Poll Results Are In!

This poll ran on a bit longer than others because I was getting ready for a week of relaxation and exploration down in Bisbee, Arizona with Denis and couldn't switch my brain from Pack Mode to Poll Mode.

I'm back now and ready to get back into the swing of things... or at least what passes for swinging here at Casa Kittling.

For this poll, I asked Which is the more important eyecatcher-- the book's title or the book's cover?

Thank you to the 53 souls who responded. I do appreciate each and every one of you who take the time to give me your opinion. Here's the breakdown in voting (along with my own humble point of view):

• 22% (12 votes) said that the book's title was the more eyecatching to them. This is the camp into which I pitched my tent. Why? Think about it. When you walk into a bookstore or a library, just how many of the books are displayed with the covers facing out? Once you get away from the new releases, not all that many, so if you grab a book that's displayed spine (title) out, what probably grabbed your eye first? Yup. The title. I'll admit that I'm trained to see the title first. I grew up in a library, shelving books and locating books for patrons. Today now that I'm a book glutton with very limited funds, I shop for books using a list. It keeps me from those impulse buys that melt the plastic on my debit card. Shopping for books using a list means that I hunt for the titles.
  
• The vast majority (77% or 41 votes) told me that the book cover is the more eyecatching. I really can't argue with that because they are designed to do precisely that. Several of the book blogs I subscribe to show book covers and discuss them. I do find those posts interesting, and they've brought trends to my attention that I would not have noticed otherwise. I just don't shop for books by looking at the covers. Besides, with the tendency of some publishers to lie with their chosen cover art, I don't wish to be led astray.

But while I'm on the topic of book covers, I will say that old books printed around the turn of the twentieth century are often beautiful with their Art Nouveau designs and use of color and gilt, so I'm not completely unaware.

Whether we find books by their titles or their covers, the most important thing is that we find the books that we want to read. (And I'd bet the farm that you agree!)

Poll Results Are In!

Thank you to the 39 brave souls who voted in the last poll in which I asked:

It's time to read that one non-fiction book you swore to read this year. What type of non-fiction is it going to be?

From the rather anemic response (compared to most other polls), it's easy for me to picture many readers who, upon seeing the dreaded phrase "non-fiction", curled their lips in disdain and didn't bother to vote. Which is one of the reasons why I posted the question in the first place. But let's face it-- Casa Kittling isn't the place most people are going to come to in order to find the latest and greatest non-fiction tomes!

How did the votes break down? Let's take a look.

• Tied for first place with 9 votes apiece (23%) were Memoirs and Social/Cultural History. For some reason unknown to me, I've never been overly fond of memoirs, but I certainly do enjoy well-written social history. I love learning people in other eras and cultures.
  
• In second place with 8 votes (20%) was Biography. If I may be allowed to think as I type, I believe the reason why I normally choose biography over memoirs is that I find the biographer's editing preferable to the person writing his memoirs. Is that a diplomatic way of saying the biographer may give a more complete or truer portrait of the subject? Why yes, I suppose it is!
• In third place with 4 votes (10%) was Travel/ Exploration. I have to admit that when I was composing this question, my mind was roaming through my own TBR shelves. I could think of at least 4 books on exploration that I would enjoy reading, so this was the selection that got my vote. Like social history, learning about a landscape gives me even more insight into the way people lived.
• Tied in fourth place with 3 votes each (7%) were Art History and Did I swear that? One of my favorite classes in college was art history. I think you can tell I like art by my "The Reader's Artist" that's always on my sidebar. I love the fact that 3 people actually voiced their disbelief that they'd said they would read non-fiction!
• Tied at the bottom with 1 vote (2%) each were Military History, Maritime History, and Natural History. I think military history has been hanging around at the back of the pack when it comes to accessibility. When I read non-fiction that's as dry as dust, chances are still very good that it's military history. There are notable exceptions to that, of course, but with so little interest shown in the topic, I'm going to leave it alone. Maritime history can be so much fun if you choose the right book. Joan Druett has written several excellent books on the subject that also have a women's history viewpoint. In addition she writes an historical mystery series that takes place at sea. So you can take your history with a bit of salt and still enjoy it! Speaking of enjoying-- it's also possible to read about the world around you and enjoy it, too.
  

Many of you say that you want to read out of your comfort zone a bit. Why not try non-fiction? There are plenty of book blogs out there to help you make informed choices!

Poll Results... and an Award!

The question?

You have won an all-expense paid "Literary Giants" trip to one country. Which country would you choose?

My thanks to the 57 people who cast a vote. That number is significantly lower than in many past polls, but since no one voted to stay home, I think the choice of countries had everything to do with the fewer number of votes.

There were a few choices (besides staying at home) that received no votes at all: Canada, France, and Chile. With the earthquake in Chile, it's a bit understandable, but Canada and France were a bit puzzling.

The countries that received votes?

• With one vote (1%) each: Germany and Greece.
• With 2 votes (3%) each: Russia and Spain.
  
• With 3 votes (5%) : Japan.
• With 4 votes (7%); Australia.
• With 5 votes (8%): the United States.
  
• With 6 votes (10%): Ireland.
• With 10 votes (17%): Italy.
• With 23 votes (40%): the United Kingdom.

How did I vote? Russia. After reading Tolstoy, Chekov, Gogol, Dostoevsky, Pushkin and so many others; after knowing the vastness of the land, I just couldn't resist.

Did the poll contain any surprises for me? Yes. I was surprised that the US got as many votes as it did. This must mean that I have more non-North American readers than I thought! Italy was a surprise, too. Part of me wonders if some of those ten votes had more to do with the landscape and the food than Italian literary giants? (I'm smiling here and not being snarky.)

It wasn't a surprise that the UK was such a runaway winner. It's safe to say that most of my readers are from North America and are English speakers who've read Dickens and Austen and the Brontes (and many others) as part of their school curricula. If I'd broken it down into England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, I would bet that England would be the overwhelming winner.

What do you think?

=================

On a completely different note, I'm honored that author, Margot Kinberg, honored me with the Sunshine Award on her blog, Confessions of a Mystery Novelist. If you haven't ever visited her blog, please take the opportunity to do so!

The Sunshine Award is to honor "bloggers whose contagious positivity and creativity inspire others in the blogging universe.” Wow, what an honor! Thank you so much, Margot!

Poll Results Are In!

A big Thank You to the 89 people who responded to my last poll question, which came to mind while I was in the depths of spring fever. I wanted to know "During which season do you tend to read more?"

For once, the breakdown was pretty much as I'd expected:

61 people (68%) said that their reading was consistent throughout the year. That's how I voted. Neither rain nor snow nor heatwave will keep me from my appointed tome, and I have yet to experience a reading slump. (I've never said it sucked to be me, have I?)

Way down in second place, 14 people (15%) said that they tended to read more in the winter. If I were still living someplace that really does have a winter, this would've gotten my vote. I remember being stuck inside as a child all too often during the winter in central Illinois. It's the main reason why I turned in my snow shovel and moved to Phoenix.

Following closely in third place, 12 people (13%) said that they read more in summer. This reminds me of teachers and students who have their summers free.

2 people (2%) said that they tended to read more in spring, and absolutely no one 'fessed up to reading more in autumn. When I lived someplace that experienced real winter, I thought of these seasons as Recuperation and Preparation.

As I typed that, my brain evidently had a bit of gas. Reading, seasons, the natural world. Half a century ago, I think the majority of us would have chosen answers that reflected more seasonal reading. As the decades have passed and we've moved away from rural settings toward cities and gadgets like television, air conditioning and the Internet, the seasons of the natural world have lost their grip. A part of me mourns this loss. The part of me typing on my computer keyboard communicating with people around the world... doesn't.

Were the responses to this poll what you expected? Did anything surprise you? Do tell!

(And don't forget to vote in the new poll!)

Poll Results Are In!

You may remember that on the last poll, I asked about your reactions to seeing the same book being heaped with glowing praise on blog after blog. Kinda what I call a blog blitzkrieg. Everywhere you go, there's that book.

Well, I want to thank the 117 people who took the time to respond to the poll. Here's where I get to distill your answers. (Please don't turn me into the revenuers!)

58 of you (or 49%) are trying to reduce your bulging TBR shelves and piles. You said that, if the book sounded like something you'd enjoy reading, you'd make a note of it. This response sounds hopeful, but when you're talking about bookaholics, it would be all too easy for this book to fall through the cracks.

34 of you (or 29%) said that if the book sounded good, you'd make a point of reading it soon. This is more in line with what the publishers are hoping for.

The third largest group-- 14 of you, or 11%-- said that all the hype really makes you hesitate because it's very difficult for a book to live up to all this praise.

Five of you (4%) said that all the hype turns you off so completely that you don't care if you ever get around to reading the book. I have one foot in this camp. It's the foot that tells me that I have a feeling that I wouldn't enjoy the book in the first place. Where's my other foot? Up in that first group that says if it sounds good, I'll get around to it one of these days. To be honest, the more a book is hyped, the more likely it is to fall through the cracks with me.

Four of you (3%) said that you have to read it now. It sounds to me that, unless your name is Oprah, if publishers are looking for super sales figures within the first few weeks, the blitzkrieg approach really isn't working. Of course, my poll isn't the most scientific thing going.

Last but not least, two of you (1%) were honest and said that you read the book with the express purpose of exposing its faults. Uber popular books annoy you.

From the looks of it, all the publishers and publicists can do is bring a book to our attention. After that, it's a game of chance with 61% saying "maybe", 34% saying "yes", and 5% saying "no".

Would you say that a tactic that gains you a 33% return is really working? Inquiring minds want to know!

Poll Results Are In!

A huge Thank You to all 79 visitors who voted in my poll that asked everyone how they felt about blog awards. As usual, you had some interesting things to say!

12 people (15%) said that they love to receive blog awards and they love to pass them along as well.

15 people (18%) said that they wished they passed them along in a timely manner, which may have something to do with how many of the awards are set up.

The next four items I privately think of (in a good way) as Show Offs:

11 people (13%) said that they did not display any blog awards they'd won, and that they did not pass them along.

10 people (12%) said that they have a separate page for any awards they've been given.

9 people (11%) said that they'd really rather not receive blog awards.

5 people (6%) said that they display all their awards right on the front page of their blogs.

I wish I could give the 8 people (10%) who said that they just wished someone would give them an award a big ole hug. I remember how completely thrilled I was when I was given my first blog award. It's wonderful to be recognized for your hard work. However, the three choices that received the most votes show that the system, if not broken, has some serious cracks in it.

40 people (50%) said that they did appreciate the recognition, but...

35 people (44%) also said that they believed blog awards had lost their meaning somewhere along the way. I have to agree. All a person has to do is go through posts in their readers to see certain blog awards spreading like a virus through the blogosphere. When it seems as though everyone's getting one, I can understand the frustration of those 8 folks above who have yet to receive even one.

22 people (27%) said that they'd enjoy receiving blog awards more if there were fewer rules attached to them. Amen! There are so many awards that have rules stating that you have to link to this and link to that, show the award here, share a certain amount of personal information about yourself and then pass all this along to another batch of vic... recipients.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but... if the people you're passing an award to really deserve the award, why should they jump through several sets of flaming hoops to be "worthy"? If they deserve the award, shouldn't that be enough? And why do they have to link back to you? And why do they have to pass it along to a certain number of people? Why should awards have strings?

I think you can tell by my questions that I think the system is "broke", and I think that, to some extent, the votes in this poll agree with me. I went from being thrilled at receiving awards all the way to dreading them. I went from showing them off on the front page of my blog, to giving them their own tab on my header, to having them on my blog but not heralded in any way. (In other words, you're going to have to look for them.)

I didn't go into blogging with the express intent of winning awards, but I have done so, and there are some of which I'm proud. I think that, in an attempt to make everyone happy by spreading the wealth as much as possible, the award system as it is now causes more dissatisfaction than happiness. Now that the poll is over, tell me what you think of blog awards. Do you like them? Do they need to be changed? How would you change them? Do they drive you crazy?

Do tell!

Poll Results Are In!

A big Thank You to all 83 readers who voted in this poll which asked, "Did you make any bookish resolutions for 2010?" I always look forward to your answers because they always provide food for thought.

The greatest number of respondents (24) said that they don't make resolutions. I tend to be in that camp in most things, but books are just a tad different.

23 said that they wanted to read more books in 2010 than they did the year before. I'll go along with that. At the rate I accrue books, I have to read more in order to keep my lower lip above water!

The other higher scoring responses all had something to do with control. 22 said that they wanted to read the books they have and not keep buying more. It's a nice thought, but I sincerely think I could be turned into the only zombie that routinely stumbles into The Poisoned Pen to take a stack of pristine mysteries to the counter to buy. Forget what normal zombies do. Since when have I ever been normal?

Another 22 said that they wanted to read out of their comfort zone more. This is something I want to do as well. No one should let themselves go along unthinkingly with the status quo. (Why am I seeing zombies again, and what got me on zombies in the first place?)

19 folks want to catch up on some of their favorite series, and 18 want to use their local libraries more. 17 just plain want to get their personal libraries under control. I'd like to catch up on some of the dozens of series I've started, and I actually think I have got my personal library under control, thanks to joining Paperback Swap.

Speaking of Paperback Swap, 6 people said that they'd like to start using a book swapping site. If anyone has any questions about Paperback Swap, please feel free to ask me!

9 people want to support their favorite industry by buying books regularly, and 9 more said that they couldn't find their answer from my list. If any of these 9 would like to share the resolutions they made, I'd love to hear them!

It sounds as though many of those who answered do want more control over what they read and how much money they spend on books, but they also want to keep the enjoyment factor as high as possible.

Can't argue with that one little bit!

Poll Results Are In!

It's probably because I've been participating in the Weekend Cooking meme at Beth Fish Reads, but I just had to ask how we feel about all the holiday food around us. Participants were allowed to choose as many answers as they needed.

75 people answered the call, and here are the results:

64% said that family and friends are really what make all the food special. I agree wholeheartedly. It's easy to forget, but once I'm in remembrance mode, I'm amazed at the number of memories that bring together family, friends, and food.

61% of us say that we ignore the calories and enjoy all the goodies this time of year. Wait till after the new year for the guilt, I always say!

40% love cooking and baking for the holidays, which certainly helps the 32% who are non-cooks but love eating the goodies! I may have inherited many delicious recipes from the cooks in my family, but my heart has never been into preparing them. Let the cooks cook while I do the decorating and the buying and wrapping of gifts.

18% have gone to a restaurant for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. I am one of them. When my mother died, I no longer had family living here in Phoenix. That first solo Thanksgiving saw a group of friends take me out to dinner, and it turned out to be just what the doctor ordered. Going to another family's celebration would have reminded me of what I no longer had, and I would have been miserable. Instead those wonderful friends and I laughed our way through the meal.

17% of us indulge in all the holiday goodies but feel guilty about it. I honestly wish I could take everyone's guilt away, but I can't. (Just make sure I pedal that last mile on my stationary bike, would you?)

14% of us said that we don't find all the holiday baking appealing. Not everyone does. Could be while most of us are snarfing down all the baked goodies, a few of us are eyeing that drumstick...or maybe that oyster dressing. Whatever makes our taste buds happy!

Poll Results Are In!

91 readers let me know their thoughts on comments in the last poll. Thank you! Comments are one of those areas in which there will never be 100% agreement. I'll let you know a bit about how I feel about the subject.

As a blogger, I love getting comments. Sure I have traffic and subscription trackers here on Kittling: Books, so I know that people are in and out of here 24/7-- but there's something special about someone taking the time to actually leave a comment behind. My time is limited, so I make sure that I respond (in the comments section) to everyone who leaves a comment on my posts. Occasionally I'll email someone as well, but generally not.

I try my best to keep up with reading all the new posts in my Google Reader, but (I just looked) there are 547 blog subscriptions in there. Now that I've got Firefox set so that I can comment right from the Google Reader reading pane, I have noticed that the number of comments I'm leaving has slowly risen, but if I'm not one of the first to comment, I just won't chime in with yet another "Great post!" What I'd love to do is devise some sort of little symbol or abbreviation that would pass through all blogging software and spend one day "leaving my mark" on every single blog that I pay attention to. Actually....

Once or twice a year, we could all join in a Comment-a-thon where we visit every blog in our readers and leave visible proof that we were there. Hmmm....

Okay. Back on track here. So I'm a busy person who responds to all the comments on her own blog but is lousy at leaving comments on others. Guilty as charged, but something tells me I'm not alone! Let's talk about the results of the poll:

66 readers said that "Whenever someone new leaves a comment on my blog, I'll visit their blog." Yes, that's something that I do, too.

63 readers said "I enjoy leaving comments on other blogs." So do I, but I need Bullwinkle to pull a couple of extra hours out of his hat!

53 readers said "I only comment when I feel I have something to contribute to the discussion." Me, too. I normally read blogs from 4-5 AM. The time of day could have something to do with the fact that I seldom can think of anything to add to the discussion!

49 readers said that "Leaving comments is one of the best ways to build community and get your own blog noticed." I'd just started out with my blog and managed to join in a weekly meme. I made it a point to visit each and every person who responded to that meme and leave a comment on their contributions. That's when I began learning about the wonderful book blogging community that exists.

47 readers said that "I set aside time regularly to visit other blogs and comment." I set aside time daily but most of it seems to be taken up with reading instead of commenting.

31 readers said that "Sometimes the comments are more interesting than the posts!" I've seen this on other people's blogs, and I know that there have been visitors here who've left behind words and phrases in their comments that are now part of my vocabulary. One of these days I'll have a post where there's worlds of action happening in the comments section.

30 readers said "There are so many blogs in my reader that I'm lucky if I can read all the posts, let alone comment." (My hand is waving wildly in the back of the room.)

27 said that they "need to find more ways to say "Great post!" (My hand waves again.) Too often I read a post too late and someone beats me to the punch. Drat!

17 readers said "It doesn't bother me when people don't comment. At least they're reading!" (Waving hand. Man, I'm going to get a cramp!)

14 said "I'd comment more if leaving a comment on other blogs was easier!" This was really a problem when I first started out. Blurred, jumbled words that my eyes refused to focus on... usually retyping them in those little boxes was a crap shoot. I might get it right, I might not. Either I've gotten smarter, or those security measures have eased up a bit.

7 said "I give my top commenters special recognition." Good for you! The only special recognition I give my top commenters is a little box on one of my sidebars that tells everyone whom they are.

6 readers said, "It's a two-way street: you don't comment on my blog, I won't comment on yours." I understand where these folks are coming from. They've spent a lot of time on their blogs and would like recognition, and they've spent time going to other blogs to leave comments. It would be nice if everyone returned the favor. I understand... but I don't agree. It just sounds too much like "What's in it for me?"

3 said that "Leaving comments is a waste of time. Too many bloggers never respond to them." I've run across a blogger or two who never has gotten around to answering a question I asked in a comment, but that's okay. Someone in that person's family might've been diagnosed with cancer. They may be worried about how they can afford their child's braces. Their boss may be headlining Jerk Week at work. If the worst thing that happens to me today is that someone doesn't respond to one of my comments, guess what? I'm having a damned good day! And I love that this got the fewest votes. It means that the majority of bloggers are not ignoring their comments!

What do you enjoy the most about comments? What do you like the least about comments? This inquiring mind would love to know!

Poll Results Are In!

I asked how y'all felt about reading holiday-themed books, and 100 people responded. Thank you so much! And I have to admit that this poll is the very first time that the answers were almost perfectly divided:

--21% of you said that you never thought much about reading holiday-themed books. Makes perfect sense to me. Holidays can go past faster than the speed of light, so it can be difficult-- not only to remember them in the first place-- but to actually line up the appropriately themed books!

--24% of you said that you do read holiday-themed books, but you read them whenever the mood strikes you. This was my response. Sometimes it's July and I feel the need for a little Christmas spirit. It's a lot easier to pull out a book with the right theme than it is to dig out the decorations!

--27% of you said that you loved reading seasonal books during the holidays. I wonder if this is because you have children who are expecting this as part of their celebrations? I'm organized in many ways, but I can never seem to get it together enough to get the right holiday books lined up at the proper times.

--28% of you said that no, you've never really cared to read holiday-themed books. Not a thing wrong with that point of view either. My TBR shelves are packed, and many times I'd rather choose books from there rather than try to find holiday-themed ones.

Once again, thanks so much for your responses. You always give me food for thought!

Poll Results Are In!

A big Thank You to all 95 readers who voted in the last poll. In it I asked how books fit in when packing to leave on vacation.

How did I answer? Well... they always get packed before anything else. I forgot my camera once when traveling cross country to Virginia, but I've never forgotten my books! Something has changed a bit, though. Now I pack fewer books, and they fit in my carry-on. I like to do a bit of book browsing at my destination and help out the local economy there.

Here's what all of you told me:

--Not a single one of you said that books do not fit in your vacation packing plans. Are we a group of dedicated readers or what?

--56 of you said that your books get packed before anything else, which is extremely sensible. Once the momentous decision has been made on which books are earning frequent flyer miles, mundane things such as clothing and deodorant are easy peasy!

--10 folks told us that they have e-readers, so they don't have to worry about how many pounds of books go in the suitcases. To be honest, this is the only time-- vacation time-- that having an e-reader has appealed to me. I may be a bookaholic, but I'm also organized and like to be able to get all essentials packed without putting fatal strain on luggage zippers.

--2 folks said that they packed their books only if there were any space left. This makes me nervous, which has to be a sign of a true bookaholic!

--27 people voted for taking a couple of books in their carry-on luggage and buying more at their destination. Once I started flying across the pond, I started doing this. It gives me a built-in excuse for stopping and taking a look in book shops. I've also left books behind-- donating them to a shelf of reading material in the cottages Denis and I have enjoyed. Not only am I helping future travelers and readers, a piece of me remains behind in a place that I love.

To conclude this post, I'll tell you about a trip to Seattle in 2003. Our friend had to take us on a day trip down to Powell's Books in Portland, where I thought I'd done an adequate job reining in my book buying enthusiasm. When it was time to pack and head to Sea-Tac and the plane back to Phoenix, I discovered that I'd woefully underestimated the space left in our luggage for packing books. A couple of pairs of my shoes, a pair of jeans, and a couple of my t-shirts remained behind in Seattle. All of my new books arrived safely in Phoenix, though!

Have any of the rest of you left items behind in order to have the space in your luggage to pack all your new books? Do tell!

Poll Results Are In!

A huge Thank You to all 115 people who took part in this poll. In it I asked how you felt about a small independent British film company turning one of your favorite books into a movie. Here's how folks voted:

--29% of you said you'd be first in line for a ticket. This surprised me a bit because it's a fact almost universally acknowledged that the movie is very seldom ever as good as the book.

--24% of you said that, since it wasn't being made by anyone in Hollywood, you just might go. I've gotten quite a bit of enjoyment lately from small British films and television series. The Brits seem to do a better job of sticking to the book. Hollywood on the other hand sticks to the plot of a book just about as well as the US government stuck to all their treaties made with Native American tribes back in the nineteenth century.

--21% said that you'd wait for the DVD. I've done this a lot recently. Either time gets away from me, or the film isn't a big special effects/ action one, or I'd just like to stay at home and curl up on the couch with Denis and watch on our big TV and Surround sound. With the set-up we have here at home, it has to be a special movie or one that's best suited to a huge screen and sound system before we prefer going to the theatre. That's a rather sad statement because I can remember when "going to the show" was a Big Deal.

--13% of you said that you'd go even though you knew you'd be disappointed. I must not be the only person with a little internal eternal optimist... or some of you think someone else would be dragging you to see the film regardless of your true feelings!

--9% of you are purists who said that the book is always better. Can't disagree with you there. 99.9% of the time the book is better because your imagination owns the production company, cameras and film. Besides... your production company doesn't have a budget; you can film every single one of the scenes!

--One lone person said that no one makes movies better than Hollywood, which was pretty cool since 114 people seemed to have a difference of opinion. Good on ya. Stick to your guns!

Personally I have to admit that more movies have made a hash out of some of my most beloved books. When I read, I don't look at the words on the page as if they're the budget I have to follow. (How many restaurant meals and trips to the Poisoned Pen must I cut for the next six months?) Most of the time I think the best cinematic treatment of my favorite books is the lush budget MINI-SERIES. Remember those? Now that's how you treat a book on film!

What do you folks think? What are the worst movies ever made from your favorite books? What are the best? Do you think the mini-series treatment is the best, or should filmmakers stick to 2-3 hours for a book? Or should they just leave your favorite books alone? Inquiring minds want to know!

Poll Results Are In!

This time I asked what was the most memorable about your favorite books. I want to thank all 109 of you who took the time to vote-- I really appreciate it!

Some of the possible answers didn't fire anyone's imaginations, and I don't blame them, but I'd like to concentrate on the answers which did receive votes.

--One person voted that the most memorable thing about his/her favorite book(s) was the first line. One thing I loved to do (pre-computer) was have First Line Contests with a fellow reader. They were so much fun! The right first line can set the proper tone for an entire book. One of my personal favorites, A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens has-- in my personal opinion-- the best first and last line of any book ever written.

--20 people (18%) said that the most memorable thing about their favorite book(s) was the main character. I have a feeling that Stieg Larsson's Lizbeth Salander will join the ranks of my all-time favorite fictional characters. Characters can make or break a book, and they can even haunt you throughout the years.

--22 people (20%) voted for the story being the most memorable thing in their favorite book(s). The plot can indeed be a haunting factor in how a book is remembered.

--27 people (24%) said that it was impossible for them to choose just one thing about their favorite books. I can certainly understand that. Sometimes the whole package is what sweeps you off your feet!

--39 people (35%) said that the most memorable thing about their favorite book(s) was the way the book(s) made them feel. I have to admit that this is how I voted. Whether a book completely turns my thinking upside down, whether it's so funny that the people who walk past me think I should be locked away, whether I'm washed away on a sea of tears...it is emotion that I remember most about my favorite books. I surprised myself with my answer, since I am a self-proclaimed character-driven reader!

What do you think of the poll results?

Poll Results Are In!

I'd like to thank everyone who voted in the last poll. In it I asked if you'd like to see occasional posts and photos from some of the journeys Denis and I have been on-- many of them off road in the Jeep.

• 54% of you said, "Yes, you betcha!" Evidently you folks have a feeling that Denis and I may have had an adventure or two.
• 42% of you replied, "Cathy, it's your blog. Do what you want!" Well, so it is! But it's always nice to know that at least a couple of people are going to read what I post. I know that this sort of post almost qualifies as armchair travel, but I like getting your opinions.
• 2% of you, in the face of overwhelming odds, spoke your mind and said, "No, I'd prefer that you stick to books." It would've been the easiest thing in the world not to have voted at all, so I would like to thank these people for voting! (Would it help any to know that Denis and I learned of these trails by reading books?)
  

By the results of the poll, I think you know what's going to happen. Once per month (starting next Saturday), I'll have a post called "Off the Beaten Path" which will tell you in words and pictures of one of the off road adventures Denis and I have had. That's it-- just one per month, so it shouldn't be overkill.

The first one that I'll tell you about is the very first time Denis and I went off road, and it just so happens that the trail ended up in Prescott, Arizona... someplace that Beth Fish is a bit familiar with! I hope you'll all look forward to reading my Off the Beaten Path posts!

Poll Results Are In!

Not as many people took part in this last poll, and I don't blame them because it was rather ho-hum, even if I do say so myself. In it, I asked what the deciding factor was in purchasing a book by an author of whom you'd never heard.

The synopsis on the back or on the flaps of the dust jacket took the lead out of the gate and never looked back. Unfortunately I can't get more specific than that because, when doing my switch-over to a new blog template, I forgot that the poll wouldn't transfer over, too. Duh!

What was my answer? It's a combination of factors for me. I will admit that the cover is often the reason why I do or don't pick up a book. My answer to tomorrow's Musing Mondays post covers this topic in more detail. But when I make that final decision to put money on the counter for a book by a new-to-me author, I base my decision on the synopsis and a sampling here and there of the writer's style. Speaking of synopses, doesn't it really get up your nose when there isn't one? When all you can find are testimonials to how wonderful the book is? It really gets up my nose, and since my husband sometimes refers to me as "No Nose" (because it's so small), this is a big deal. The only time it wouldn't bother me is if one of the blurbs was mine, since that would mean I'd read the book. I don't foresee that happening any time soon!

And now for something that doesn't have a thing to do with the last poll! Have you taken my new blog template for a test drive? Clicked on things to see where they lead? Taken a good look at all the elements? What do you think? The jury is still out on my verdict, so any feedback (good or bad) is more than welcome. Chances are, if your feedback isn't entirely complimentary, you'll be giving voice to something that's bothering me a bit!

Okay...time for a new poll. Let's see what I can come up with this time!

Poll Results Are In!

For the past three weeks I asked you to choose up to three things that could make you run screaming from a blog. I'm pleased to say that 125 of you answered the call. Here's what you told me:

82 voted for "Music you can't turn off." That would've been one of my answers a few years back, but as it stands, I'm probably one of the few people who didn't vote for this. Why? When Denis first lived here, I was not aware of the extent of his hearing loss. We worked opposite shifts, and I got used to creep mousing around in order not to wake him up. I'd have a fit whenever I'd land on a website that had nonstop music because I was convinced that I'd just awakened my husband. I finally just turned the sound all the way down. To this day I only have the sound on when I want it to be on. If I didn't have this odd little quirk, I would have voted for this.

63 voted for "Too many things that Scroll, Flash, or Twinkle." Anyone who's been to the front page of Kittling: Books knows that I have nothing against scrolling. That also extends to flashing and twinkling...but they should all be used in moderation. If you've got all sorts of bits and bobs rolling up, rolling down, flashing on, flashing off, or twinkling away, it becomes very distracting. Readers don't know where to look first, and may even get headaches. I've been to blogs like this, and I've actually started getting headaches. Do you think I stuck around very long? I knew you all were smart! Excessive SFT (what I privately call "motion sick blogs") can also lead to the third largest complaint.

51 voted for "A long load time." If your blog takes a minute to load on a broadband connection, you might have fallen victim to excessive SFT and Widget Overload. I think most beginning bloggers are guilty of this. There are so many fantastic widgets and other goodies to put on your blog that it's easy to use too many and really slow down the loading time of your page. Most people aren't going to wait!

50 voted for "Lots of misspellings and grammatical errors." Don't let something this "fixable" chase people away from your blog. You want people to stick around and read what you have to say. Use spell check at least twice. I use Blogger's built-in spell checker, and when I'm done correcting with that, I click on preview and read the entire post slowly. Once in a while an error slips through, and if I see one that has, I edit that post. No...there's no ironclad rule that says you can't edit something you've written once it's been posted! That post is going to hang around on the Internet for a good long time, so it may as well do its hanging properly spelled and parsed.

39 voted for "Too much clutter!" This is something else that's easy to fall victim to. You want all your challenges to be Right There. You want all your cool widgets to be Right There. And you need Subscribe buttons and Archives buttons and Label buttons...and what about your awards??? Sit down and take a good long look at your blog's front page. Is a reader going to know where to look first?

38 voted for "Design colors that are either too dark or blindingly bright." Personally dark backgrounds and light text doesn't bother me, especially if the blog has a lot of photos. The dark background makes the photos pop. But many many people disagree with me completely. Since I don't have a photography blog, I don't have the dark background. My peeve is stopping by a blog and finding the clashing fluorescents color scheme. Makes my eyeballs bleed, that does!

50 votes were cast for the remaining items such as "Text that has too many sizes, too many fonts and too many colors", "Too many graphics, not enough words", "Too many words, not enough graphics", and "Poor placement of widgets." If you're blogging strictly for yourself and you don't give two hoots what anyone else thinks, well that's all fine and dandy. Whatever floats your boat as my grandfather would say. But something tells me that most (book) bloggers want to feel a part of this community of words and ideas. We want to be heard.

If you do want to be heard, like it or not, you have to take into consideration what your readers want, and I'm here to say that the learning is an ongoing process!

Once again, my thanks to each and every one of you who took the time to vote in this poll. My favorite diet is the Food for Thought Diet, and all of you can be relied upon to give me plenty to ponder!

Poll Results Are In!

I'd like to thank the 102 readers who voted for the things that make them keep returning to their favorite book blogs. I really enjoy everyone's input, and I certainly file away all the info you're giving me when you vote!

The top two choices were

• A unique personality and writing style. (67)
• It's all about the book reviews. (64)

It would seem from this poll that people visit book blogs for reviews that are written with personality and style. Readers aren't looking for a Sergeant Friday Approach (Just the facts, ma'am), but one that mixes the objective with a touch of the subjective. If you read a really creepy book that scared you so badly you screamed when the phone rang, which then made the cat jump clear over the couch and avoid you for the next two days...by all means, let your readers know!

The next two choices were

• The content is updated regularly. (49)
  
• Personal posts that let me get to know the blogger. (42)

Bookaholics are notorious for wanting a steady diet of new titles for their wish lists and to-be-read stacks. If your blog isn't updated regularly, chances are that readers will stop coming by. With personal posts ranking so highly in the poll, if you get some wonderful news, you don't have to worry if it's not book related. Your readers like to see the blogger behind the reviews!

The third tier of choices were

• Fun and/or interesting weekly features. (29)
• Clean, easy to navigate pages. (26)

I think of these choices as "icing on the cake"; it's nice if they're present, but they aren't essential. You can have one of the best weekly features in the known universe, but (according to this poll), your blog has to have the meat and potatoes as well as that piece of pie.

The least-voted-for choices were

• Contests and giveaways. (11)
• Publishing and other book-related news. (11)
• Author interviews and blog tours. (7)

This poll has made me wonder if I've got a readership that thinks along the same lines I do. I don't wish to hurt anyone's feelings, but when I go through all the posts in my Google Reader, I fly past contests, giveaways, author interviews and blog tours. I haven't won anything since the last Ice Age, so contests and giveaways are out. I'm interested in publishing and book-related news, but whenever I post anything about those topics, readers seldom comment, so I've moved that information to my weekly link round-ups. I will read author interviews when I'm interested in the author, but that seldom happens. (This probably says a lot more about me than the featured authors!) And blog tours just leave me cold. It drives me crazy to move from blog to blog to blog and see the same book, the same author. There's got to be a better way of getting new books on everyone's radar!

But then you know what they say about opinions, don't you? Everybody's got one, and my opinion won't generate enough cash to pay for your next trip to Starbucks!

Thanks again to everyone who voted in this poll. Your votes always make me dust off the thinking cap!

Poll Results Are In!

Thank you to everyone who took the time to read the poll question and answer it! I really enjoy seeing the results. Speaking of results, how did everyone vote on what they'd do once they'd read a book, fallen totally in love with it, and discovered that it was the first in a series?

Out of 119 votes cast--

40 voted for buying as many of the books in the series that they could get their hands on. I can totally identify with this one. It's the thrill of finding a new author and the security of having series books just waiting to be read!

34 voted for making an emergency trip to the library. (And in many cases, I would imagine they'd go online to reserve the books!)

26 actually had the restraint to only get the second book in the series. This is admirable and probably shows that I'm not the only one who's fallen in love with the first book in a series and then had the rest fizzle out. What a disappointment!

13 voted to check their favorite swap sites for the other books in the series. I would imagine many of you who read my blog regularly guessed that I cast my vote for this. You'd be 100% key-rect!

4 voted to make a note of the series--they may get back to it, they may not. Sounds like they've got TBR shelves packed to bursting like mine!

2 voted to wish list the other books in the series in hopes that they'd get them for birthdays or other gift giving occasions. I wish them luck. Seems like most people don't pay a lick of attention to my wish lists, even though I do keep them current!

Thanks again for voting in the poll. As you can see, there's a new one up. I tried something different with the new poll: you can choose more than one answer. Let your voice be heard!

Poll Results Are In!

The results are in for the Reviewer Handicap, in which I asked what type of book review was most difficult for you to write.

A total of 105 people voted. My thanks to each and every one of you. Let's see the breakdown of the votes:

• 10 people said that they read reviews, they don't write them. Thank you, All Powerful Ten, you help keep this book blogging community in business, and we appreciate you!
• 22 people said that the most difficult review for them to write was of a book that they read and hated. Not me! I find that the more a book engages strong emotion within me, the easier it is for me to write about it. Unfortunately it's extremely easy for me to become very sarcastic when reviewing a book I hated, and it's something that I work to keep a lid on. I'd rather keep my mouth shut than risk knowingly hurting someone's feelings.
  
• 24 people said that the most difficult review for them to write was of a book they loved so much that it left them speechless. Not me. Once again, it's that strong emotion thing. I may splutter around for a while, but sooner or later I'll kick into gear...to the point where I can hear people yelling, "Shut up already!"
  
• 49 people (or 46% of the people who voted in the poll) said that the most difficult review for them to write was of a book they didn't care for one way or the other. I would whole-heartedly agree. If absolutely nothing really engaged my interest in the book, I'm going to find it very difficult to work up enough interest to write the review!

Once again, I'd like to thank all the folks who voted in this poll. I appreciate your continued participation. Although I may come right out and say how I voted in the poll, that doesn't mean I think my answer is the "correct" one. Polls to me are all about opinions. As far as Kittling: Books' polls are concerned, there are no wrong opinions...just differing ones of equal value!

The Poll Results Are In!

The results are in for the Book Swap Handicap. Good thing it was held on a large track because there were 93 entries!

I asked all of you how you felt about book swapping sites, and here's how you responded:

1. With 38 votes, "I'm a member of one, and I love it!" led practically from wire to wire. It seems that many of you, like me, enjoy using sites like Paperback Swap and BookMooch.
2. "No thanks. I'll keep going to the library" finished second with 15 votes. If you have a great library system in your area, and you can find the books you want there, that's wonderful!
3. "No thanks. I'll continue to buy them" finished a close third with 12 votes. Until last August, I would've been in this camp. Let's face it, some members of book swap sites don't always follow the rules, and you could wind up with a copy of a book that's in questionable shape. Besides, people who buy books are helping the economy!
4. 11 people said "I'm a member of one, but don't use it much." I'd be very interested in knowing why they don't. (Hint, hint!)
   
5. In fifth place was ""I haven't tried one, but would like to know more." I have to admit that I had an ulterior motive with this choice. I've been kicking around thoughts of doing a series of posts on Paperback Swap, and wondered just how much interest there would be. I'm still on the fence, so leaving a comment on this post would do a lot to get me off my uncomfortable perch! Also, if I do go ahead with the series, I would like to have a cohort who could cover BookMooch, since I know nothing about it. (Any takers?)
6. 6 people said that "I get most of my books through publishers and giveaways." I was going to make a crack about "lucky dogs", but that wouldn't quite be right. Although luck is involved in giveaways, getting books from publishers can take a lot of hard work, and I have nothing but admiration for bloggers who get most of their books this way.
7. 2 unlucky people said "I'd join one if there were any in my part of the world." I have nothing but compassion for these two, knowing how much enjoyment I've gotten from being a member of Paperback Swap. Hopefully when their corners of the world see how popular these sites are in other countries, they'll join in, too!

There you have the results of the last poll. The new one is up now, and it will run for a longer period of time than the previous ones. We have house guests coming from the UK to stay with us for two weeks, and I'm trying to work things out where I don't feel as if I'm neglecting anyone or anything!

Thanks for your continued participation in these polls. It is much appreciated!