Little Lov'n Monday

Little Lov'n Monday is a day we celebrate the work of fellow bloggers. Between now and Wednesday, post a link to an article, contest, interview, poem- anything you think deserves a little lov'n. Leave a link and be entered in LLM Giveaway. Deadline is June 5th. Winner announced every Saturday. Congratulations to Icedream, winner (5/29)! Check her out at Reading in Appalachia.

Commit to visiting 5 blogs and leaving comments. If you do that, let us know. You might not care about winning a book, but I'm thinking you're a cool person who cares. Tell us that you shared some love. Thanks. Winner may choose a prize from the list or any previously offered book if it is available:
Little Yellow Dog by Walter Mosley
easy living by Terence Conran's (decorating book)
72 Hours by Bebe Moore Campbell
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
A Tree Grows In Brooklyn by Betty Smith

Earn 1 entry for leaving a link to a post you think we should check out. Earn extra entries:
+5 for saying you visited folks and shared some love
+3 for posting LLM icon/link in your sidebar
+2 for blogging about LLM

Check Out These:
No More Grump bookseller
11th Annual International Latino Book Awards @ Crazy Quilts
Big Wheels Keep On Turning @ Geoffrey Philips
Creative Freedoms and the Not Nows @The Bottom of Heaven
Bea Buzz @ White Readers Meet Black Authors
YA Blog List. Leave a link of bloggers you'd like added.
Children's Book Carnival

The Sunday Salon

Color Online Summer Book Drive
May 30-July 1.

For those of you who don't know, I run the library you see here at a local nonprofit. The agency will run its annual summer program. In between activities, we hope the girls will visit the library. This is the best time to run our book drive. Please consider promoting our drive our your blog. One book, one reader at a time.

This week I blogged and read less. In my current reading stack: Brown Girl in the Ring by Nalo Hopkinson, Cuba 15 by Nancy Osa, Aya by Marguerite Abouet and Clement Oubrerie, Shine, Coconut Moon by Neesha Meminger. It's been a busy week. Still, I got a few things done:

• Hot topic here was my weekly feature Confession Tuesday.

• Had a great week in terms book acquisitions. See my Library Loot & In My Mailbox post.

• Spent a great deal of time updating and adding content to Color Online. Check out our latest feature, Sewing Circle.

• C.O.R.A. Diversity Roll Call. We begin our new posting schedule this Friday, June 5th at Color Online. Join us.

• Great response to both Poetry Friday entries. One here and one at Color Online.

• Little Lov'n Monday. If you haven't shared any lov'n, what are you waiting for? Join us.

Hope you all had a great week. Happy reading.

Color Online Summer Book Drive

Friends,

Many of you know I run a community library at a local nonprofit, Alternatives for Girls. We have a great collection. Our women's studies collection would impress academics and women studies majors and our youth collection is chock full of work by women about girls and women of color which reflects the community we serve. We have a solid collection of multicultural literature because our girls need to know the world is larger than the city boundaries. Still, there are areas I struggle to fill: new releases in children's and YA literature, graphic novels, comics and biographies.

Our summer, Rise -N- Shine program for elementary and middle school girls begins the end of June so this is the best time to run our book drive. Please consider purchasing a title for us from our wish list at Powell Books. We also love gently used books. And in the economic times, some of you may want to give but can't. It would be huge help if you would blog about our drive and leave a link to our wish list on your sidebar between now and July 1.

To send donations directly, mail books media rate to:

ALTERNATIVES FOR GIRLS
C/O LIBRARY
903 W. GRAND BLVD
DETROIT, MI 48208

We thank you in advance for your support. If you have any questions, please contact me at cora_litgroup@yahoo.com

Library Loot & In My Mailbox

Any time I get a book, it's a good time. This week, only one library book. I have way too many out. Two titles from Paperback Swap and three book prizes. I combine my book posts because it makes sense for me and anyone I think is interested in what I got for the week. I participate in three book memes: Library Loot hosted by Eva at A Striped Armchair, In My Mailbox hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren and Mailbox Monday hosted by Marcia at the Printed Page. Join us. Each group is fun. The loot:

From the library, I picked up Aya byMarguerite Abouet and Clement Oubrerie. I've only been reading graphic novels about a year and I really enjoy this genre. Each writer I've read has a distinct style, the graphics have been amazing and the topics covered are diverse and engaging. Saw this at Eva's loot and knowing Eva, I had to pick it up. Set in 1970, Aya follows the travails of some teenage girls in the peaceful Abidjan working-class neighborhood of Yopougon (which they call "Yop City, like something out of an American movie"), as they strive for love and the right boyfriend.

Requested Lucy The Giant by Sherri L. Smith from Paperback Swap because of Doret's review at The HappyNappy Bookseller.For one our assignments for C.O.R.A. Diversity Roll Call assignments we posted about book covers and how readers react to black characters on the cover. This title is about a girl name Lucy who happens to be black, but the story isn't about race but her size and her decision to do a job most girls don't. Looking forward to this.

I learned about Across A Hundred Mountains by Reyna Grande by reading an interview with the author at Latino Books Examiner. The story is about a young girl who leaves Mexico to find her father who left two years earlier to find work in America. Looking forward to reading this.

I won Jantsen's Gift by Pam Cope at Bella Is Reading. It's nonfiction and I don't read as much nonfiction as I intend to. Reviews have been mixed so we'll see. For a long time, I even had myself convinced of how good and right everything was in my life. Her ideal was shattered in 1999 when Jantsen, her 15-year-old son, died suddenly from a heart ailment; this moving memoir recounts Cope's transformation and growth after her world collapsed.

I won Paul Robeson, an award winner by Eloise Greenfield at Diversity Rocks! To win at DR, all you have to do is post a link to a review you've written for your blog. How easy is that? I'm a huge Eloise Greenfield. You can read a review at The HappyNappy Bookseller. This a Lee & Low publication. A publisher committed to publishing multicultural literature. Check them out. I received a second bonus title from the publisher, Sacred Mountain Everest by Christine Taylor Butler.

What did you get?

Poetry Friday

My Poems
Nita Penfold

come to me hard-fisted
with mean mouths
they are not polite ladies
will not be still
they won't stay where I put them
nor keep my secrets.
I heir red-rough hands,
their ready grins
the way they yank and unravel
my bindings, and won't let me sleep
until they loose my soul.



From Claiming the Spirit Within: A Sourcebook of Women's Poetry edited by Marilyn Sewell,Beacon Press, 1996.
Poetry Friday is hosted this week at Live. Love. Explore.

Color Online: Birthday Shout Out!

Celebrating Betty Shabazz
May 28, 1934-June 23, 1997

Confession Tuesday

Okay, this is part rant, part plea, and part advice to my fellow bloggers. Feel free to blow me off but if you proceed know that the following is one sista telling you how I really feel (as if I'm ever anything but candid). There are a lot of online users who are new not only to blogging but interacting online in general. Me, I'm an old veteran so I'm going to mention a few things that use to be common knowledge among message board members and online community administrators. The following are Susan's guide to creating a great webspace and being a good member of online communities:

• Content. Bloggers, a blog is a website. You are a writer. Even if your site is personal, remember it is public. Think before you post minutia. There is no shortage of content or topics to cover. Give your readers a reason to return.
  
  
• Respond. Part of the appeal of blogs and the Internet is the ability to interact. If I wanted to sit in on a lecture or read a traditional article with no means of sharing my opinion, I wouldn't be reading a blog. When your readers comment, reply. Generic is better than no response. Believe me. And many readers like me do care if you act as if you sit in a lofty tower. My 'I just want to sit at your feet days' passed more than a decade ago.
  
  
• Follow-up. If you host a contest, set a firm deadline and honor it. Things come up. When they do, update your readers. Personally, I'm a little miffed when you ask me to become a follower, leave a comment, promote you and your contest and you drop the ball. Don't ask me to jump hoops and then you don't deliver. For all those wondering, when you win a book from BES or Color Online, books ship within 10 days. I let you know when book ships, too. And for you prize winners, stop driving hosts crazy by failing to let us know you got the prize. Books get lost, stolen or yes, we forget we left the wrapped book in the car or at the office. I don't want you to thank me repeatedly, I want to know you got your prize because I said I'd send it.
  
  
• Memes. Warning, major rant here. Participants if you don't know, memes are only successful when participants participate. That means drop a link and follow up by commenting to other participants' posts. If you're too busy to visit fellow bloggers and leave a comment, don't post your link and bail. Not cool. Some memes boast double digit links but there is little commenting going on. What's up with that? And do link back to the original meme post. Why? Because it makes it easier to access the next link so you can comment to someone else.
  
  
• Websites are references. Bloggers if you don't know, not only are your fans reading you but so are future employers and current ones. The Internet is public. Be careful what you post. Don't publish something that someone can access at a future time that will cause you a career move blocker.
  
  
• Website or picture book. Bloggers, pictures and widgets and lovely backgrounds are pretty, but are you presenting a slide show or a site for reading and interacting? Consider who your audience is and how they access your site. Everyone is not traveling the web in a Cadillac. If your readers have to wait for your page to load or they have to remove blockers or they are blocked from viewing your site (viruses, firewalls and spam are realities of the net) then you may be losing or failing to gain readers because visiting your site requires hoop jumping.
  
  
• Word verification. Okay rock stars. I realize I said spam is real but do you really need word verification? Live Journal is the worst. Not only do you have to type words that are barely readable but then you have to cut and paste gibberish. What the frack? Yes, I get you don't want ugly comments or spam but have you really had multiple, bad experiences or did you buy a policy because it sounded good, and you wanted to be careful? Really, how long would it take you to delete an unwanted comment? Less time than it takes your readers who are taking time to comment. Years ago, I belonged to a diversity forum and there was a real need to moderate and filter comments. If you run a blog that inherently draws the nut jobs, by all means, I agree you need filters. For the rest of us who are gushing over books or grand babies, I don't think we have too much to worry about. If you have word verification, know that I and I don't think I'm alone and it's cool if you don't care if only I don't show up, know that I come by your space less often and definitely comment less. I spend way too much time online, and I don't want to extend that time jumping hoops to tell you I enjoyed what you wrote.
  

I concede upfront that I have not mastered everything mentioned. I am a scatterbrain and I will forget to write a host and while I hate word verification that doesn't mean I won't read a blogger. The obvious exception are bloggers I've gotten to know so I will jump hoops when motivated.

Any peeves of your own? Want to tell me don't take myself so seriously? It's cool. I have thick skin, and I've embraced my ornery self already. Confession Tuesday is hosted by January at Poet Mom. Join us.

Jumped: Point-of-View Dominates this Social Court

Jumped
Rita Williams-Garcia
Amistad
2009

Rita Williams-Garcia’s latest book, Jumped is raw. I suppose I could be eloquent but the truth is, for me, raw best describes the tension and the fear I clung to the entire read. I wrote earlier on my blog that the story of three teens linked through a single event possesses all of the intensity of a “24” episode without cars and building exploding and Jack’s questionable tactics. A better analogy might be the movie “Cloverfield,” the intensity is ratcheted up because Jumped plays out like a movie shot with a single lens camera carried by an anonymous cameraman who records the events as they happen, unscripted and unedited. No commercials. No romantic scenes. No happy endings.

In Jumped, the author deftly uses point-of-view to relay a story of teen violence that is escalating in our schools. In an interview at Cynsations, the author said she wanted to create unsympathetic characters. And she succeeds. The reader is free to interpret the social implications based on the characters’ perceptions and motivations and not any influence from a writer’s ability to elicit an emotional response. Any sympathy, anger or any other emotion the reader experiences is based on the reader’s own morals and ideas about social mores.

The actors: Dominique is a baller. Basketball is her life and everything she does is motivated by the love of the game. The game is her life and for Dominique the very small world of a court and sweat is all there is and she desperately needs it to cope. Despite attending a social interaction course, Dominique has only scratched the surface enough to recognize techniques but she has almost no ability to apply what she has been taught. When Dominique describes everything in basketball metaphors and similes, she isn’t being clever; she is using the only vocabulary and skill set she understands. In her own words she acknowledges how limited her world is and she is desperate to live it in increments of minutes until she is no longer allowed to play which for her is the end of high school. Dominique has no aspiration beyond high school. She can’t dream about a world she can’t see and she can’t see beyond a court.

Trina is Dominique’s complete opposite. Trina is all sunshine and possibility. She believes that her dreams are not only absolutely possible but they are just waiting on her to complete each task necessary to fulfill her dreams. Where Dominique can only feel anxiety, hostility and the frustration of being boxed in, Trina thinks the world is blessed to have her. Trina is conceited and living in a fantasy world. She is so oblivious to the reality of the world she moves in that it isn’t that she is simply the random target of Dominique’s rage, but her oblivion adds to her vulnerability. As Leticia put it, Trina is so caught up in Trina she doesn’t even know the social boundaries of high school culture.

Leticia gets the grades because the grades get her daddy’s money and mom’s praise. Leticia is all about leading a pampered and entertained life. For Leticia, entertainment is centered largely on gossip and drama. Violence is drama, and Leticia has zero empathy for anyone who gets caught up in drama. The exceptions are herself and her girl, Bea. Leticia overhears Dominique tell her crew she’s going to jump Trina for invading her space (Trina being Trina bounces along the hallway greeting everyone). Problem is Dominique never gave her permission to speak let alone cut her space with all her sunshine and cheap pink bootylicious outfit. To Leticia, the impending beat down is live reality TV and she’s got a front row seat. She excitedly calls her girl, Bea who tells Leticia she has to warn Trina. Leticia is out down with her best friend. Is she out of her mind? Why get caught up in Trina’s mess except to watch it go down?

The story is a countdown told from each girl’s point-of-view. And while the foreshadowing is clear, I was still unprepared for the brutality of climax and the permanence of the event. Equally disturbing is Leticia’s final commentary. After watching a news clip of Trina, Leticia expresses no empathy. Now I didn’t expect her to changed by a single event but I was still stunned by her callousness, the complete disconnect. Leticia flips the channel quickly looking for her next fix of drama and gossip.

While the characters are flawed, I understand why Dominique is who she is. She is the product of suffocating circumstances and her self-fulfilling prophecy of a remaining imprisoned in mind and body is authentic here. Trina, while flighty doesn’t deserve the beating and therefore I feel for her despite her failings. Leticia, is no monster but she is the character I honestly do not like, not because she is spoiled and self-centered, I understand that. But I could not relate to her complete disregard for the victim or victims in general. If she had expressed any remorse or sympathy at the time of actual beating I could have empathized, but even when the ambulance pulls up, the entire episode has simply been a really good show for Leticia. I was depressed and angry for what she represents in the story.

read more here.

Little Lov'n Monday

Little Lov'n Monday is a day we celebrate the work of fellow bloggers. Between now and Wednesday, post a link to an article, contest, interview, poem- anything you think deserves a little lov'n. Leave a link and be entered in LLM Giveaway. Deadline is May 29. Winner announced every Saturday. Congratulations to Rebecca, winner (5/22)! Check her out at Lost In Books. Rebecca is a reader, a writer, a poet, a designer, a crafty little thing.

Commit to visiting 5 blogs and leaving comments. If you do that, let us know. You might not care about winning a book, but I'm thinking you're a cool person who cares. Tell us that you shared some love. Thanks. Winner may choose a prize from the list or any previously offered book if it is available:
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
The Chosen One by Carol Lynch-Williams
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
A Tree Grows In Brooklyn by Betty Smith

Earn 1 entry for leaving a link to a post you think we should check out. Earn extra entries:
+5 for saying you visited folks and shared some love
+3 for posting LLM icon/link in your sidebar
+2 for blogging about LLM
Leave a separate comment for each entry.

Check These Out:
Interview with Kekla Magoon @ SLJ
Book Giveaway @ Largehearted Boy
A Spring Book Swap @ Hospital Reading
Escape In Books- Group hug for this blogger
My friend Amy- Give some lov'n to this blogger
Teen denied right to walk across stage. Sign petition.
YA You Don't Know at Three R's of Summer
"Mama Lockdown" by yours truly. Had too much fun to not ask for some love

Jumped continued

Page 1 here.

In closing, let me share a little about how I approached this novel and all the YA fiction I read. I am an adult, a parent of a twenty-four year old and a fourteen year old. I majored in English in school. I volunteer at an at-risk agency for girls. I run the library. I personally know girls who have jumped other girls and those who have been jumped. I know a Dominique, a Trina and Leticia. Reading this replays a reality I intimately know.

In college, the critique approach I gravitated towards was cultural criticism. I am most interested in social critique. It informs how I read today. My perspective has a clear slant: I have internal radar for literary devices and social commentary. My reviews are based on my filters. What I actually put on our shelves and how I describe titles to my community of readers are two linked but distinctly different approaches. Most of my reviews here are written based on how I see a read as an adult. What I share with my girls are the points I think interest them based on my experiences as a parent and mentor. It took me a while to realize that it is better for my girls and me if I can acknowledge both approaches to a work. In this way, I don’t have to disregard what I experience nor do I feel obligated to make assessments and selections based only on my standards and filters. For example, for those who remember my review of The Making of Dr. Truelove I openly expressed my issues with it. I also said I was going to give it to my daughter. I did and she loved it. It will be on our shelves.

When I told my daughter about Jumped, I was completely animated, quoting all the smart dialogue and infusing my descriptions with drama and attitude. My daughter gobbled it up. I think it’s important to acknowledge our filters and to use those filters, perceptions as jumping off points for meaningful discussion. Where our perceptions differ, I think there is greater opportunity to consider another person’s point-of-view. I think it is an opportunity to ask questions, to encourage students to revisit what they perceive and to ask them do they see more, see layers. When my daughter finishes Jumped, I’ll let you know what she thinks.

I'm a huge Williams Garcia fan. I've read and enjoyed No Laughter Here, Every Time A Rainbow Dies and Like Sisters On The Homefront.

The Sunday Salon

Highlight of this week was creating my own superhero and then writing about her for 3WW. Diana Peterfreund is currently running a contest for her new graphic novel, Dull Boy. Check out the giveaway and make yourself a superhero while you're at it.

The battle of between D-town and the Hills had been fierce. City folk and suburbinites fought over what was left after the Burn of '44. Read more of Mama Lockdown here.

Picked up some really good book at the library and got a few in the mail. Check out my Library Loot and In My Mailbox post.

C.O.R.A Diversity Roll Call is a great meme designed to inform and broaden participants' reading habits. Join us. New challenges posted the first and third Friday of each month. Ali at Worducopia and I at Color Online alternate hosting. You can find our schedule in my sidebar week prior.

Had a blast with our Weekly Geeks assignment which was to give readers a literary tour of our hometown. I'm from the big D, Detroit. Before you say cars or Motown, know that we are city of poets. Followed up my wg assignment with a Poetry Friday selection, a poem by Detroiter, Sadiq Bey entitled "Morning 85."

Last week I shared I was reading Jumped by Rita Williams-Garcia. I finished it. It was raw, brutal in its candor and all the intensity of a 24 episode without Jack using questionable tactics and things blowing up. An incredible read. I loved it. If you don't know the author check out her interview here. Stay tuned for a full review. I also read and reviewed The Chosen One by Carol Lynch-Williams. If you like a tearjerker, you might like this. Didn't work for me. Find out why here.

Some of you know I also publish at Color Online, a blog that is an extension of a community group I founded to support young women. Our blog features women writers of color. This week I added a new feature, Sewing Circle. Looking for a new read, check out Color Online. We also host a monthly trivia quizzes. Answer correctly and your name is entered in a drawing for a free book from our Prize Bucket.

Lastly, I'm currently reading Secret Keeper by Mitali Perkins. I've been looking forward to reading Mitali's latest book. In addition to writing her own books, she writes a blog and commits a good deal of her time to promoting other writers of color. Read her at Mitali's Fire Escape. I'm also reading Brown Girl in the Ring by Nalo Hopkinson.

Find a list of Salon participants here.

Library Loot & IMM

A good week. I picked up one title on hold at the library and thanks to Eva, I ended picked up a couple more and putting one on hold. Made a few suggestions while I was at the library. The YA librarian was out so I'll have to check with her later to see if she can purchase my recommendations. Got a gift from Edi at Crazy Quilts and two from Paperback Swap. And a word to all the bloggers who host contests: please let winners know when to expect their prizes. It's nerve wracking watching for the mail. Personally, I'm always worried a book will be lost or stolen (It's happened) so it helps if I have a timeframe. In My Mailbox is hosted each week by Kristi at Story Siren and Mailbox Monday is hosted by Marcia at The Printed Page. Eva hosts Library Loot at A Striped Armchair. This week I added to my teetering pile:
From the library:
Secret Keeper by Mitali Perkins. The trick with historical or cultural fiction (and Secret Keeper is both) is to create a story where the reader forgets that they are in another time or place. Though Secret Keeper takes place in 1970’s India, the themes are universal. Especially engaging is protagonist Asha, a strong and selfless young woman in a culture and time when such traits are more burden than complement. Not only does Secret Keeper have a great story to tell, it also offers even-handed insight into Indian culture and leaves the reader both heartbroken and uplifted. From Reading Rumpus.

Dope Sick by Walter Dean Myers. I'm a huge Myers fan. I've seen some buzz about this but not enough. The author is prolific and has a long successful career. I'm looking forward to reading this. Walter Dean Myers weaves elements of magical realism into a harrowing story about drug use,violence, alternate perceptions of reality, and second chances.
The Fox Woman by Kij Johnson. I picked this up because Eva's LL post reminded me and Nymeth's review. She writes: The Fox Woman deals with what it means to be a woman and to be restrained by convention, what it means to be a person and be burdened by expectations – other people’s as well as our own. In addition to gender and identity, it deals with longing and disappointment and communication and the boundary between animal and human. All in a beautifully told story infused with Japanese myth.

The Gifted by Nikita Lalwani. Thanks to Eva, another book. Found this review at I read: Nikita has captured the Indian family of the 80's very well. A strict disciplinarian father who sees excellence in education as the only way out. An emotionally tuned in but
clueless mother, Shreene, who can see her child's changing personality but is incapable of understanding why. An impressionable child, who is living in two cultures, yet is complete withdrawn from both. Her only release from her anguish being an entirely odd addiction.

In my mailbox: The No.1 Ladies' Dectective Agency by Alexander McCall. I'm not going to admit how long I've known about this one. It's now a hit HBO series that I haven't watched but when I saw it available at Paperback, I requested it. Fans of the book seem to love the series so hopefully I'll get to it before the season is over.

So Not The Drama by Paula Chase. This is one of those titles I have been patiently waiting for. This will definitely be passed on to the kidlet. She's my unofficial reviewer. We have Paula's Don't Get It Twisted and it was a hit. No doubts about this series.

Aluetian Sparrow by Karen Hesse. This was a gift from Edi. Found this review at Paper Tigers, a cool site by the way if you don't know about it: This haungtingly beautiful verse novel describes the experiences of the Aleutian people who were evacuated from their island during the Second World War and made to live in camps on the mainland. The teenage narrator describes the difficulties of being in a totally alien environment far removed from her way of life: 'abandoned in the dark suffocation of the forest ... we cannot, from any corner of the camp, catch a glimpse of open water.' Many Aleutians fell sick or died, and almost all were unhappy, unable to earn their livelihood, deprived of their culture, and unpopular with the 'white' people. ~Audrey Baker

Poetry Friday

Morning 85
Sadiq Bey

during the ceremony, of course
she was late, swollen with admiration
and witnessing the genetic mass
thrown, barreling towards the future,
my childs was not fair, "the memory-
frozen image," she wore makeup and
a long black weave to match the sexy
black dress...my child is an adult.
the realization so peculiar, it's easier
to accept a twenty-five old woman,
holding gladiolas and taking pictures,
I must tell you, prayers are answered.



from Abandon Automobile: Detroit City Poetry 2001 edited by Melba Joyce Boyd and M.L. Liebler. Earlier this week I wrote a piece for Weekly Geeks. We were to give the reader a literary tour of our hometown. There is so much I love about my city. We are teeming with artists, and I have a particular affinity for our poets. Read more selections at Susan Taylor Brown's.

3WW: Mama Lockdown: The Beginning

The battle of between D-town and the Hills had been fierce. City folk and suburbinites fought over what was left after the Burn of '44. If the polticians had been treacherous before, what each side's army did to each other was worse. I'm not talking bodies. The Burn took care of that, I'm talking wasting what few resources we collectively were depended on: the freakin' land, metals and textiles. In the end neither side ended up any better off: both sides lacked enough resources and we remained co-dependent whether we liked it or not. Now the city folk actually had the upper-hand. You know the joke, poor folks know how to make do. So after the Burn, those in the epicenter got busy plotting out community gardens, establishing neighborhood turfts and making pacts with micro gangs for protection.

And while the burbs were slow on the uptake they weren't without their wits. The ex Suits knew when it was crunch time, you had to act on your feet, be efficient. Instead of looking to optimize profits, they pooled intellectual property. City and Burbs bartered their best assets. Necessity will make bedfellows out of estranged partners.

Now this is Auntie's sanitized version. Auntie says if folks had been reasonable and sane, we wouldn't have had the Burn to begin with it. Besides, she says no sense in wasting more time than necessary to explain what has happened. Auntie has no time for blame or tears. She says neither will feed us nor protect us.

My name is Tyemba, I'm eleven, and I live with my Auntie, Mama Lockdown. Auntie is no joke. She thinks she's cool and don't get me wrong, she is but she's my Auntie. Even with her cool outfit and superpowers and all, she's still the woman who wiped my butt as a baby. Know what I mean?

Anyway, gotta go. Auntie sent me on an errand, and if I'm not back when she think I should be back she won't have to use no super power to make my butt hurt. I'll holla at you later. Peace.

p.s. Nobody and I mean nobody calls her Auntie but me. Last thing you want to do is piss off my aunt. So if you meet her, show mad respect. It's Mama Lockdown to you.

Every week Thom at 3WW gives us three words. This week's words are treacherous, efficient and optimize. I was late writing mine and must have been fate. Read a post about a contest and make your own superhero and here we go. Did I mention I met up with my nephew this week, too, so life's little episodes led to this. I think I'm going to ask for his input for future installments. To read more go here.

Be Your Own Superhero!

I just had too much fun making myself a Superhero. Call me, Mama Lockdown! Check out Diana Peterfreund's Dull Boy Giveaway. Deadline is Monday, May 29th.

And now that I've created her, you know I gotta write a short diddy about Ms. Thang. LOL

Only Choice Is Sympathy: A Review of The Chosen One

The Chosen One
Carol Lynch-Williams
St. Martin Griffin
2009

When I got an email asking me if I wanted a review copy of The Chosen One, I was pleased. Then, I thought about what it meant to read and review a new release that has gotten favorable early reviews. I’ve given this real thought and effort. I look forward to hearing if you find something useful in my review.

The Chosen One is a sympathetic tale. It’s about 13-year-old Kyra who has been told she must marry her 60-year-old uncle, an Apostle among the Chosen Ones. The story is the archetype of a clear victim and bus load of bad guys. In this case, they’re church leaders, nasty old men who want child brides. It’s about a practice that the majority of society frowns upon- polygamy. All this adds up to a pretty straightforward tale of personal courage, harrowing action and a hopeful ending. The expectations are formed before you even begin the read. While I expected a tearjerker I also hoped for depth, some layers or revelations about the faith and its members. What the author provides are secondary characters who add additional opportunities for the reader to sympathize: a budding romance busted up, a miscarriage and Kyra’s family threatened. Speaking of secondary characters, Kyra has two older brothers. Where are they in all this? Why introduce these characters but not give them roles in the novel?

The contemporary story mirrors what has been published already about fringe religious communities. While Kyra’s point-of-view is honest, she provides no insights or an intimate view of the faith which would help the reader understand why followers embrace the faith. The story never gets complicated. Kyra is a sympathetic character. You want her to escape and she does. But emotion alone cannot carry a novel. Not for this reader. Kyra can play Mozart, but this story fails to rise above more than a children’s song. There is no duplicity, no shades of good and evil. There is only a single note: root for Kyra. The entire novel focuses on how Kyra feels and how she escapes.

One reviewer commented that she doubted Kyra could have used a cell phone so easily, but we know that the sect did not shun technology. They had computers and wide screens in the offices. Families didn’t have access but it’s not far-fetched to think they’ve never used them. They weren’t always closed off. And Patrick, the driver who tries to help her gives Kyra pretty easy directions to how to use it. More troubling for me is the escape scene. We know from Kyra that the God Squad has killed members or run them off before, and being a closed community they could get away with it, but Patrick is an outsider, a man with a family. He is a county employee. His absence would draw attention from authorities. Why would the God Squad treat Kyra differently than Ellen the adulterer or the boys they’ve dropped off in the desert to die? Kyra has been warned, beaten and her family threatened. By the time she attempts the escape why isn’t she killed? Because not killing her means a happy ending and that feels grossly contrived to me.

Lastly, the transitions between scenes often felt stilted or abrupt. The additional white spacing was not an effective segue to new thoughts or scenes. At times I had to re-read the last line of preceding paragraphs to see if I missed a transition. Stylistically, the writing is competent but there aren’t any memorable lines and the construction is not impressive. The inner dialogue and brief accounts of past memories are either too brief or awkward. They add little. The Chosen One does tug your heartstrings. If you enjoy a tearjerker and emotion is enough, you’ll enjoy this. I had hoped for more.

Weekly Geeks: Detroit: City of Poets

This week's assignment for Weekly Geeks asks us to provide a literary tour of our hometown. One of my well-worn and loved poetry collections is Abandon Automobile: Detroit City Poetry 2001 edited by Melba Joyce Boyd and M.L. Liebler. The collection is filled with our beloved and accomplished poets like former Poet Laureate Philip Levine and Broadside Press founder Dudley Randall and Cave Canem founder, Toi Derricotte.

The poetry in 'Abandon Automobile' is beautifully visceral. There are no "thou"s or sappy sonnets about flowers in this book. It may seem simple and plain to people more accustomed to coffeeshop poetry, but it isn't once you let the words meld together. Much like Detroit is defined by what many people have done as a collective rather than what any particular individuals have done, these words together form Detroit. ~Glen Sooter

Most people think cars when you say Detroit. But Detroiters know we have a rich and diverse arts community. Detroit is teeming with literary artists including poets, Def Jam Poetry Slam Champion, Jessica Care Moore, Leslie Reese and Terry Blackhawk.

Writers have lived and written here, too. Joyce Carol Oates taught at University of Detroit and one of her novels, Them is set in Detroit. Writer, Harriet Arnow's The Dollmaker is about a family that migrates to Detroit in the thirties. Celebrated writer and playwright, Pearl Cleage is from Detroit and a couple of her plays and stories include Detroit as a setting or a hub.

I could write pages about our artists but I'll close with one, Dudley Randall. Randall founded Broadside Press in 1965, the black publishing house that help launched the careers of black writers when major houses would not look at them. Nikki Giovanni, Audre Lorde and Sonia Sanchez found support in Detroit's black owned publishing house. To learn more about Randall, read long-time colleague and assistant, poet and professor, Melba Joyce Boyd's Wrestling With the Muse: Dudley Randall and the Broadside Press.

Dudley Randall
January 14, 1914-August 5, 2000

Randall's entire career was dedicated to poetry and poets. Through the Broadside Press, he provided black poets with a way to have their poems published at a time when it was very difficult for them to get their works in print. In addition, he edited anthologies of black poetry and was an accomplished poet in his own right. He attended literary conferences, met and encouraged other black writers, contributed articles and poems to black journals, and organized poetry readings. Randall also taught black literature at the university level and was poet-in-residence for a time at the University of Detroit.

If cars and Motown are your first images of our city, revisit us. We have a rich and diverse community of writers who have contributed significantly to the literary arts. To read more responses to this week's assignment visit Weekly Geeks.

Confession Tuesday

For days, I've been trying to find a focus for today's post. Kept coming up with duds, nothing I wanted to expand on. Then talking with my sweetie, my mind returned to an ongoing issue: balance. In my case, the lack thereof. I've joked about being manic but I wasn't completely joking. I joke about my obsessions but being obsessive isn't always funny.

There are times I am worn out by my own inability to back up, slow down, exercise moderation. I think you can imagine how my family feels. Family will love you but that doesn't negate them also becoming frustrated, annoyed or upset. They will complain when the episodes go too long.

Today, my aim is to strive for balance. I'll start from one activity to one day at a time. Anyone need to join me? To find more confessions or to join us, check in with January.

Little Lov'n Monday

Little Lov'n Monday is a day we celebrate the work of fellow bloggers. Between now and Wednesday, post a link to an article, contest, interview, poem- anything you think deserves a little lov'n. Leave a link and be entered in LLM Giveaway. Deadline is May 22. Winner announced every Saturday. Congratulations to Geoffrey, winner (5/15)! Check him out at Geoffrey Philip's. Geoffrey is a poet, writer and friend. Show him some love.

Commit to visiting 5 blogs and leaving comments. If you do that, let us know. You might not care about winning a book, but I'm thinking you're a cool person who cares. Tell us that you shared some love. Thanks. Winner may choose a prize from the list or any previously offered book if it is available:
Bloodchild and Other Stories by Octavia E. Butler
Breath, Eyes, Memory by Edwidge Danticat
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
A Tree Grows In Brooklyn by Betty Smith
The Meaning of Consuelo by Judith Ortiz Cofer (YA)
Stolen Lives by Malika Oufkir

Earn 1 entry for leaving a link to a post you think we should check out. Earn extra entries:
+5 for saying you visited folks and shared some love
+3 for posting LLM icon/link in your sidebar
+2 for blogging about LLM
Leave a separate comment for each entry.

Check These Out:
Super Hussy Media Survey- a very cool site for girls/women
A New Puppy @ Must and Lust for Books
48 hour book challenge @ Mother Reader
Getting Books in Teen Boys Hands@ Guys Lit Wire
Summer Blog Blast Tour @ Chasing Ray
"Birthday Ballon" @ Surface Tension
Beyond The Blog - Big hug alert here for Tony
When The Music's Over- ditto, big hug alert for Michael
The Maelstrom- hug alert for Ann (fantasy fiction, rock band)
Piece of Pie Ala Mode- hug alert

The Sunday Salon

Besides a sinus headache that put me in bed for two days, I had a good week. I got my fill of great blog reading this week and I participated in a few memes. Speaking of memes, won't you share with us how diverse your reading habits are? Check out the meme at Color Online and leave a link if you respond. We're looking for guest and regular contributing writers for Color Online. If you're interested, drop me a note at cora_litgroup.com

I'm slowly becoming acclimated with Twitter. Call me slow, but I've only realized that platforms like Twitter and Facebook are replacing what e-mail accounts were for us early Internet users. I knew listserves and message boards were dinosaurs, but I hadn't realized that online users today use their social networking accounts like I previously used email and chatrooms.

Light week for books. And for me that's a good thing. My tbr pile is seriously threatening to fall over and two weeks in a row, I've had to return and renew what I currently have out from the library. See my weekly mailbox post here. Don't forget May is Asian Pacific Island Awareness and Latin Book Month. Did you read anything related to either groups?

I'm currently reading Jumped by Rita Williams-Garcia. It's a story about girl violence in schools. I'm a Williams fan. Check out her interview at The Brown Bookshelf. I've also read Every Time A Rainbow Dies and No Laughter Here and Like Sisters on The Homefront.

We've opted to change our schedule for C.O.R.A. to the first and third Friday of every month. We think the extra time between assignments will keep the meme fun and allow participants more time to write and share their contributions. See Ali's current assignment regarding children's literature here. Check out last week's YA literature responses here.

Every Monday is Little Lov'n Monday. On Mondays we commit to reading and commenting to fellow bloggers. We also want to give some lov'n back. Weekly drawing for a free book just for supporting your peers. Congratulations to this week's winner, Geoffrey Philip. Geoffrey is a warm, intelligent, nice-on-the-eyes island fella. Check him out here. If you haven't joined us, do. Who doesn't want a little lov'n?

Check out my response to Diversity In Reading. For my Confession Tuesday post, I wrote about key elements of a good blog. Great responses. Read it here.

Last week I shared I was reading Dr. Truelove, a YA novel by Derrick Barnes. Check out my review here. The story also influenced my 3WW post, "Streaking." Remember to check my sidebar for contests and other cool links.

Happy reading.

In My Mailbox (4)

A light but good week. Okay, I know most bibliophiles will say this is blasphemy, but I really do have too many books physically piled up. And if we considered my virtual tbr, it would be even worse. To that end, I am glad that I got a single title in the mail, and I only picked up three books from the library. A FYI to authors, I cannot afford to buy every book I read, but that doesn't mean I don't actively promote your book and affect sales. We have a great library system. I regularly suggest and request new buys for our library. I haven't requested a purchase that hasn't been made. Looking at my last two mailbox posts, I discovered that six of the books I've checked out are new book purchases I requested the library make. In My Mailbox is hosted each week by Kristi at Story Siren and Mailbox Monday is hosted by Marcia at The Printed Page. Eva hosts Library Loot at A Striped Armchair. This week I added to my ever growing pile:

The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams. Received this for review. Read a review somewhere that I really enjoyed but of course now I can't remember where. I looked at some of the published reviews and most were over-the-top. This a story about one girl's experience in a polygamous community. I'm looking forward to it but I was turned off by some of the sensenationalized reviews. Williams’ portrayals of the family are sharp, but what’s most interesting about this book is how the yearnings and fears of a character so far from what most YAs know will still seem familiar and close. Grades 7-10. --Ilene Cooper

Say The Word by Jeannine Garsee. There was quite a bit of buzz around this one. Steph Su reviewed it and I value her opinion so I'm curious if we agree on most points or if there'll be key differences in our takes on this novel. Steph writes, Jeannine Garsee tackles the difficult subjects of homosexuality, homophobia, and family loyalty in SAY THE WORD. In particular, I found the family loyalty issue most striking.

Cuba 15 by Nancy Osa. May is Latin Book Month. I have picked this book a couple of times and have failed to get to it. That's the problem with having too many good reads at one time. Violet Paz has just turned 15, a pivotal birthday in the eyes of her Cuban grandmother. Fifteen is the age when a girl enters womanhood, traditionally celebrating the occasion with a quinceañero. But while Violet is half Cuban, she’s also half Polish, and more importantly, she feels 100% American.

Need by Carrie Jones. I've seen this everywhere on teen review sites. When I saw it in the library, I remembered I requested it. I'm not a big reader of the fantasy genre but I'll say this, this genre has some of the most striking covers I've ever seen. Diana at Stop, Drop and Read had mixed feelings about it. It's written in the present tense and first person. I'm really curious to see how well the author handles both a lesser used tense and point-of-view.

Trudat: A Boy's Point of View

The Making of Dr. Truelove
Derrick Barnes
Simon Pulse
2006

I finally finished The Making of Dr. Truelove and if you’re a regular BES reader you may have caught some of the intermittent dialogue I have been having with Doret from The Happy Nappy Bookseller about the book. If you haven’t, the gist of our exchanges is that Doret loved the book, and I and Edi from Crazy Quilt did not. Edi says it was the most inappropriate book she had put on her shelves in a long time. Me, I wasn’t as alarmed but as cool as I’m ever going to be, let’s just say, I was not feelin’ the love for the doctor.


To be fair, The Making of Dr. Truelove has a lot going for it. It’s written from the teen male’s perspective and there certainly is a shortage of that on the market, it’s written by an African American male another plus if you care about readers identifying culturally with characters and authors, the story is contemporary and cool, a must if you actually want teens to read it, and it’s also about romance. The main character, Diego is a nice boy who is also very boy and therein lies the basis of what will rub some folks wrong- the testosterone factor. It’s in overdrive and it will likely turn off teachers, educators and some girl readers. Diego is a teen boy, a sixteen year old boy who like most boys is either thinking about sex, trying to have sex or waiting till he can have sex. And the character would not be authentic if he didn’t talk like most teen boys do when they are describing girls, body parts, and their sexual desires and frustrations. And if you want the character to be believable, let’s be sure to have an ample dose of bravado even for the guy who is otherwise sensitive and three dimensional when he is not being BOY.

Now before you think I’m being too sensitive or too critical, I am guilty of using colorful language, I was no one’s teen angel and I’m quite liberal in matters you might not want to think about so it’s not that I can’t appreciate a boy’s crassness. It isn’t that Barnes is simply unnecessarily crass, the problem is that I think he pushes it to the point where it loses its punch and gets just plain tired quick. I was bored. I was annoyed. I found the usage silly. And while each character should have their own voice, the tone of the characters simply didn’t mesh well. Let’s start with my biggest peeve: how crass Diego and J could be. Opening the story with how the tips of your girlfriend’s breasts are perfect like the new eraser tops of pencils isn’t smooth. Not cool. Not funny. Forgivable, yes, but that’s only the beginning. That's the tamest description in the book. Blue balls and firing off enough spunk to father a hundred kids? These aren’t Barnes exact words but that’s the translation. Is it working for you?

On the big night, Diego is more than a little excited. He pre-ejaculates and feels inadequate and embarrassed. Roxy, his beautiful, sensitive, crazy mad for his silly butt girl is relieved (like many girls who love their boyfriends she's agreeing to sex when neither of them are really ready or wanting it), but wounded Diego is too busy feeling deflated to notice. He does what a lot of boys do: avoid the girl whom he thinks doesn’t want to be bothered with a loser boyfriend who can’t make love. Of course avoiding her sends the wrong message. Rejected girl believes she’s been rejected because she’s done something wrong and she doesn’t know how to fix it not that boy gives her a chance because he’s too busy trying to figure out how to get back with a girl who didn’t dump him in the first place.

That’s where the super cool, sexy stud muffin, J the best friend comes in with the brilliant ideal to start a sex column anonymously. Running the column will build Diego’s self-esteem, get hotties for them both till Diego makes his big move on his real girl, and life is full of booty and more punai than a brother can stand. Now an internet column I can buy. Billboards, tee-shirts, news spots and an auditorium full of screaming girls tossing their panties- I can’t suspend that much reality. This is the flavor of the novel, folks. I’m not embellishing it. In fact, I’m toning it down.

Now if the obsession with sex isn’t bad enough, there are Diego’s parents: caricatures beyond belief. Really, at times I was more ticked off with Barnes for making Diego’s parents so ridiculous than I was with the language and sex scenes. The mother is supposed to be a professional. Instead we get this doctor who doesn’t behave at all like a professional, confident , educated woman and Pops, is either stuffing his gut, spewing food or obscenities or trying to stuff his wife (Hey, I’m just trying to keep the tone consistent with the book). J’s parents are non-existent and both boys have sisters who are all sex crazy, too. How’s this working for you?

When Barnes writes Dr. Truelove’s character, he is smooth, cool, intelligent, and Truelove gives sound advice. I think Barnes was stretching beyond his element with the other characters. Most of the book is Comedy Central with tired jokes and lousy timing. It’s like going to see a comedy in the theater, and the best jokes happen the first thirty minutes. By the middle of the book, I just wanted it to end already. Here’s the deal though, Barnes gives me just enough of the good kid, Diego, enough hope the romance will work out and enough of the doctor to keep me going so I throw on a raincoat and mufflers to block out the buffoons in the cast.

Having said all that, I don’t hate the book. I did laugh at the five funny jokes. I get Diego’s insecurities, and I do think he is a sensitive and good guy. I also think Barnes should have heeded the same opinion Diego said about his, Pop: Use a filter, bro. Some folks just have no tact. Don’t let the characters make complete asses of themselves. The crassness was overkill, and it overshadowed a light, funny, cool teen romance. We didn’t need all the language, body oil and ding dong swinging.

I hope Barnes gets a second shot (pun intended) because despite my criticism, I think he can address a gap in teen literature. I think this debut work will appeal to a lot of teens. Like my generation who passed around Forever and snickered at all the good parts, I think a lot of young people would give this a read and hey, if I get a young person who normally doesn’t want to read, to read this, it has some redeeming value. Let’s just hope I don’t get a letter or visit from a not so amused parent.

Color Online: Diversity In Reading: A Meme

Color Online: Diversity In Reading: A Meme

Doret shared a link about this meme a few LLM posts back. Lenore recently answered. Presenting Lenore routinely gets a gazillion replies, only ten responded to her post on diversity. Here are my responses. Feel free to leave a link here or at Color Online if you answer the meme. How big is your world?

1. Name the last book by a female author that you’ve read.
Mayra Lazara Dole

2. Name the last book by an African or African-American author that you’ve read.
The Making of Dr. Truelove by Derrick Barnes

3. Name one from a Latino/a author.
Down To The Bone by Mayra Lazara Dole.

4. How about one from an Asian country or Asian-American?
Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon is on my tbr. Recently read She's So Money by Cherry Cheva.

5. What about a GLBT writer?
Down To The Bone by Mayra Lazaro Dole. Prior to that I think the last was From The Notebooks of Melanin Sun by Jacqueline Woodson. Highly recommend Luna by Julie Ann Peters and Parrotfish by Ellen Wittlinger.

6. Why not name an Israeli/Arab/Turk/Persian writer, if you’re feeling lucky?
Recently read, failed to review Sadika's Way by Hina Haq. In the wings, Ask Me No Questions by Marina Budhos. Pesepolis by Majane Satrapi is amazing.

7. Any other “marginalized” authors you’ve read lately?
Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga and A Wish After Midnight by Zetta Elliott.

3WW: Streaking

So I’m sittin’ there watching Trisha the newsgirl with the great set of headlights when, “BOOM”! I bolt out the back door and standing there looking both nervous and happier than an alley cat caught with a rat in its mouth, is Leonard staring up at white streak in the sky.

“Boy, what the….”

“Hey, Pop. Remember last week when you came out here and asked me who I was bickerin’ with and I told you I was talking to myself- that’s how I process. I was frustrated because I having trajectory problems. And you said, "Son, shoot, don’t take a genius to figure that out." You were right. I’ve been out here working at it and sure enough turned out it was a minor glitch in the fuel line. These fine hands, Pop, worked it out. Tonight, my rocket lit up the sky!”

“Alright Boy genius, great, wash up and get in here for dinner.”

Every week, Thom gives up three words for 3WW. This week we had to use: bicker, nervous, trajectory. In spirit of my current discussion with Doret about Dr. Truelove I came up with this. To read other contributions, go here.

C.O.R.A Diversity Roll Call: YA You Don't Know

This is week #6 and this week we'll focus on genre- YA fiction. Last week I shared at length my observations regarding cover art featuring black characters. Some responded that readers have been conditioned to make narrow assumptions about African American fiction. Another reader said librarians and teachers need to expose students to a greater variety of authors. Your assignment this week is to inform readers what they are missing. With your help, maybe we can begin dismantling misconceptions and introduce readers to a more diverse pool of writers.

I opted to answer question #1: provide a recommended list of lesser known works.

Recommended YA List

Life Is Funny by E.R. Frank – a novel of interconnected short stories. Multicultural. Realistic fiction.
Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi- graphic novel. Coming-of-Age. Set in Iran.
When Kambia Elaine Flew In From Neptune by Lori A. Williams. Story of friendship and molestation.
Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichia. Coming-of-Age. Abuse. Set in Nigeria.
If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson. Teen Romance. Race.
A Wish After Midnight by Zetta Elliott. Time Travel. Social Commentary.
Down To The Bone by Mayra Lazara Dole. LBGT teen fiction. Realistic fiction.
Parable of The Sower by Octavia E. Butler. Dystopia fiction. (technically, not YA)

Looking at my list I realize how heavily I lean towards realistic fiction and dark themes. I also realize my YA reading choices today are not much different from when I was young. The absence of fantasy and mystery today is consistent. As a teen I didn’t read funny stories or the zombie stuff either. Today, I would read more in romance, fantasy and mystery, but I don’t know any works written by writers of color or with characters of color and honestly, while I don’t need characters to look like me, I’m not motivated to read genres outside of what I prefer if there isn’t an additional draw. Moreover, I think I lean towards realistic fiction and the dark themes because I prefer YA that mirrors the same qualities I look for in adult literature: solid character development and quality writing. I don’t read chick lit or romance in adult fiction so I don’t look for it in YA either.

I want to address the gaps, mainly fantasy and mystery. While these genres are not likely to become regular reads, I am very interested in being aware. It's good to know what's available. Suggestions?

Confession Tuesday

A bit late with today's post because yesterday I stepped on the scale and I'm still reeling. Going out for my walk after this. For now we'll not talk about weight, dieting and exercise. Instead let's talk about what we think makes a good blog and who some of your favorite bloggers are.

If you read here, you know I spend a lot of time blogging and reading blogs. There are key elements I look for in a blog and these elements contribute to my overall enjoyment I experience when I read them. I'm not going to address quality writing because without that there is little reason to visit. Let's talk about everything else. I'm drawn to blogs with:

1) Good aesthetics. Now some of you think how a blog looks makes little difference. Not for me. Colors, font size, overall layout affects how often and how much time I spend at a blog. Why? Very dark or very busy layouts cause eye strain and fatigue. The writing could be fantastic but if the colors hurt my eyes, I bail. Additionally, if there are too many bells and whistles, I feel overwhelmed and I bail. Light colors are easiest on the eyes, but not white backgrounds (the glare, light behind the screen, like dark backgrounds, leads to eye fatigue). White works if balanced with proportionate images that minimize glare. If a blog is very streamlined and has limited amount of text, a dark background can work because the writer is directing your attention to specific information and the writer doesn't expect you to hang out. The idea is to read the day's entry and move on. Single poetry postings and micro fiction posts work with dark backgrounds.

2) Layout. I look for multiple paths to same information. Why, because often a visitor is new or doesn't remember where desired information is. Multiple access points makes it easier for the reader to find what interests her. But be careful, too many options are also confusing. I like updates clearly visible, and while I like permanent reference links, I don't care for long lists. I prefer drop down menus for these. Long lists provide loads of information, but I think for many readers, these references become part of the background. Better to have the option to access a list when wanted; knowing where to look and scrolling only when needed. Easy loading: some blogs have beautiful, elaborate backgrounds and images. These often take forever to load. Be sure you're using the smallest file possible. Pretty isn't pretty if I'm waiting for it to load. I also prefer to have more content than visuals. I don't want a page full of images and two lines of text.

3) Content- regular features, variety and frequency. There are blogs I visit daily or based on their established schedules without fail. Now the scatterbrain I am, I can be all over the place. I've made a concerted effort to publish regular features on a consistent basis and to update my blog daily because the number of features and memes I participate dictate this kind of frequency. When I improved consistency, my readership improved, too.

Other blogs are focused on specific interest and very narrow in focus. For these, the narrower the focus, the more I'm looking for consistency in updating. I read a wide variety of blogs, and my expectations differ based on the kind of blog. For poetry and short story, I expect less updating and don't expect a variety of features. Book review blogs are different. Here, I've quickly learned, I want more than reviews. There are a gazillion blogs reviewing books so I need another draw, and assuming quality is there, I'm drawn to bloggers who participate in other activities or regularly write other book related articles.

4) Tone. Identity- Lastly, I like blogs that have a distinct tone or personality. There are so many blogs covering the same kind of material. For me, the bloggers I read most are writers who communicate with their readers, their personalities enhance my reading experience and there is something about the blogger I do not find elsewhere. I'm a social animal. I'm drawn to people even if we're connecting through technology. If I simply wanted to read a review, I could read a professional review. I'm interested in the individual. I'm drawn to their individual perspective. For a while I was unsure how much of me I should present here. Everyone is different. In the end, I decided to behave here like I would if we were having a gathering in my home or sitting in a coffeehouse.

I hope you enjoy coming here because I love having you here.

What about you? What do you look for in a blog? If you think about it, where do you spend most of your blog reading time?