MotherReader

This week, Ellsworth’s Journal awarded MotherReader an “I ♥ Your Blog” award, and I couldn’t be happier. Lately I’ve been feeling a little down about this blogging business, and it soothes my soul to know that somebody likes what I’m doing here. Thanks, El — you made my day.

Now to pass it on to other blogs that I love. There are so many that it was hard to choose. Especially since I haven’t been commenting much, and there are lots of posts I should have raved about, but didn’t. Really, I have some great blog friends out there running some amazing book blogs and I count on them to keep me In The Know.

Recently, though, I’ve found a lot of comfort and inspiration in writing blogs. I like to think of it as a step towards my book rising to the surface through the muck of my brain busy with work, family, and this enraging election. The best author blogs take you into the writing experience, but don’t bore you with the details. They teach you something. They open up new ideas, concepts, discussions, and connections. And for me, right now, they don’t make me look at my to-read or to-review pile and make me feel guilty and altogether inadequate. So I ♥ Your Blog:

• Blue Rose Girls give me the viewpoints of varied authors, editors, illustrators, and poets. There’s always something interesting to read there.
  
  
• The Longstockings never let me down with their own collection of authors sharing stories, thoughts, and concerns from the writing world.
  
  
• Mitali’s Fire Escape makes me question if it could really only be Mitali Perkins writing, as there is always so much well-thought out stuff there. Mitali also makes me question books and more in terms of diversity, and I thank her for providing that voice.
  
  
• Kelly Fineman has taught me more about poetry than I ever thought I’d want to know — and that’s a good thing. (But I especially love her for the post I’m linking to about YA for Obama.)
  
  
• Finding Wonderland throws new thoughts out there all the time while I can only have, like, maybe one deep thought a week. I’m also ever grateful to TadMack for commenting at my blog, even as I’ve hit a commenting lull.
  
  
• Original Content lets the blog name say it all. Except maybe the part about how the original content offered is often thought-provoking and funny.
  
  
• Emily Reads may fall into the category of a book review blog, but with her haiku summaries of books, it could equally be called the blog of a poet. I love her small reviews, packed with punch.
  

Ready to pass on the love? Here are rules:

1. Add the logo of the award to your blog.
   
2. Add the link of the person who awarded it to you to your blog.
   
3. Nominate at least seven other blogs.
   
4. Add links to those blogs to your blog.
   
5. Leave a nice warm message for each of your nominees!