I wonder how many of you think of Sunday as a new beginning....a new week is starting so maybe a fresh start as well. I'm going to admit that I don't always look at it in this way unless I have had a particularly bad week. Then I do. But today is a new beginning for me and I thought I would share it with you and then I'll talk about what I have been reading.
I'm graduating today with my elementary education degree. I've been going to school for what seems like forever! I'm really excited if you can't tell. And I would say that most certainly qualifies as a new beginning!! Add to the fact that I also landed a full time job teaching preschool (I start on Tuesday) and you could say that this is going to be a week full of beginnings. Just had to share!
Now on to what I have been reading. I have been working on a book that I received for review. It has a good concept (I think...) but the writing isn't pulling me in at all. For all of you who write and review books, what do you do when you don't care for the book that you have been given to review?? The author sent me this book so I really want to like it. But I am having a hard time getting past the way she writes. It is like she switches between past and present tenses whenever she feels like it. And the writing doesn't seem to have a flow to it. Needless to say I am struggling. I also picked up Betrayal In Death by J.D. Robb because I needed some brain candy. It most certainly is doing the trick and I am flying through it. I'm not going to say any more because you all know how much I love this series.
Happy Mothers Day to all of my fellow Mom bloggers!!!!!
P.S.- Go Cubs go! I got to go to the game yesterday and it was AWESOME! What a Mother's day/graduation gift for me!
Congratulations on your graduation and your job. As someone who has spent almost forty very happy years teaching at one level or another I hope you have as a great a time as I've had.
ReplyDeleteWhere the reviewing issue is concerned if I find I really have problems with the book I tend just to tell the story (obviously without any real spoilers). Then I write to the author and expand on what I thought was good first before offering comments on where I felt things went wrong. In other-words, I do what I would do if I was marking a child's essay - praise first and then 'suggestions' as to where things might be re-considered.
Sunday to me is the end of the week.
ReplyDeleteConratulations on graduating! And getting a job!
Have a great week.
Oh Sam, that's wonderful news!
ReplyDeleteFunny you sound mention Sundays as a beginning...I view Mondays as my beginning week and Sundays as my ending.
I get my office clean to start new on Monday. Get those pesky chores done, etc. All this is to start new on Monday.
Congratulations on both fronts! Sunday for me is to do all kinds of chores. It does not matter, if it is start or end of a week!
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Congratulations, Sam! What great news! I wish you luck in your new job. So many changes to look forward to.
ReplyDeleteIn the past, I have had to read and write reviews of books I did not especially care for. I felt terrible, but I also felt an obligation to be honest--in as nice a way as possible. I try to include the positive as well as the negative. If a book was utterly terrible, I probably would not finish it or review it. I would send the author a private note and tell him or her that the book was not for me.
One of the things I try to do now is read an excerpt of the book I'm being asked to review or do as much research as possible to be sure it will be a book I want to read and would like. You can't always tell though. There are not always excerpts available for a taste test unfortunately. I've gotten better about saying no to accepting and reviewing a book that doesn't catch my fancy or I'm having doubts about it. That's not a full proof solution either as a book that sounds especially good might not be so good once I am reading it.
I wish you luck with your dilemma!
Congratulations on graduation and your nre posiiton.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations!!!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on graduating and getting the job. I am not too far away from graduating myself and hope I am as lucky in securing a job!
ReplyDeleteI look at Sundays as a new beginning too.
Table talk- Thanks for the advice. I am definitely going to use it. The fact is the book has a good plot but the author could use a good editor.
ReplyDeleteRaidergirl3- Thanks!!! I'm really excited for tomorrow.
JKaye- How funny that we look at it the opposite. Different strokes for different folks, right? :)
Guatami Tripathy- Thanks for the well wishes! I appreciate it.
ReplyDeleteLiterary Feline- Thanks for the advice. I think that it helped to take a break from the book. Now I'm ready to try it again.
Beastmomma and Jackie- Thanks so much!
Kara- Much luck to you in graduating. It is a great feeling!
wow, congratulations on graduating and getting a job!!
ReplyDeleteabout Sundays, I like to think of them as the end of the week, a day I like to wind down and relax before a new week begins.
About not liking the book much, I'd tell a bit about the plot in the review, then add that I didnt care for it as much as I'd have liked to. Point out the strong point and the weaker points about the story line and writing style. This way your readers can choose for themselves if they might like it.
http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/
Thanks for the advice Naida. I'm definitely going to put it to use.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the graduation! I just graduated with the same degree in December so really share in your excitement. I was wondering where you live and was lucky enough to get a full time job. I am in Michigan and our whole economy has been in the dumps for 3 or 4 years now and it is really difficult to find a teaching job in elementary ed. So while I share in your excitement, I am a bit jealous! (JK)
ReplyDeleteKristie- I got a full time teaching job- but it is teaching preschool. Not quite what I am looking for but it is a start which makes me happy. I live in Illinois. Teaching jobs where I live are kinda sparse as well.
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