of appreciation!

Since your blog is a huge resource, I think it's a great idea, the way you've categorized everything. I'm learning that Blogger lets you do quite a bit if you're willing to learn to code things yourself! I like the site re-do - it's very neat.

Kelly, I'm with you on consolidating the blogroll and making the front all clean. I'm moving in the same direction, once I get the new design complete.

I made old entries and was going to list all my blogrolls there. Then I realized that since I'm on Livejournal, every time I edited one of the entries it would show up all over again on their friend page. (Ditto the Poetry Friday master page.)

So what I'm going to do is make a static webpage that I post on my website that looks like my blog page. And then do the rollups like you did.

Long way around of saying - good thinking. :-)

I cannot believe I had this exact same thought yesterday, that I would clean up my blogroll and just link to a few super-lists out there.

Or maybe I'll just link to your lists, at least until some sort of portal is up and running.

The possibilities are endless. My sidebars, however, are not.

Thanks again for leading the way ...

Jules and I have been talking about doing this for ages, too, but haven't gotten around to it. I hadn't thought of doing a post with all the links, though - I was vaguely thinking of using something like del.icio.us. This is very cool. And I like the new template, too.

Actually, I think I've kind of decided to focus a bit more on writing, too, which is funny -- I just didn't think to articulate it as clearly.

It's hard, because this is an all-consuming world at times, but if you want to be a writer, I guess you have to make time to read and write for yourself.

Looking forward to reading the results!

You've got it, TadMack. And we'll be able to discuss this behind the scenes :)

I had a complete and total breakdown. To the point that I was going to scrap it all--the blog, the Forest, everything. I had to sit down and think about what I loved before and how to bring it back. And how to find balance.

Kelly, your ideas sound so smart. I'm very glad you're back!

This is definitely not self-indulgent. Since the conference I have been thinking about exactly what I want to do with my blog. This is YOUR blog and it needs to serve you. I think you made some great choices.

I've been contemplating that, too, or something similar. It's too much of a time suck.

With work demanding more and more of my time, I completely empathize with your situation.

I hear ya. I've gotten near break-down point, too. I need to re-evaluate stuff, too. "Time suck," indeed.

Congrats on your decision. I feel your relief and refreshed vigor through cyberspace.

Ditto everyone. And Kelly, I empathize with both sides of the equation--your impulse to chuck it all, and your calmer decision to keep what you love and just ditch all the rest.

Bravo to you on all accounts. All of us writers need to time to write our own books, no matter how much we love playing in the blogosphere. It's hard to back away when things are so lively and interactive, but we can all stay friends even if we're not spending hours on each others' blogs every day.

Don't you think?

Thanks, Susan. It's good to be back.

Yes, Tricia, that's exactly it. Pam's mention of "what is your mission" really set me thinking. Namely, what the heck IS my mission?

Yep, Kelly. It can take over your life if you let it.

And, Kimberley, work has something to do with it. I do have a career after all :)

Jules: I hope after Robert's Snow you'll have some time to get your head together. Take some time off! I highly recommend it.

I do think that we can all stay friends, Robin. We just can't be "here" al the time.

I'm SO glad you're not chucking Poetry Friday, although if you had to do that too, I'd support you.

You know what's amazing, Kelly? For all the pain it caused you, I have to say that just like everything else, when you do a breakdown, you do NOT do it half-way. Everything gets put on the block and re-evaluated. I admire that.

Looking forward to hearing your fresh thoughts on writing and books and everything that you love!

Kelly--These last few months I've been working on a time correction, trying to spend more of my time reading blogs related to writing and writers and trying to focus my own blogging time on writers and writing, which I hope will have an impact on my own work. At the same time, I've noticed a big change in my webstats, and I've noticed that some of the bloggers I read regularly aren't updating as often as they used to.

All of which makes me wonder if a lot of people aren't doing a time correction. I'm not sure why we're all thinking about this at the same time.

Kelly,

I completely understand. I got hooked quickly on blogging. I really enjoy it and the other kidlit folks I've met in the blogosphere. But reading other blogs and writing posts takes so much of my time that I had been considering not teaching my children's literature course anymore. I was planning to concentrate on my own writing and blogging. Then, I got a call today from the university today and changed my mind. I decided I will teach the course for next semester--and maybe cut back on posting at Wild Rose Reader. I'll keep the job with remuneration.

A person can only do so many things well before crashing and burning.

Kelly - sounds like you've made some fine choices. When you are doing things that are supposed to be fun - they should be just that: fun. I hope the joy comes back into it for you.

Sara: That's what you think! Actually, I spent a week playing video games and listening to audio books while those decisions just sort of percolated.

Gail: Yes, it seems to have hit everyone at once. Why, I don't know.

Elaine: You run a great blog, but I'm glad you didn't give up on your class. Your students need you!!

Thanks, Chris :) Yep, I'm looking for the fun.

Hats off to you, Kelly! We must do what we love. I had a semi-forced blog breakdown with all the stuff that happened in my life the last year and then, as I came back to it, I had to decide the same thing - what part of my time do I want to give to this?

It has to be fun, that's number one for me. And it has to work into the rest of my life, which like you, means a day job. And I have to have time to write. So I'm going through my own version of what I want to do that fits my personal needs. I'm glad to hear you've done the same. It can only make us healthier.

I know everyone else has already said it but I support your wise decisions too.

Good decision! You have to go with what you feel is right.

I swear I did a whole long comment on this post earlier, Kelly, but apparently I got distracted and didn't save it properly. Too many things going on in my life. But the main thing I wanted to say is that you're an inspiration. I'm working on some of these issues, too, and it's hard stuff. I'm very happy that you've found a balance that you think will work, because I would have been sad not to have your blog to visit anymore.

Good call, Kelly. It is very easy to get sucked in and to do too much - don't I know it. But a lot of it goes back to what is your goal, your reason for blogging. I'm glad you found that in your time off and very glad that you're not chucking it all.

I have to add something on the review copy thing. For a while I felt bad that I wasn't getting review copies when I knew that I could. Why wouldn't I want free books? But I find it so much more pressure than just getting the books from the library that I feel like reading, and if I review them, great. If not, no one cares. Once in a while I accept a review copy and once in a while I request one. But I have to say, that the advance edition and the free book isn't usually worth the added feeling of obligation.

Sing it, sister.
I feel like this is what we should all do on a regular-ish basis -- evaluate the value and appeal and priority and import of all the different pieces of our lives. Because presuming this is our only life, we kind of want to get it right. Right?
Here's to ya...

Thanks, Susan and PJ! I appreciate the support.

Jen: Good luck to you on sorting it out. This took me awhile, because, as you know, everything is intertwined online. Taking it all apart and examining each piece was difficult, but the right thing to do, I think. Better than scrapping the whole endeavor!

MR: Yes, the review copy thing was really getting me down. Now I plan on sending 95% of them out to other reviewers and just keeping the ones I *really* want to read--ones I would have bought myself--around to review myself for the Forest or for Anne or occasionally here.

That's right, Liz. I'm working on that assumption. And, I've loved blogging until very recently. I didn't want to lose that, so steps were taken.

Good for you Kelly

Here's what self indulgent looks like: I'll miss everyday etiquette! Here's what smart looks like: all the changes you've made. I'm glad you're pruning the plant rather thank taking it out of the garden. You are an important voice in the Kidlitosphere. As great as the conference was, I think we sort of upped our own ante and all of us busy people who were doing a fun extra thing on the side felt the need to become busy people who were *amazing* in the blog world. Thankfully, there's still plenty of room for *good enough* and let's NEVER forget we do this for FUN!!!!

OK, I just keep writing and then deleting long comments that are mostly about me. Maybe I'll blog about this at my site--but for now, I just want to say thanks for what you do here, and for making me think about what I do as well. I think you're on the right track!

I really like the redesign of your blog, Kelly. I love the header image! And I also think it's such a good move to zero in and focus on what really matters to you, just doing what you care about, so you don't get too stressed out. That is always a wise and strong thing to do. I hope it brings you good feeling. You have such an important blog and resource here.

Nice redesign of both blog and life. You know you have my unwavering support, no matter what. And lucky Book Buds! I'm thrilled to have you.

Of course, now my own blogging has been ramping up. Maybe I need a breakdown too.

I'll be over for tea any day now ...

Seriously, keep up the leisurely work. Do what's right when it's right to do it. But you already figured that out.

(((hugs)))

I'm glad the cat stayed :)

I don't consider myself a writer, reviewer, or even a formal kidlit type, so I don't feel that bad when there's so much going on in real life that I ignore my blog, and others'. There is only so much I can do, and want to do, in a day, and I find as I get older, my world gets smaller and my priorities more concentrated.

Enjoy the blog peace!

For a post that you thought would be dull, this one has generated a lot of great discussion. I especially like Mary Lee's point, about the conference making us all put too much pressure on ourselves. Maybe that's why a lot of this reevaluation is going on at various sites at the same time. And Pam's point about it being less pressure to just get the books from the library - oh, do I get that. I was actually at a great independent bookstore the other day, and I couldn't justify buying books because I have so many in my TBR stack already. But what I realized is: I love buying books. Once the thrill of getting them "free" wears off, I find I miss the library and the bookstore. Hmm...

Can you help me refocus my blog? (JK) I'm all over the place.

Kelly,
This is such a well thought out piece. You have done so much for all of us. Now, it's time for you to be good to yourself.

I am awed with all you have done. Thank you and best of luck with your pet projects.

OK, that's seriously annoying. I left you a comment yesterday and Blogger has eaten it, apparently...

I just wanted to say that I support your idea of doing what YOU want with your Blog - and of spending more time writing since that's what I've been doing myself.

Late to the commenting party, and everyone else has said it already, but great post and great job of making a priority out of what you value most from your own blog. It's one of my favourites, and looking forward to lots more good stuff.

Sounds good to me. Your blog is one of my favorites, whether you're posting book reviews, links, etiquette tips or random thoughts!

Kelly, I totally understand the feelings of blog breakdown...I often find myself asking why? who cares? what if I just stop? But I'm very glad you're not stopping! :)

For the record, I'd care if you stopped blogging, a.f.

Kelly,
Interesting how much your comments have resonated with everyone.
Returning from the KidLitosphere conference to Robert's Snow, then the new KidLitosphere listserv...I realized that I have not posted a review in weeks which was the joy and raison d’être for my blog to begin with. The reason I've never joined in Poetry Friday because I couldn't take the "deadline" pressure.

To continue to do all you are planning still makes you "indefatigable!"

Sounds like a good idea. The whole world of books seems to be a bit tragic at the moment. Have just been reviewed by Kirkus. Lovely review. But then I read that publishers pay to have their books reviewed by Kirkus, so my thoughts are these, they will always give a good review, otherwise they will find one of their major sources of income drying up? Maybe. I have read bad reviews in Kirkus. Maybe their publishers didn't pay enough?
Maybe I am just so very naive.
Nevermind. Look forward to the edge of your forest growing and the new look of the blog.

Ginger Darlings: I'm guessing who you are based on the blog. I love the blog!! I'll be sure to link to it :)

I have to admit I know nothing of Kirkus, never having read it, but I'm thrilled you got a great review. And, hopefully, I'll run into your work again with Forest books!

ginger darlings-- kirkus is NOTORIOUS for giving incredibly harsh reviews. a positive review from them is actually a feather in your cap, since their default position is generally negative.

Thanks for this link, Kelly. Something that I can use frequently!

Enjoy, Stasia!

The Book Mine Set.

I think it's past time to go to bed. At first glance, that read "The Book Mime Set"....

Oh, I was perfectly awake when I read the same thing, James! I need to figure out today WHY Book Mine Set.

Minh over at Bottom Shelf is so freakin' funny. Love that blog.

Did I just say "freakin'"? I sound like a middle schooler trying to be cool.

Perhaps you'll consider including our blog at http://cookiebooky.blogspot.com. We've just started a website that provides schedules and discussion topics for kids books. At our blog, we announce updates to our website, comics about reading and free downloads of things like bookmarks and bookplates (well, actually, right now a bookmark and a bookplate.)

Thanks for taking a look!

thanks so much for the link!

I'm glad to meet you, Suzanne!

Thanks for the plug, Kelly!

thanks, Kelly ... it is SO MUCH FUN to write about the election in Sparrow's voice ...

I don't know if this will do the trick, but I think there is a way to delete links from your blog, just as you would delete comments. Check your links for each post and look for the little trashcan.

That should do it Kelly...

If not, report the matter to Blogger and Technorati and ask for their assistance...

I'm not sure WHAT you can do. Technorati just reports who links where; and it's not a link on your blog (such as a comment.) Even what web says -- it wouldn't change the post/site that has your site on it's page.

Let me see if I can find anything out -- but short of contacting the blog/site owner and requesting the link be taken down, I'm not sure what you can do.

The good news would be that it's fairly clear that who links to you is beyond your control and has nothing to do with your content. But still -- it's icky.

Uuuggghhh!
What in the world are they thinking?

"Now that we have disgusted you with our site, check out this link to something wholesome and uplifting."

That's been happening to me, too! On LJ. And it always on the exact same post. I considered deleting the post, but am afraid the stuff will just show up somewhere else.

So I'm just deleting the spam as it appears.

Well, Kelly, this is ONE way to get enough links to become a B list blogger! And thanks for the heads up, I'll be keeping a closer look on my Technorati search results. And I still haven't found any answer beyond contacting the site.

Lisa: I guess I'm glad I'm not alone, but I'm sorry you're faced with this too! It's kind of yucky.

Liz: You're right. There is no way to fix it, except to contact the site itself.

Camille: I know! I feel violated. Yuck!

Wendy and Michele: It seems as if my blog address has been included by one of those ad companies that send out e-mails saying "reach 100000s of clicks per day!" or whatever. They're not linking to specific posts--but to the blog itself. The only way to fix it is by contacting each and every site.

We've got Link Lice, too. I was feeling like it was a kind of cyberbullying, but it sounds like it's just spammy and gross. (Is it because we have the word scrotum in a post or two?) Glad we're not alone, but I wish NONE of us had to deal with this. Icky. Is. Right.

I've had a number of sites literally reprint entire posts of mine, always with attribution and a link back to my blog, but it is a little squicky. So far, none of them seem especially terrible or scary, just sleazy in the way spam always seems sleazy. The sites that are run on Blogger I have always flagged, but otherwise there doesn't seem to be anything you can do. Sorry you're having to deal with this.

Lice is a good term for it, Mary Lee.

Thanks, Scrivener. I guess it's nice to know I'm not a specific target :)