Weekly Link Round-Up (Feb. 15)

Here are some posts, blogs, and events that attracted my attention this week.

Conversations

⇒ This was a good week for readers interested in British royalty.

Meghan from Medieval Bookworm asks, "Why is Richard III so often presented as a chivalric figure in modern historical fiction?" She discusses several aspects of chivalry in terms of Richard III's life. This fascinating post prompted several good comments.

You have to have some sympathy for poor Catherine Howard, Henry VIII's fifth wife. Amy from Passages to the Past reminds us that this week is the anniversary of Catherine's beheading. Would you want to have been a queen in the 1500s? Check out the comments Amy's post generated.

⇒ And there was some help for those of you who are wondering what to read next.

Are you are trying to seek out Christian fiction or are you trying to avoid it? Booksellers and marketing departments often fail to distinguish Christian fiction from general fiction. What's a reader to do? Amy at My Friend Amy has a solution. The trick is to be familiar with the publishing houses and imprints that focus on this genre. Amy has done an excellent job of gathering all the needed information into one place. Check out the comments for more thoughts.

This week's Tuesday Thingers, hosted by Wendi's Book Corner, was about adding ratings to your book reviews. After introducing the topic, Wendi asked fellow bloggers to respond to several questions, but the biggies were Do you use a rating system? and Are you influenced by the rating given to a book? The answers are insightful and may make you question your current practices! It's not too late to add your own opinion.

Event, Poll, More on Making Buttons

I love learning new words. If you're like me or if you're looking for a super new weekly event, don't miss Kathy's Wondrous Words Wednesday at Bermudaonion's Weblog. Each week, participants list new-to-them words, use the word in context, and then provide the definition. I guarantee that you'll find new words or at least get a clearer understanding of words you thought you already knew.

Steph at Reviewer X had an interesting poll about whether and when you give up reading a book that is clearly not your favorite. The post generated a lot of comments. I had a good time seeing how other people handle dud books.

Remember my post Making Buttons for Your Posts? In it, I discussed watermarking software. Some of you might have been stumped at that stage or didn't want to spend the money for software. Well, you're in luck. Kris at Not Enough Books wrote a fabulous, detailed post about a free software program called Paint.Net that adds text to your images. If you use a PC, don't miss her post.

Reviews, Giveaways, Interviews

Trish at Hey Lady! Watcha Reading? reviewed The Help by Kathryn Stockett. The story is about three women, black and white, of different generations in 1960s Mississippi during the heart of the civil rights movement. Here's what Trish had to say: "I was giddy with the knowledge that I was reading something wonderful. I loved the friendships, the characters, and the situations. I loved the dialogue. I loved the writing." If it sounds like you would love it too, be sure to enter her giveaway.

If you like history, historical fiction, or exploration stories, Marta from Marta's Meanderings has a great book for you. The Terror by Dan Simmons is based on the true story of the search for the Northwest Passage. According to Marta, "This book brings to life the horrors of men at sea, what they endured in that brutal cold." This page-turner could be yours, if you enter Marta's giveaway.

Shelly at Write for a Reader offers a comprehensive look at Too Tall Alice by Barbara Worton, an illlustrated children's book, whose message is "It's not easy being different, it's okay though. Just be yourself." But wait! There's more! Shelly was also lucky enough to conduct an extensive author telephone interview. Worton is a "wonderful woman" who is happy to share her thoughts about writing, reviewing, and blogging. Don't miss this one.
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Some of these links were part of a link-sharing group.