It was just five months ago I started a blog on boys and literacy. I watched my daughter excel in school because she loved to read. Then my sons came along and it was a new story. I watched one of them lag behind and wondered how I could instill the love of reading into both of them. While it was easy when they were young, as they entered their tween years, it became harder. Suddenly, it wasn't 'cool' to read. I knew there were books out there they would love, I just had to find them. I knew others struggled with the same thing. I read reports that showed boys lagged behind girls in reading. I couldn't help but wonder how we could come so far with girls and so far behind with boys. As happy as I was that my daughter had opportunities she wouldn't have had fifty years ago, I didn't want that to be at the expense of my boys. I wanted all of my children to have equal opportunities I was passionate about it. So passionate, I started my blog.
Little did I know what I was getting myself into, especially when I started accepting books and writing reviews. The time involved to blog about these books I love, was much greater than I anticipated. I am also a writer of middle grade books for boys working on getting published and blogging was taking precious time away from that. At the same time, the reading and writing I spent on the blog was making me a better writer.
Why do I write this? So authors, publishers and even readers will understand the work that goes on behind the scenes for book bloggers and take a minute to appreciate that work. A quick thank you in the comments section or a blog or Twitter follow is all it takes.
In honor of blogger appreciation week, I am hosting a book giveaway of Spartacus and the Circus of Shadows by Molly E. Johnson. Please click here to enter. Drawing ends on September 16, 2011, the last day of blogger appreciation week.
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