I need your input--Read-a-Thon poll

In light of my upcoming High Summer Read-a-Thon (July 16 - 22), I was doing some thinking on the dates and the hosting aspect of the read-a-thons.  I have themed each read-a-thon, as you know, seasonally (based on the seasons as they are in the U.S., with no intentional discrimination against my participants on the other side of the globe...honest) so I host one in January, April, July, and October.  I'm beginning to think that it would be easier on me to schedule them around the same week in their respective months, each year.  I've already settled on permanent names for them.  The Winter read-a-thon is A Winter's Respite, Spring will be known from now on as Spring into Horror, Summer has been the High Summer Read-a-Thon for two summers now, and this Fall, in October, I've decided to condense down the name of the Fall read-a-thon to the hashtag we used for Twitter last year so it will be known from now on as the FrightFall Read-a-Thon.  I'm also considering starting a dedicated blog from which I could host all four of the read-a-thons.  Not only would it make it easier on me (I think), but I think it would be easier for people to follow/subscribe and get the information all in one place.  The scheduled dates for each read-a-thon would be up in the sidebar well in advance for people to plan for them...kind of like Dewey's 24 Hour Read-a-Thon.

So, what do I need from you?  There is a handy little poll at the top of the post section.  If you could fill that out for me, I would really appreciate your input.  Feel free to leave a comment with opinions as well, if you would like.

Thank you!

Why I Like Your Blog

I hope this post doesn't ruffle any feathers, but I just felt like speaking out a bit.  In light of the recent plagiarism controversy about which I am completely appalled, I would like to address what was actually plagiarized.  It was a series of blogging 'dos and don'ts', etc. which I have always taken issue with.  Some of the don'ts are always "don't have too large of a header," don't have auto-play music," etc., etc. and blah, blah, blah...  Here is a copy of the comment I left on the Beautifully Invisible blog regarding what went on, but also addressing the issue I'm talking about above:

I am so sorry that this happened to you all.  Plagiarism is not to be tolerated and by no means is it ever accidental, except in some extreme cases.  I have steered clear of said plagiarist's blog ever since I first started my book blog in 2009 because, back then she did a series of posts about the no-nos of blogging.  I just have to say, who's to say what is right and wrong in blogging.  I have a large header and auto play music on my blog.  It has not caused me any harm to have it designed this way.  In fact, I have almost 600 Google Friend Connect followers and over 700 feedburner subscribers.  I get compliments regularly about my blog design and my music.  What I'm trying to say is that no post should be plagiarized by no means, but what are these types of posts trying to accomplish?  A slew of blogging automatons who all have the same blog design.  I'm sorry, but I would much rather be the odd color in the crayon box.  

Now I realize that I have gone off topic here, but I just get so tired of hearing these "guidelines."  Back in 2009, in the first few months of starting my blog, I decided to steer clear of said plagiarist's blog for just this reason.  A series of blogging no-nos posted on her blog.  For a new blogger, especially someone like me who has always marched to the beat of her own drum, this made me feel very inadequate and that my blog was crap.  But you know what?  I had continual visitors paying me compliments on the design and the music.  Yes, I'm sure there are some who hate it, but ultimately, I started my blog for personal reasons and to please myself.  There were never advance plans of gaining a following and everything else that has happened in almost three years of blogging.  What a pleasant surprise it was to discover that those things do happen and it's quite nicely the icing on the cake, but I still blog mostly for myself.  I'm the one who does all the work and I'm not being paid to do it.  If I'm not being true to myself, what's the point?  So, what I'm trying to say is...

These are the things that will keep me coming back to your blog

• Have any damn size header you want.  Make your whole blog a header or don't have one at all, for all I care.  I'm there to read your content and if I have to scroll down a bit to get to it, well, boo hoo, my poor down-button finger (not).
• Have some cool music playing.  There is such a thing as a pause button if I don't like it (do make the player visible for that reason or have a note at the top telling it's location), but I probably won't pause it.  
• I don't care if you have loads of stuff in your sidebar(s).  Are blog readers so easily distracted by what's going on in the sidebar?  Sorry if you are, but I'm not. 
• Design it to your liking.  Again, I'm there to read your content, not for your blog design.  If it's pretty, all the better, but it's not a deal breaker if it is not.  If someone comes to your blog to read your content, but leaves because of the design...well, maybe you don't want them reading your blog anyway.
• For those of you who have a more plain and organized blog, I like you too. ;O)

There you have it.  Again, I hope I don't upset too many people with this post, but after almost three years of feeling this way, I just finally had to say something.

To read more about the plagiarism controversy, visit this POST.

I selected this post to be featured on Book Blogs. Please visit the site and vote for my blog!

MY TAKE ON RATINGS AND REVIEWS (AND ANNOUNCING AN EXCITING NEW BLOG!)

Melissa over at Coffee, Books, and Laundry posted an insightful post about ratings and reviews.  Go HERE to read the entire post.
Here's what she asked:

What does a three rating mean to you? What do ya’ll think about ratings? Is the 1 through 5 system too plain? Most importantly though, do you debate whether you should give a book a try with a rating in the 3's on Goodreads or Amazon?

This was my response in the comments and it pretty much sums up how I feel about ratings and reviews:

I learned a long time ago that reviews are subjective. I first learned this with movie reviews when most of the movies I liked were given bad reviews. I then learned it with book reviews when I started blogging. There were several people that hated The Time Traveler's Wife and I loved it. Now what if I would have read their reviews before reading it and then not read it because of them? I would have missed out on a book I truly loved. So, while I read (some) reviews, I just keep them in mind. I do not let them influence what I read. I also do not give point ratings, except on Goodreads and on my Novel Glimpses (mini-reviews). Books just have so much to offer. There is often so much good along with the bad. I find it hard to put a number on it. And I find myself second guessing the ratings I have given on Goodreads a lot. A ratings system is just not for me.

In answer to your question, a 3 rating would not dissuade me from reading a book. Even a bad review doesn't do that. If I planned on reading the book and I read a bad review of it, I still read the book anyway!

So what is your opinion on this subject?  Feel free to share in the comments.

I also wanted to take a moment to introduce you to a new book blog that I'm pretty excited about.  My friend, Heather, who I met through Twitter and TuesBookTalk, has created her very own book blog.  Heather has great taste in reading and discussing books with her is very interesting and thought provoking.  So stop over at Between the Covers... and say hello...and be sure to tell her I sent you so she knows what a great friend I am...LOL!  ;o)  Welcome to the wonderful world of book blogging, Heather!