Blog of the Year 2012

My good friend John over at Pretty Sinister Books has done me the great of honor of adding me to his "mystical" list of bloggers that he believes deserves the award of Blog of the the Year for 2012.  John is a pretty spectacular blogger himself and more than deserving of the honor that Jeff Flugel who blogs (mostly) about movies at The Stalking Moon according him.  In fact, as you'll see below when you get to my list, I'm going to return the favor and award John his second star.  That's right folks, this award allows you to pick up the honor more than once.  And I'm not returning the favor just because John remembered me.  John is an absolutely marvelous blogger who is incredibly knowledgeable about my favorite subject--vintage mysteries.  I have learned so much from him and he has added more titles to my "Must Find & Own" list than I'll ever have time to read.

As I told John on his post, I'm not sure I feel all that deserving for 2012.  I really felt off my game last year--but I certainly appreciate that he believes I've done good things here at My Reader's Block in 2012.  I'm going to do my best to live up to that in 2013.

As is the case with these blog awards I am supposed to follow through with some rules:


1 Select the blog(s) you think deserve the ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award
2 Write a blog post and tell us about the blog(s) you have chosen – there’s no minimum or maximum number of blogs required – and ‘present’ them with their award.
3 Please include a link back to this page ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award at The Thought Palette. and include these ‘rules’ in your post (please don’t alter the rules or the badges!)
4 Let the blog(s) you have chosen know that you have given them this award and share the ‘rules’ with them
5 You can now also join the Facebook group – click ‘like’ on this page ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award Facebook group and then you can share your blog with an even wider audience
6 As a winner of the award – please add a link back to the blog that presented you with the award – and then proudly display the award on your blog and sidebar … and start collecting stars…


And here are the blogs I regularly read that I think are the best of 2012.  I'm sure I'm forgetting some folks--for that let me apologize.  The first three of these folks have already been mentioned, but they really do great work and are definitely deserving of multiple stars.  Jenners at Life...with books is an awesome blogger with a great sense of humor (and two very cute dogs that I love to see pictures of) and has a fun running game of "Tag Chicken" going with Tricia over at eclectic/eccentric.  Neer at A Hot Cup of Pleasure is wonderfully supportive and a terrific member of the blogging community.  Leaving lovely comments, joining in my sponsored challenges, and reading and reviewing authors that I haven't yet had a chance to get to.

1. Pretty Sinister Books
2. In So Many Words
3. Tipping My Fedora
4. Life....with books
5. A Hot Cup of Pleasure

Top Ten: Fascination Awards

You may recall that I posted at the end of last month that a blog post I wrote in 2011 titled Vintage Mystery Progress and Review Site had earned a nomination for a Fascination Award: 2012's Most Fascinating Librarian blog. The Fascination Awards are an annual collection of the web’s most inspirational and thought-provoking blogs and are nominated by the editorial team and voted on by readers. A great many of you agreed that I was fascinating enough for a vote. Thanks!!!! I didn't win the gift card for first place, but I am excited anyway! Thanks to you, My Reader's Block came in at 9th place out of the Top 100 Fascinating Blogs. I appreciate your support very much! If you'd like to see the rankings for the Top 50, please go HERE.

I'm So Honored

Just today I received an email letting me know that I have been nominated for a blogging award.

A blog post I wrote in 2011 titled Vintage Mystery Progress and Review Site has earned a nomination for a Fascination Award: 2012's Most Fascinating Librarian blog. The Fascination Awards are an annual collection of the web’s most inspirational and thought-provoking blogs and are nominated by the editorial team and voted on by readers.

The nomination email says: "The comments posted in response to your post prove that your content not only inspires your audience, but it also creates discussion around your posts, both of which are requirements for the nomination of a Fascination award."

I don't know how the folks at the Fascination Awards learned about My Reader's Block, but I just want to say a big THANK YOU!!! I am so excited. Please watch for a posting telling you how you can vote for me...I would love it if you all could help me win!

Creative Blog Award Winner!

Just wanted to say thank you to Deirdra over at A Storybook World for giving me the absolutely gorgeous Creative Blog Award. It's one of the most beautiful awards I've been given. This one comes with no strings attached--no questions to answer. Just a simple gift. Thank You!

I'm Too Stylish for My Blog...Too Stylish

Or at least Cheryl over at CMash Loves to Read seems to think so. This is the second time this year that she has so honored me. This time because she says I'm her "hero of classics." Thanks, Cheryl! If you don't know Cheryl, then run (don't walk) over to her blog and get to know her...she's one pretty stylish lady herself.

And now for the criteria and passing the torch (Cheryl took a little liberty here "as we all know that we love receiving awards but it is time consuming and takes away from reading time, so I hope you don't mind, if I change the rules a bit" and I am going to follow her lead. Besides, if I didn't and I started to tell you 15 or 5 or 3 things about myself, you'd all just have to hear how proud I am to be the mom of an Eagle Scout again and I don't want to be a bore. Even if I would be a stylish bore.)

1. Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award and his or her blog link.

2. Pass the award to 15 3 other blogs that you've newly discovered.
3. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

Passing it on to (in no particular order):

J. F. Norris at Pretty Sinister Books (who is stylish in the classic sense--by which I mean the Vintage sense...just started his own blog this year, but it is already one of my favorites. He blogs about vintage mysteries, ghost and supernatural stories--all vintage all the time!)
Java at Never Growing Old (one of my favorite non-book bloggers and one stylish lady!)
Buffy at Situations Where You May Need It (one of my more recent blog finds)

I'm Still Stylin'

It's true. It hasn't worn off yet. Thanks to Anne at My Head Is Full of Books, I've had my stylishness reinforced. That makes two people that think I've got stylish things going on here at My Reader's Block. Woo Hoo! Now, I've already done the drill the first time--so I'm going to stylishly rebel and not repeat the whole thing this time around. You can pop over to Anne's place to read the full criteria or just to say "Hi" cuz she's got a stylish blog too. But I will answer the questions again and I'll even add on the two extra that she's asking for.

7 Things About Me:

1. I am the proud mama of an Eagle Scout. I repeat this every chance I get. I can't help it.

2. I love snow. I hate other people driving in snow. Being an adult I have to put up with too much of the second part.

3. I absolutely believe the statement "There is no such thing as too many books."

4. I have a black thumb. People should only give me plants they hate so I can kill them for them. I wonder how much I could make as a plant contract killer?

5. I am really glad to be home for an extra day this weekend (Martin Luther King Day Monday) so I have extra reading time!

6. I have a life-long dream of visiting the British Isles. I've bookmarked a page that offers yearly mystery-lovers tours--now that would be perfect!

7. I wanted to be an Olympic figure skater when I was little. Unfortunately, I had two things against me....weak ankles and I cannot skate backwards for anything.

So many of the bloggers that I really want to give this award to have declared themselves "Award-Free"--so, having given out awards once, I'm just going to add one instead of the 15 asked for:

Freda's Voice Freda has an incredibly stylish blog and I love, love, love her Saturday meme Quote It! Stop by and see for yourself.

To see the others that have been nominated by me, go to my first stylish post, HERE.

First Award of 2011: I'm Stylin'

Thanks to Cheryl at CMash Loves to Read, I have received my first award of 2011 and can tell everyone that I am one Stylin' Blogger. (I'm sure that what she meant.) I don't think I've ever been called stylish before. Thanks, Cheryl! If you've not stopped by Cheryl's blog before (and why not, I ask you), then be sure to hop on over and tell her Bev sent you.

And now for the criteria: (I am stealing the modified version from Cheryl. Like she said--"accepting and passing on awards take quite a bit of time and with Challenges just starting, we should all be reading." I know I should, having gone crazy with that whole sign up thing.).

1) Thank the person who gave you the award, and link back to them in your post.

2) Tell us seven (7) 5 things about yourself.
3) Award 15 5 super-stylish bloggers this award :D
4) Contact those bloggers and let them know they have won.

OK...here we go (some of this y'all may have heard before, but there are certain things I just have to repeat once in a while):

1.) I am the proud mama of an Eagle Scout. I will probably repeat that every time I get a chance. Just warning you.
2.) I love snow. I hate other people driving in snow. Being an adult I have to put up with too much of the second part.
3.) I absolutely believe the statement "There is no such thing as too many books."
4.) I have a black thumb. People should only give me plants they hate so I can kill them for them.
5.) I would really like to be home, with a blanket, with my feet up and reading a book right now. (Wouldn't we all?)


And now I pass the torch to the following, in no particular order:

A Tapestry of Words
All That Glistens Could Be Old
Bibliosue
Birdie's Nest
What Red Read

Versatile Blogger Award!

Thanks to the Domestic Goddess at Diary of a Domestic Goddess, I have been awarded the Versatile Blogger award for the second time. Hurray! I still get as thrilled as a kid at Christmas over these things....Thank you!

Here are the rules:

1. Share 7 things about myself


2. Pass the award to 15 bloggers recently discovered


3. Notify the blogger recipients


4. Link to the blogger who gave the award

7 things about me:

1. I did the Black Friday shopping experience yesterday. But I did NOT get up at 2:30 am in order to be at the doors at 3 am. There isn't a bargain in the world that could get me out that early.


2. I am the proudest mom in the world right now. My son finally had his Board of Review and has been awarded Scouting's highest honor. He is now an Eagle Scout! (I take every opportunity I can get to announce this.)


3. I have sung with the Brooklyn Tabernacle (twice). Each October they hold an awesome choir "school" where singers can have learning sessions with the choir and then sing with them on Sunday.


4. Last summer, I spent five days in the Boundary Waters (between Minnesota & Canada) with my son and the scouts--camping, canoeing, & hauling all our gear over portages. I had a marvelous time; I'm glad I did it--but you won't catch me doing that hauling all the gear thing again.


5. I don't watch cable tv at all (gave it up years ago and don't miss it a bit). Don't ask me who I think will win Idol or who will get kicked off the island next. Haven't a clue.


6. Speaking of...Clue is my all-time favorite board game. Miss Scarlet. In the Library. With the knife.


7. And speaking of mysteries...I'm hosting my very first reading challenge: The Vintage Mystery Reading Challenge. I'd love for you to check it out!

(15) Bloggers I’ve recently discovered:

1. Birdie's Nest

2. A Trillian Books

3. A Tapestry of Words

4. A Few More Pages

5. Coffee & a Book Chick

6. Freda's Voice

That's all I've got for now...I've already passed this award on before and several of my choices this time around have declared themselves "Award Free zones."

Award Time!

What a way to perk up a Thursday! I was pleasantly surprised to find that Suzanne from Bibliosue has generously awarded me the One Lovely Blog Award. Thanks, Suzanne! I don't think I'll get over the excitement of earning blog awards any time soon.



The rules for accepting are as follows:


1. Accept the award. Post it on your blog along with the name of the person who awarded it along with a link to their blog.
2. Pay it forward to 15 other bloggers that you have recently discovered.
3. Contact those bloggers and let them know they've been chosen.


Well....I'll do my best, but I'm not sure about 15 recent discoveries....Here's my list of those to whom I'm paying it forward:

Brazilian Book Worm
I Am Nanny Anna!
Guilty Glutton
Never Growing Old
Park Benches & Bookends
All that glistens could be old


Please check them out if you haven't yet discovered them for yourself.

More Awards!

Thanks to BookQuoter over at A Thousand Books with Quotes I am the proud recipient of more Blog Awards. To accept these awards you must link back and thank the person who recognized you and then ten questions/tell ten things about yourself. The best part--after answering the questions, you get to pass the awards on to your favorite bloggers.

First, she once again blessed me with the "Life is Good" Award. I received this one earlier (my first award!) and will now accept again...with the same 10 answers.

1. If you blog anonymously are you happy doing it that way; if you are not anonymous do you wish you had started out anonymously so you could be anonymous now? I've been full-on from the start. Booksa are one are of my life that I'm not shy about. So I have no problem putting myself out there just as I am.

2. Describe one incident that shows your inner stubborn side. I think most of my family & good friends would agree that there's nothing "inner" about my stubborn side. I'm stubborn from a long line of stubborn (my dad's side of the family--and, yes, they know I say that). I'm the only one who is not too stubborn to admit it.

3. What do you see when you really look at yourself in the mirror? A middle-aged (can that be right?) woman who is more content with herself than she ever was in the first 30 years of her life. Very comfortable with who I am...although there's always room for improvement.

4. What is your favorite summer cold drink? Lemonade or Pink Lemonade.

5. When you take time for yourself, what do you do? Read (of course). Blog. Work on my novel. Scrapbook.

6. Is there something you want to accomplish in your life? Publish the aforementioned novel. Travel (specifically to the British Isles as well as other places). Perhaps go back to college for a Master's Degree.

7. When you attended school, were you the class clown, the class overachiever, the shy person, or always ditching? The shy, academic overachiever--always with my nose in a book.

8. If you close your eyes and want to visualize a very poignant moment in your life what would you see? Oh dear, I don't know. I don't spend a lot of time looking back. I'm more focused on the future and now. In that order. I should probably think more about what "is" rather than what might be coming.

9. Is it easy for you to share your true self in your blog or are you more comfortable writing posts about other people or events? Well, considering that my blog is a book-blog, I'm mostly writing about other "people" and their "events." Hopefully, I come through... with my thoughts and sense of humor...I do try to get that in there.

10. If you had the choice to sit down and read or talk on the phon, which would you do and why? Read. No contest. I hate talking on the phone...unless it's my best friends, then I can talk for hours. But I'd much rather sit down with someone in person.

Now I will pass this award on:

What Red Read

Rose City Reader

The next two Awards require that I share ten things about myself.

1. I'm an only child. Spoiled...but not rotten. I think.

2. I have sung with the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir in NYC (twice).

3. When I'm not riding the graduate secretary desk in the English Department, I'm whacking softballs around the field with our departmental co-rec softball team.

4. I wanted to be an Olympic figure skater or an author when I grew up. Working on the second one...that skating thing, not gonna happen.

5. I do not watch cable tv at all. Don't ask me who I think will win Idol or who will get kicked off the island next. No clue.

6. Speaking of...my favorite board game is Clue (I'm a mystery-lover, go figure.)

7. My favorite season is Fall. I love the colors on the trees, the crisp air, wearing sweaters.

8. I love to camp. I've been camping since my parents took me in my bassinet. I just wish it weren't so much work (putting up the tent, carting the gear)...but it's so worth it once everything's set up.

9. I am still in mourning for Mason's Rare & Used Book Store. Once upon a time in a little town called Wabash there was an AWESOME used book store. Mr. Mason would hold "happy hour" on Fridays and I could walk out of there with a pile of books that I could barely see over in exchange for my tiny allowance. Then Mason's went away (out east where the rare books are--or so rumor had it). After a few years, he came back and set up shop in Lebanon. I was back in book-lover's heaven. Until 3 years ago when he retired for good. Best used book store EVER. I'm still looking for something even close.

10. I have been a Scout mom for ten years. Assistant Den Leader. Going on extraordinary camp outs (Rocky Mountains, Boundary Waters in Minnesota). Helping my son on a mad-dash to Eagle Scout. (He's waiting on his final Board of Review--almost there!)

And my choices to recieve both of these awards:

RoofBeam Reader

CMash Loves to Read

Lady Scribbles Book Lounge

What Red Read

The Wormhole

Rose City Reader

My First Award!!

Woo Hoo! Cheryl over at CMash Loves to Read has just honored my with my very first blogging award. I'm trying very hard not to bounce all over the office. Particularly since none of my co-workers blog and they probably wouldn't understand my excitement. Thanks a bunch, Cheryl!

And here it is:

Isn't it grand?!

Now for the criteria: To accept the award you must link back and thank the person who gave you the Life is Good award, answer the 10 questions, and pass it along to 6 other blogs :-)

1. If you blog anonymously are you happy doing it that way; if you are not anonymous do you wish you had started out anonymously so you could be anonymous now? I've been full-on from the start. Books are one area of my life that I'm not shy about. So, I have no problem putting myself out there just as I am.

2. Describe one incident that shows your inner stubborn side. I think most of my family and good friends would agree that there's nothing "inner" about my stubborn side. I'm stubborn from a long line of stubborn (my dad's side of the family--and, yes, they know I say that). I'm the only who is not too stubborn to admit it. And the incidents are so common that I'm not sure I can come up with an example...

3. What do you see when you really look at yourself in the mirror? A middle-aged (can that be right?) woman who is more content with herself than she ever was in the first 30 years of her life. Very comfortable with who I am...although there's always room for improvement.

4. What is your favorite summer cold drink? Lemonade or Pink Lemonade.

5. When you take time for yourself, what do you do? Read (of course). Blog. Work on my novel. Scrapbook.

6. Is there something you want to accomplish in your life? Publish the aforementioned novel. Travel (specifically to the British Isles as well as other places). Perhaps go back to college for a Master's Degree.

7. When you attended school, were you the class clown, the class overachiever, the shy person, or always ditching? The shy, academic overachiever--always with my nose in a book.

8. If you close your eyes and want to visualize a very poignant moment in your life what would you see? Oh dear. I don't know. I don't spend a lot of time looking back. I'm more focused on the future and now. In that order, unfortunately. I should probably think more about what "is" rather than what might be coming.

9. Is it easy for you to share your true self in your blog or are you more comfortable writing posts about other people or events? Well, considering that my blog is a book-blog, I'm mostly writing about other "people" and their "events." Hopefully, I come through...with my thoughts and sense of humor...I do try to get that in there.

10. If you had the choice to sit down and read or talk on the phone, which would you do and why? Read. No contest. I hate talking on the phone....unless it's my best friends, then I can talk for hours. But I'd much rather sit down with someone in person.

Now I will pass this award on. Because I want someone to be as excited I am today. Award winners (in no particular order):

Indigo Impression

Joy's Blog

Lady Scribbles Book Lounge

Content in a Cottage

The Wormhole

Reading While Female