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Sorry Jane, Colbert wins every time.

Of course, I have to imagine that Barry’s original interest in the clip was the closing Tip of the Hat segment. Just a hunch.

Seems like a good guess, Bill.

Katie Sis, I’d say you have a crush. Hey, speaking of which, congratulations on your beau getting to visit you for Christmas! That’s excellent news.

The Jane bit was funny and dead on;Miss Austen herself would find that amusing,in my opinion:)

The Marvel comics stuff was great as well,thanks for posting the clip,Robin!

Colbert is my hero of sarcasm. I’m eagerly awaiting Murray’s arrival!

Lady T, didn’t you especially like the part where Stephen gazes out the window at the rain? Perfect.

Katie Sis, good luck with Murray!

I finished The Luxe by Anna Godbersen. It was good, but I thought there were stlll loose ends by the end of the book–so annoying.

I finished the last book in Kerry Madden’s Maggie Valley trilogy. She rocks. I wanna interview her.

And, I finished Steven Herrick’s latest free verse novel. And I started a book I’m supposed to co-review with Eisha for the next One-Shot World Tour Day thingy, and I promptly LOST IT. I’ve never, ever lost a book I was reading. I’m distraught. Shows you how scattered I am. Anyone have any book-retrieving calls?

(My anti-spam word is “fire.” Anyone else remember Phil Hartman’s wonderful Frankenstein impersonation on SNL — “Fire. Bad.” Ah, Phil. God rest his talented soul. But I digress. See? Scattered — again).

Back on topic — I’m also reading some
great new picture books, but I’ll try to post about them this week.

Eisha and I also read Sweethearts fairly recently and plan to interview Zarr soon and co-review the book. Good stuff.

That’s my story, and I’m stickin’ to it.

Oh I just saw that someone linked to our review. Thanks!

I also meant to say that what you’re reading sounds good, Robin. Do you know I’VE NEVER READ JANE AUSTEN? I want to remedy this (and I’ve also never read Little Women — I’m ducking now).

I’m a big children’s lit poseur, I think.

I finally finished reading Order of the Phoenix to my kids (and can now see the movie). We started The Half-Blood Prince and am really liking that so far. I’m halfway through last Sunday’s newspaper. And I sure hope work reading counts: I’m just beginning to read over 5,000 (!!!) pages of a Motion to Expunge Lis Pendens.

Kelly, did I tell you that I asked the Adaptive Blue Smartlinks creators to add the wiki to their search function? When you click on the little blue box next to a title, (or on the cover of my book at my blog) the larger box that appears has info on reviews. If you click on that, reviews from Publishers Weekly (and now the wiki) should show up. But it doesn't do much good if the reviews aren't in the wiki in the first place.

I really hope more bloggers will add their fantastic insights and thoughtful reviews of books to the wiki. Starting with Letters from Rapunzel, of course. :)

I emailed you for info. Thanks for mentioning this!

I'm glad to see you mentioning this, too, Kelly. I think it's a great resource, and I agree with Sara that it would be wonderful to have more people indexing their reviews. Sara, the Adaptive Blue thing is very cool. I'll have to check that out. I get a bunch of hits from the Wiki every day, too, though I haven't tallied how many. As for being caught up, I'm caught up on entering my reviews into the Wiki, it's writing the reviews that I'm behind on...

Kelly,

Thanks for this post. I had no idea we bloggers could add our reviews. It looks as if there's a need for more reviews of poetry books. I'll be in touch...after I finish with a few things that I must attend to in the next two weeks.

Sara: You did? That's so cool! Thank you :) (And at least one review of your book--from TEOTF--will be archived soon, I promise.)

Got it, Breeni Books.

Behind on EVERYTHING, Jen!

Elaine: Please do get in touch as soon as you can...

A recent book I bought for my son is called Archy the Flying Dolphin. It's a really great book. So great i've read it three times in a row!
My son Loves it. Everytime we grab it to read, he wants to read it over and over again. It's like his blanky. He takes it everywhere we go. In the Car, to Daycare, to Grandmas.
It's a really great children's book.
Check it out!! You'll fall in love with it too!

I will email you for instructions and the password. I've been meaning to get around to this...too much wedding in my head.

Kelly, I'm in awe of everything you're able to accomplish. No need to be disappointed in yourself just because you aren't living up to your own expectations on a couple of your projects. You can't do it all, but you do a darn lot and do it well.

Aww...thanks, Sheila! I actually have to write you this week about Cybils. So, I'll be in touch soon :)

You are so incredibly amazing Kelly! Maybe you should (gasp) give yourself a week or two off blogging...

Don't be too hard on yourself!

Thanks, Erin :) And, don't worry...my blogvation is coming up soon (end of June). I always take a couple of weeks off a year!

So the secret's out - you're not super-human! I've been so impressed with the fact that I run across you *everywhere* online and wonder how in the heck you do it. I think it's reasonable to assess and decide how to cut back or merge tasks - and it looks like you've done a good job of it. That's not failing. It's being sensible. And now, I'm off to take my own advice...

Hey, a two big fat summer issues instead of three normal-sized ones? Whoo hoo!

Seriously, Kel -- you do so much PLUS you have people to raise!? I even have low-maintenance pets (Snake: feed once a week, okay?? A deliberate choice!) We're not worthy...

Eh. It's all good. I was just impressed that you were inclined to do it in the first place.

My wife always acuses me of having the motto, "have everything, do everything, be everything," which encourages me to slow down. Difficult, but worth it. good for you.

Kelly, holy cow. What Erin said.

You RULE, lady.

Kelly,

I'm impressed with all you do just with your blog--let alone the Cybils and The Edge of the Forest. You shouldn't drive yourself too hard.

I am actually quite relieved at the Edge June/July issue because the idea of writing about the 48 Hour Book Challenge the very next day and turning it in was giving me hives. Even though it was my idea. I'll also allow a pass on your participation in 48 HBC if you need it. You're my BFF (Blog Friend Forever) either way.

Oh goodness, you bring us a fabulous service when you give us any EOTF issue. Don't be hard on yourself. You are so not a failure. You're my blog hero.

No! This is not a bad thing! No need to apologize!!!

It seems to me that you're making a wise and careful decision (or set of decisions) here. Setting boundaries is the only way to make sure that you do the things that matter most, and do them well.

I suffer from the "take on any task" disease a bit myself, and have been (since my son was born in 2005) practicing this thing where I never respond "yes" or "no" to anything.

Instead I say (or type) "That sounds neat. can I get back with you?" Which makes me sound like a robot or something...

But then I give myself a day to mull it over. Usually I realzie the request (whatever it is) will cut into my writing/family/sleeping time, and I end up saying "no".

In any case,, you seem like a rocketship of a lady to me, and I'm much impressed with all you do, and do well!

Thanks, guys :) You've made my morning and I feel better. I just felt like I had to come clean in public!

TadMack: How my son would love to meet you! If only his mean old parents would allow him a snake.

Kris: I hope you did follow your own advice. It was good :)

Sorry, Fuse. But maybe it was your millions of reviews that did me in in the end!

Brian, bless your wife for taking care of you.

Thanks Leila, Elaine, and Jules. Your support means a lot to me.

MMR: I LOVE BFF for blog friends forever :)

Kris: Kids will force you to slow down a little bit, won't they?

Kelly,
Yes, I love your goals. I am excercising 4 days a week now and it is so good. We do need to know our limitations and use each moment in a wise way. Good for you!

Zee: I was an exercise fiend until I started the blog. Blogging filled in the time I exercised. Now I have to figure out how to do both :) The past few weeks I have been able to get in 30 minutes a day, which is better than nothing!!

Oh that's it - you've totally sunk in my estimation now you slacker !!


*grins*

Kelly, honestly, you're not a failure at all - you achieve so much, and with two young children as well. Give yourself a well deserved pat on the back and enjoy your vacation...

Oh and I'll send you my TEotF stuff - been a bit behind this week what with the work issues, but it's all to hand !

Oh Kelly, You do so much. There's no need to apologize. At all. I am so glad you are focusing on your needs for a change. It will only help make everything else you work on better.

You ROCK!

Kelly you are SO smart to re-assess and decide what to focus on for the summer. Exactly what making a list of goals is supposed to make you do!

I am sorry I have failed to help you with CBR. I have said a couple of times I would do my part but I never did. I will put it on my list for this summer, 'K?

(In a smaller, more pitiful voice) I just need you to tell me how, again... I lost the directions you sent me before. It really is a brilliant idea and I want to be part of it.

Kelly, please don't say that you're a failure, because if you're a failure, then we're all failures. Because nobody else measures up to all of the things that you do accomplish. I know how tempting it is to focus on what you haven't accomplished yet, or what you wanted to accomplish but weren't able to do, but that's a suckers bet. There's always more that we could do. But that things that you do are amazing.

And I also must add, in another kindred spirit moment, that the exact same thing happened to me in terms of blogging and exercise. Before my blog, I was average 2 hours a day walking, and I was in the best shape I'd been in in years. Now ... not so much. I took a huge drop-off in the walking, and am only just now, 18 months later, starting to try to get it back.

Oh, if we only all had more time!

Kelly, you do soooo much for the kid lit world......you are not a failure!

However.....as for the "Man flu" thing -- I object! (about 5 sick days in 35 years of work and when I'm sick just let me be and I'll get better)

Jim D

Thanks for the support, Kelly, and for your lovely comment over at the interview. Have a great week!

The Children's Book Review site is so great!!! I really appreciate all the hard work everyone puts into it for maintaining it! I'm amazed at how quickly updating and editing goes once you get the hang of it!

You're welcome, Jen!

Yes, it's not too bad, Becky. Especially now with the new interface!

Love how you made our blog's title a verb -- past tense, too!

I've been trying to keep up with adding mine. It's such a great resource for reviews. Thanks for getting it started!

It is, Mindy! That's its purpose. And in following its stats, that's what people are using it for. Only 10-20 people a day visit, but when they do, they visit tons of pages and links.

I got behind because of the Cybils too - and I've made no attempt to catch up. I am a bad, bad person and will now go away to iron my fingers...


(Spot the kidslit reference! *wink*)

Kelly,

I love the wiki and I do get a lot of referrals from it but I have to admit the fact that I could accidentally mess up other people's data scares me so I very rarely update it with my reviews.

Here's where you learn what a luddite I am: are there audits that run automatically that would tell me if I have deleted or modified existing entries?

Andrea

Please don't iron your fingers, Michele!!

Hi Andrea: Unfortunately, no. But, I can set up to receive e-mail to see what has been edited. I will do so. Also, I back it up frequently, so if you do feel you've deleted something, let me know.

Andrea, rest assured, I did have a problem with the Wiki deciding to delete half of a page full of entries - but it's possible to "revert back" to an older page quite easily (Kelly will tell you what a panic I got into when I discovered what it had done !) It was patched up in no time...

Kelly, I won't then - just as well - it'd stop me writing/typing !

Like Mindy, I've been trying to keep up with listing my reviews on the site, and I definitely get some visitors from it. Thanks for setting it up, Kelly!

What I did to keep myself updating was made it part of my "routine" for when I write a new review. I link to it in my sidebar, I add it to my own index of reviews that I keep on another site, I add it to the children's book review wiki, and I (usually) put it on Amazon. It's kind of a lot, but I find it's excellent tv work, updating things like this.