SUPER SWAG SUNDAY YOUTUBE VIDEO

2ND ANNUAL SUPER SWAG SUNDAY IS COMING!!!

GET READY FOR

The 2nd Annual

SUPER SWAG SUNDAY!!!

When:  June 24th thru July 1st

Where:  laurisareyes.blogspot.com

Why:  For a chance to win lots of cool promotional items signed by 50+ of today's best middle grade and young adult authors!

Win? Did you say WIN?

YES!

Every day for seven days, Laurisa's blog will spotlight some of the most amazing new books for kids and teens! Monday thru Saturday visitors will be able to enter for chances to win one of 6 swag packs containing everything from signed bookmarks and postcards, to pins, pencils, totebags, stickers, key chains, lip balm, charms and more!

On the last day, SUPER SWAG SUNDAY, one last MEGA SWAG PACK will be given to one very lucky winner! This pack so far includes everything listed above PLUS:

1- hardbound copy of THE UNWANTEDS signed by author Lisa McMann
1- TEST TASTE charm bracelet
1- TOUCHING THE SURFACE T-shirt
1 - LOVE AND LEFTOVERS charm necklace
1 - SEND ME A SIGN guitar pick
1 - paperback copy of EVERTASTER: THE BUTTERSMITH'S GOLD signed by author Adam Sidwell
1- hardbound copy of THE SCORCH TRIALS signed by author James Dashner
1- paperback copy of THE ALWAYS WARS signed by author Margaret Peterson Haddix
1 - OyMG! T-shirt
1 - Original Artwork Print from FISHTALE signed by author Catherine Masciola
1- LOSING IT water bottle signed by author Erin Fry
1 - hardbound copy of LOSING IT signed by the author
1 - paperback copy of HYSTERIA signed by author Megan Miranda (not pictured)
1- hardbound copy of STARTERS signed by author Lissa Price (not pictured)
1 - poster of THE BINDING STONE signed by author Lisa Gail Green (not pictured)
1 - DRAGONWITCH pencil
1 - signed Margaret Petersen Haddix PIN!

And more prizes are still being added to the pile!

So be sure to stop by laurisareyes.blogspot.com every day from June 24th thru July 1st for plenty of chances to win. Stop by now and follow the blog to receive notifications of when the event starts posting.

See you then!

WHAT'S MISSING ON YOUR BLOG?

Middle Grade Mania is all about accessibility. Readers connect with authors, authors connect with bloggers, bloggers connect with the community at large. Since I've been working on this resource I've had the opportunity to visit hundreds of book blogs. Some are simply awesome! They reach their audience and connect in a way that brings people back again and again. Other blogs are not as successful.

I've pinpointed some specific elements that truly successful book blogs have and not-so-successful blogs don't. Now, when I say successful, I'm not talking about the number ticker on your Google Friends Connect. We all know that no matter how big that number may be, there's no guarantee that all your followers are actually reading your blog. The success of a blog can be measured by asking the following questions:

1.  Do my readers comment on my posts?
2.  Do my readers visit my blog on a regular basis?
3.  Is my blog regularly getting new followers?
4.  Do my readers share my posts on their blogs, FB or Twitter?

There are other questions you can ask, too. But the idea here is to have a blog that appeals to your readers and makes them want to come back time and time again.  When I visit blogs there are certain elements I look for. I tend to pass on blogs that don't have them because without them, the relationship is just a one way street. You'll see what I mean in a minute, but here is my short list of must-haves for successful blogs:

1. YOUR NAME - Blogs without a human name attached feel as if the blogger expects me to read their posts but is unwilling to connect with me on a personal level. A photograph is nice, too. Then I'm communicating with a real human being, not a just a blog title.

2.  CONTACT INFO - Again, if I have no way of communicating with a blogger other than through commenting on a post, it's a one way street. Readers should feel as though the blogger is accessible and willing to hear what they might have to say. If you don't want a particular type of communication, such as book review requests, mention that on your contact page.

3.  FOLLOW OPTIONS - Some blogs have only one way to follow, such as email. I don't care to follow blogs via email because then I end up with a very full mailbox every day. I prefer to visit on my own terms, so I like blogger feed or Google Friend Connect. Make sure to have several follow options, including FB and twitter.

4. UP TO DATE REVIEW POLICY - Nowadays, it's really important to state right up front whether you do don't accept review requests, and what kinds of books you are willing to read. If you're closed to requests, say so. And make your policy page easy to find.

5.  BUTTONS - Buttons are those cute little graphics on blog sidebars that link to other cool blogs and websites. They serve two main purposes: pointing your readers to blogs and sites you like, and giving back to sites that support you. For example, blogs that are listed in the Middle Grade Mania resource list are invited to include the MGM button on their blog. Many do. Some don't, but it is kind a rude to not have a button to a site that promotes your blog. Just common courtesy.


So there you have my short list of must-have blog elements. If you're blog is missing any of them, I urge you to consider a quick overhaul to make your blog more accessible.  In fact, I just realized that I forgot a couple of things on my new blog, so I'm hoping over there right now to fix it. Bye!

BLOG SPOTLIGHT: PEN & INK

Who is PEN & INK?

From the blog's About Us page:

Four writers.
Four perspectives.
Four members of SCBWI.

The four writers of PEN & INK are Susan Berger, Lupe Fernandez, Hilde Garcia and Kris Kars. Recently Catherine Lee also came on board. They all have SCBWI (The Society of Children's Books Writers & Illustrators) in common and theirs is a popular blog among other members, particularly those in the Los Angeles area.

What do they blog about? A little bit of everything. Many of their posts discuss issues relating to the writing of children's literature including process, the industry, author interviews, reviews and so forth. It's a great place for an inside look at the children's book world and for getting acquainted with SCBWI.

PEN & INK is not considered a review blog, so they do not accept books for review.

BLOG SPOTLIGHT: MOTHER DAUGHTER BOOK REVIEWS

This week we're spotlighting MOTHER DAUGHTER (& SON) BOOK REVIEWS run by mother/daughter team Renee and Danielle. What is so cool about this blog? Lots of things!

First, they have an extensive list of reviews listed by title and/or author. Second, they host a monthly giveaway! For the month of January, they are giving away a $15 gift card to the Book Depository. All email subscribers are automatically entered into the drawing. (Click HERE to subscribe.)

Third, Mother Daughter Book Reviews invites guest reviewers on a regular basis, so readers have a chance to meet other contributors as well. And finally, MDBR is the host of KIDLIT BLOG HOP, where blogs connect their reviews in a convenient location to make it easy for readers to find them all.

If you're looking for an awesome resource of current blog reviews of children's books, Mother Daughter Book Reviews is a great place to start!

Please note that they are not currently accepting books for review.

BLOG SPOTLIGHT: RAMBLINGS OF A WANNABE SCRIBE

So, who is Shannon Messenger?

Shannon is the power behind the amazingly popular blog RAMBLINGS OF A WANNABE SCRIBE, only as of 2012 she's not 'wannabe' any more. Her debut middle grade novel, Keeper of the Lost Cities hit the shelves last year, and it's sequel Keeper of the Lost Cities: Exile, comes out this October. She is also the author of a young adult book, Let The Sky Fall, which come out in March.

  Shannon is best know in the blogosphere for spearheading MARVELOUS MIDDLE GRADE MONDAY, a weekly gathering of blogs who post reviews, spotlights and/or giveaways of middle grade books. MMGM has proven to be a fantastic resource, not only connecting bloggers with each other, but allowing readers to discover new middle grade titles and blogs they didn't know about before.

In addition to MMGM, Shannon posts regularly on her blog about her journey as an author and occasionally posts book reviews (usually on Mondays, of course!) Her cheerful disposition really shines through her posts and she has a real knack at bringing people together and building community. From her bio: "Shannon Messenger graduated from the USC School of Cinematic Arts where she learned--among other things--that she liked watching movies much better than making them. She also regularly eats cupcakes for breakfast, sleeps with a bright blue stuffed elephant named Ella, and occasionally gets caught talking to imaginary people."

You can follow Shannon via Google Friend Connect, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Goodreads or Tumblr.

BLOG SPOTLIGHT: CHARLOTTE'S LIBRARY

To kick off the New Year, MIDDLE GRADE MANIA is proud to spotlight a popular review blog, CHARLOTTE'S LIBRARY.

Charlotte began blogging in 2007 and has a strong and loyal readership. Her blog focuses on the fantasy and science fiction genres. She maintains lengthy lists of reviews according to sub-genres: historical fantasy, time travel, multi-cultural, etc. Charlotte is a former and current panelist for CYBILS (Children's & Young Adult Bloggers Literary Awards).

My favorite part of CHARLOTTE'S LIBRARY is her Sunday Middle Grade Fantasy & Science Fiction Round-Up where she posts links to other blogs reviewing middle grade sf/f titles that week.

Her review policy states that she is open to receiving sf/f titles for review but does NOT review e-books. She does at times consider self-published titles. You can read Charlotte's most recent post HERE.