Things!

Hey guys.

So, you probably noticed that in November I said I would be 'back' to my routine of posting more often here at Books4Hearts. I got caught up in some other stuff, and planned to actually, like, legit, be back December 1st. However, I ended up spending quite some time kind of helping to re-do another project in the book blogger universe. I'm psyched to say I'm the new co-blogger-person at Young Bloggers Unite with Austin from Reading Teen. If you've never heard of YBU, it's a community centered blog sort of thing started a few months ago for the young book bloggers of the blogging community, originally by Melina from Reading Vacation and HD from Reading Writing Breathing. Shortly after, Austin joined them. HD and Melina decided they no longer had time for YBU, and so they stepped down and Austin stepped up, and he asked me to join the team! YBU has just come back from a while 'off the air' which he and I spent re-thinking YBU, re-making the schedule, and re-designing the blog, which took a lot of work-- now that it's set up, I promise I'm back, ha. I recommend that you check out YBU if you're a young blogger who wants to connect with the others, with discussions (ex... Today we're debating: Twilight vs. Harry Potter), guest posts, and more.

I have been preoccupied with other things as well, but I'm not trying to make excuses, everyone's busy! I just had finals and homework has been consuming my life and there's been some family stuff and all that.. The holidays are fast approaching as well! But ANYWAY. I didn't just make this post to talk about YBU or to tell y'all why I haven't been posting. I also meant to make a post about Google Friend Connect. 70 people follow this blog using GFC, and google recently announced that GFC was no longer going to be available for non-blogger blogs. Books4Hearts *is* a blogger blog, however it's been hinted at and would kind of make sense that google might eliminate GFC for all blogs eventually and it's their right to do it at any time. SO in light of this I suggest, to make it so that your review-reading is not interrupted that you either:
1) Follow the blog via email. To the right of this post under the GFC following widget there's a place to enter your email address to follow the blog via email.
2) Like Books4Hearts on Facebook, if you don't already.
3) Follow @Books4Hearts on Twitter, if you don't already. I realize that I'm not always good about posting/tweeting every time someone posts at B4H but I'll certainly try to be more attentive about that!

Anyway. I hope everyone has a Happy Holidays! And I'd like to thank everyone that reads Books4Hearts and follows and comments even when there aren't a lot of new posts and when there are-- I appreciate it! I'd also like to thank Angela and SEP for being awesome blogmates even if they can't necessarily post often, but I for one enjoy when they do and also, more importantly, they're great friends-- seriously, it sounds chees-y but it's true, they're seriously amazing people! :D

Just, again: HAPPY HOLIDAYS!! Whatever you celebrate, haha... May your Christmas be white, may the light of your menorah be bright, etc...) :)

In which I meet Carrie Ryan and reveal my secret!

In a rare break from the flow of reviews, I am here to post about today, in which I went to Borders for a book signing/author event for The Dark and Hollow Places tour, with amazing author Carrie Ryan!

You may recall that I reviewed "The Forest of Hands and Teeth" and "The Dead-Tossed Waves" a while ago. My review of "The Dark and Hollow Places" will be coming SOON, because I bought it today!

Carrie Ryan is awesome. She talked about how she came to start writing the Forest of Hands and Teeth series, her fear of scary movies, her previous book rejections, the books themselves, and answered our questions about the world of zombies (Unconsecrated, Mudo, Plague Rats)! She also signed our books and let us take pictures with her! It was really interesting, to find things out about the books and her motivation and journey to/for writing The Forest of Hands and Teeth.

The sign outside the Borders

Me getting my books signed

Me and Carrie Ryan

The second book, signed! Also, this is the one she put thanks for offering me Diet Coke in because of twitter.

For more pictures check out the facebook here. Also, yes, my secret revealed^ above. You're probably all, did she get Cat's name wrong? No. Cat's my nickname, and it's really not a secret just something I've never mentioned that my name was actually Linda :P

In short, today was AWESOME :) Thanks muchly for Carrie Ryan stopping in IL and having her event!

P.S... If you think the Forest of Hands and Teeth books are awesome or want to learn more about them and see the awesome Carrie Ryan in person you should go to one of her remaining events if she's going to be near you! Check out the rest of the schedule.