Hehee!

So cute.

I love books and I cannot lie,
AS

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(Thanks for this image to the Burning Through Pages organization, a non-profit that promotes children’s literacy out of the Denver, CO area. Neat!)

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I don’t like to write about these types of things very often, but this one is too good to pass up.

Are you familiar with Adam Baker of ManVsDebt.com?
Or Karol Gajda of Gajda.com?

Or their joint project, a massive digital information product sale that only comes around once or twice a year, Only72.com?

Well, make sure you are. And make sure you do it today!

Here’s why taking a peek at their site today might be a good idea:

The quick gist of it is this: We run massive digital information product niche sales 2-3 times per year for just 72 hours at a time.

Only72 officially launched on Cyber Monday 2010 with a bang. The response was overwhelming, and besides having a successful sale, we raised over $30k for Charity:Water. Sale #2 in June 2011 resulted in another successful sale and we raised over $10k for The Kidney Foundation. And with our third sale on Cyber Monday 2011 we donated to the Women of the Americas Sustainability Initiative!

All told we’re lucky enough to call over 3,500 fine-looking, intelligent, men & woman our customers and we’re proud to state that we’ve raised over $45k for charity.

Our next sale, Only72 Presents The $100 Startup, will take place April 30, 2012.

Their next sale starts April 30th. Today!

Personal and business development…huge discounts…charity…they’ve got my attention. Let’s keep readin’:

We’re excited to team up with Chris Guillebeau to coordinate what we’re calling “The $100 Startup” package.

The $100 Startup is Chris’ new amazing book, which we are shipping anywhere in the world (at no additional charge!) with every package this time (the first time we’ve had a physical product as part of our sales).

In the book, Chris makes an even more brilliant case, including dozens of examples, of why your world-changing idea doesn’t need thousands of dollars to get started.

We’ve assembled training from a wide variety of bloggers, authors, teachers, and trainers on a diverse set of business topics.

This new package focuses on:
-Creating, designing, and successfully building a blog that actually matters to people.
-Identifying your passion (and then building a career around it).
-Becoming a freelancer (or improving your writing).
-Building confidence, balancing work and life, and facing fear.
-How to sell (ethically) in a way that actually works (one of my favorite courses).
-How to improve and increase ad income (if you run a website with advertising).
-How to structure your technology, productivity, and small business systems.
-How to publish a book and how to get paid to create art professionally.

As you can see, we really tried to diversify the different courses and training in this package – so that it can benefit almost anyone who wants to get started online.

The newly released book $100 Startup is on my wish list. That alone makes me excited about this sale.

The package of materials that are available are perfect for just about anyone who wants to make a side income or a serious business out of anything online. Writers, designers, bloggers, marketers, you name it.

However, if that’s not you? If you’re not looking for any additional money on the side, if you’re not looking to build a business, if you’re not looking for personal development and business growth? Then these materials aren’t for you.

Please don’t spend your hard-earned pennies, mmkay?

Here is how Only72.com works:

You get $1,000 in courses for just $100 (one-time payment).

We’ll also ship a hardcover copy of Chris’ new book anywhere in the world to you.

We can only do this big of a discount (90% off) for a few days. The sale lasts 72 hours.

Once the sale is over, it’s over for good. We do one or two a year max – and never with the same training.

It’s a simple idea that helps a lot of people.

And finally:

If you’re in the market for training to help you start or ramp up your business or income from creative sources, I firmly believe this is the best offer of the year (for an affordable price).

If you aren’t starting or running a business… Or don’t have interest in leveraging your creative talents to produce side income… then don’t be silly and buy this package.

At the end of the day, if you download the package – and never actually apply the training? You help no one.

It doesn’t benefit me long-term. It certainly doesn’t benefit you.

So if you take advantage of the hard work we did to put together such an amazing package – you have to promise me you’ll actually study, use, and then TAKE ACTION on the content involved.

If you can pinky-swear me you’ll do that, check out the full list of products included here.

Personally, I’m excited about the parts of the package that will teach me a bit more about freelancing and book publishing. Because, you know, I have those writing and reading geek tendencies. Hubz is looking forward to the passion/career materials.

Can’t wait.

Check out Only72.com, friendlies. You’ll be glad you did. The clock is ticking!

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Cheers, Baker and Karol. This is an impressive offer. Hope it helps a lot of people!
AS

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The lovely folks at the Half Price Book Store published an even lovelier list on their blog the other day: 40 Books Every Child Should Read.

The books on this list are So Fun. Check ‘em out:

The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Love.

Animalia! Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs! Had completely forgotten about those two.

Oh my. Corduroy.

Such a great list! Don’t you think?

I love how the majority of them are classic and well-known like Green Eggs and Ham and James and the Giant Peach and Where the Wild Things Are and the books by Shel Silverstein.

But I also love the couple titles that churned up childhood memories, those that I might have otherwise completely forgotten about. Titles like Animalia that make me think of the librarian at the school library and how she would add you to the waiting list for that book but only with a sigh, because it was the “longest waiting list out of all the books we’ve ever had.” Or The Phantom Tollbooth, which I’m fairly sure I read in elementary school, but I can’t quite recall when or what it was about. And that makes me want to pick it up and read it again.

Amongst the classics and the memory-stirrers there are also a few I’m not at all familiar with like The Stinky Cheese Man or Bear Snores On or The Secret of the Old Clock. A fun list to explore, that’s for sure.

Thanks for that, HPBooks!

Here is their full post about the list: 40 Books Every Child Should Read

Cheers to Our Littlest Book Geeks,
AS

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I recently celebrated birthday number thirty-one. How to honor that in a book-geekery appropriate way? Thirty-one reviews for thirty-one years, of course. Because…why not?

Here we go, in no particular order. Enjoy!

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Losing My Virginity: How I Survived, Had Fun, and Made a Fortune Doing Business My Way, by Richard Branson
Beyond fascinating. Damn does he work hard. How do I raise my kids to have his mindset?

The Hunger Games trilogy, by Suzanne Collins
Lost sleep, had to keep reading. Quick, addictive reads.

Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace…One School at a Time, by Greg Mortenson & David Oliver Relin
Interesting at first. Too long, lost my attention and my belief.

The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho
Didn’t think I liked it while reading. Upon reflection, very moved by the personal message. Need to read it again.

Vegabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel, by Rolf Potts
Very much a “guide,” was just generally interesting for someone not planning to literally vegabond.

Dark World: Into the Shadows with the Lead Investigator of The Ghost Adventures Crew, by Zak Bagans
Corny. Didn’t include anything the author doesn’t tweet about or share during his show.

Birth: The Surprising History of How We Are Born, by Tina Cassidy
Disgusted me. Wish I hadn’t read it.

Heaven is for Real: A Little Boy’s Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back, by Todd Burpo
Easy, enjoyable, believable, smile-inducing, moving read.

Night, by Elie Wiesel
Couldn’t wait to be done with it, but considering it’s historical significance, glad I read it.

One Day, by David Nicholls
OMG the ending. Wish it was fluffier, didn’t anticipate it being as deep and serious as it was.

The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun, by Gretchen Rubin
Realistic transformation, a bit too detailed of an account of it, but a good read.

The Book of Awesome, by Neil Pasricha
Laughed out loud repeatedly. Upped my appreciation and gratitude for the daily wonders around me. Recommend it all.the.time.

Life As We Knew It, by Susan Beth Pfeffer
Good character development, creative plot, couldn’t put it down.

The World Without Us, by Alan Weisman
Thought it would be an interesting, light, geeky read. Instead, it was a textbook with overbearing science. Didn’t like it.

Ignore Everybody: And 39 Other Keys to Creativity, by Hugh MacLeod
Ignited my creativity literally while reading it. Had to keep stopping to write ideas down. Huge thumbs up.

The Help, by Kathryn Stockett
A bestseller for a reason.

It’s Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life, by Lance Armstrong
No question why he had the success he did; hard work. Decent writing, enjoyable, inspiring read.

Poke the Box, by Seth Godin
Inspiring. Fabulous three-hour read. Recommend it regularly. Think about its message regularly.

Paradise General: Riding the Surge at a Combat Hospital in Iraq, by Dr. Dave Hnida
Well written, fascinating account. Thought it would gross me out. Didn’t. Surprised to like it as much as I did.

Rich Dad Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not, by Robert Kiyosaki
Changed my outlook on money working for me, versus me working for money. Changed my life.

Beach Money: Creating Your Dream Life Through Network Marketing, by Jordan Adler
Ugh. Horrendously written. Generic advice. Very stereotypical network marketing. Upsetting.

The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland, by Jim DeFede
Moving, a bit repetitive, but a fascinating account. Made me wonder what other butterfly effects went on that day in different parts of the world.

Emergency: This Book Will Save Your Life, by Neil Strauss
Hilarious. Shocking. Eye-opening. You’ll finish it one notch more liberal than you were when you started and thinking Strauss is a badass.

Harry Potter series, by J.K. Rowling
Huge lesson: You never know what genre of books you’ll enjoy until you pick one up and try it out. Nothing will ever compare.

American Wife, by Curtis Sittenfeld
Beautifully written, moving novel. Relationship-filled. Fascinating supposed connections to real-life icons.

Little Bee, by Chris Cleave
How come I rarely like books that win big awards? Thought it was weird and disturbing.

Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything, by Steven D Levitt & Stephen J Dubner
Fascinating, as intended. But not surprising.

Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen, by Christopher McDougall
Astonishing! Changed my outlook completely on the sport and my inclusion in it. Two years later and I still think about this book regularly.

The Shack, by William P Young
Interesting point of view. Keep an open mind and let it sink in. It can’t hurt. Also, moving.

Escape From Cubicle Nation: From Corporate Prisoner to Thriving Entrepreneur, by Pamela Slim
Very detailed, should have read it before I escaped from my cubicle nation. Wasn’t too useful after the fact.

1 Dead in Attic: After Katrina, by Chris Rose
Emotional series of columns from a NOLA journalist. A shocking read, in a I’m-so-glad-I-now-know-this type of way. Couldn’t put it down.

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Phew! That was fun.

What’ve you been reading lately? Any one-liner reviews you’d like to share?

Dreaming about books in one-line summaries,
AS

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Almost every day there is a new book or two that catches my eye. The fault, probably, of the several newsletters and subscriptions of book-related stuffy stuff that land in my inbox every morning. It’s almost too much!

Keyword: almost.

So, today, this 16th day of April, this thirty-eight and a half weeks into my pregnancy, this lovely spring day, this good-gracious-I-feel-like-an-elephant day, this Monday afternoon, here are a couple of books that currently have my attention.

Can’t wait to get my hands on ‘em.

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Bloom: Finding Beauty in the Unexpected–A Memoir, by Kelle Hampton

Oh, my.

This book was highlighted several places before I ran into it on a blog that I read regularly and finally thought, “Well good gracious, I suppose I’m meant to check out this book because if it hasn’t shown up EVERY.SINGLE.DARN.PLACE.I.LOOK. the past few days.”

Or something like that.

So I looked it up. And I found the author, Kelle Hampton, and her blog. And I read a little bit of it.

And then I was intrigued and I read some of her archives and then I was in love and then I read the birth story of her daughter that was born with Down syndrome and then I cried.

And then I hit myself for reading all about a birth story of a woman giving birth to a daughter and not knowing until she was born that she had Down syndrome when I was thirty-something-plus-a-lot weeks pregnant with my own daughter.

Ahem.

If her blog is any indication, Kelle is an amazing writer who can capture emotion in such a real way. I’ve never really read anything like her writing before. This memoir about her family and the last few years of her life, well, it has to be a good one. It just has to!

I hope I remember to swing through the Kleenex aisle when I stop and pick this one up.

(Does Barnes & Noble have a Kleenex aisle?)

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Dear Daughter: The Best of the Dear Leta Letters, by Heather Armstrong

I just ran into Dear Daughter this morning and, I have to admit, I was shocked.

I Was Shocked Reason #1: I have read Dooce, the author Heather Armstrong’s blog, religiously for over three years. I have never once seen her mention that she has another book coming out. She happened to link to it today in one of her posts, and unless I have been hiding under a rock when it comes to her blog writing, it was the first time she has done so.

How I missed any announcement about it or mention of it, or how Heather kept the book a secret for so long, or why Heather kept it a secret for so long, I have no idea.

Marketing tactic: never mention my book until it’s released.

Huh?

I Was Shocked Reason #2: The title is Dear Daughter. She compiled a book out of her letters to her daughter that she wrote over the course of time and published on her blog.

Hmm.

Sign me up!

Although I hadn’t yet done a ton of digging, I didn’t think there was a compilation book out there like this. So I was surprised and excited and a little nervous that Heather, one of the top bloggers in the world and already a bestselling author, had published one.

Needless to say, I’m pretty excited to check this one out. I’ve read all of the letters that Heather wrote to her daughter on her blog, but it was ages ago. I’m excited to re-read and enjoy them all over again, and take mental notes on how the book is arranged.

I’m obviously not writing my Dear Babygirl letters to someday publish them formally, but, man, if that wouldn’t be cool.

Don’t you think?

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Freedom Is Blogging in Your Underwear, by Hugh MacLeod

I loved Hugh MacLeod’s book on creativity that he published a couple years ago, Ignore Everybody. (Here’s my review of it.)

I also love his art. Hugh is a cartoonist and has a great story about how he used to draw on the side of his jobby job, something he hated, until he figured out how to get paid to doodle.

Get paid to doodle! All.Day.Long.

Hugh rocks. And his art also hangs in my home office:

I’m not delusional. I’m not I’m not I’m not!

His newest book, Freedom Is Blogging in Your Underwear, is released next week, April 26th. It covers, well, how he used to draw on the side of his jobby job, something he hated, until he figured out how to get paid to doodle.

How did he got paid to doodle? Blogging!

Sweet.

If it’s anything like the author, the book promises inspiration and humor and education and snarkiness. Perfect.

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I have never been great at titles. (The lovely editors at Silicon Prairie News are always rewriting them for me. Hi, guys! Thanks for your title-writing abilities!) So, pretend that what it says above is not “A couple books I’m excited about” but “A few books I’m excited about.”

Couple = two. Few = three.

Details!

Would love your thoughts on these three titles, you guys.

What book has caught your attention lately? Do tell!

I love new booky books,
AS

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Because, my goodness, I can’t get enough of the book-related eye candy on Pinterest lately.

Feast your eyes:

Is this an art installation? A book shelf? A direct order?
READ.
–Yessir!

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I’m pretty sure the building is sticking its tongue out at us. I’m ok with it.

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Picture a whole shelf lined with these lovelies. Pretty!

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I have no idea what I’m looking at here, but I think it’s book-related and I think I like it.

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Ack! How did he get up there? How is he going to get down! I’m worried.

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Ok. Now this is just getting ridiculous.

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Basking in the book geekery,
AS

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Are you on Pinterest? Pin me up! You can find me, here:
AnnieSorensen.com on Pinterest

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I was cruising Etsy the other day when I ran into the most darling, book-related wall decal. Well, I take that back. The decal itself is pretty simple. It’s the quote that is the darling part.

Here, take a look:

So perfect, yes?

This decal is from InitialYou’s shop on Etsy. You can find the shop, here:

The more we read, the more we know. Got it.
The more we know, the more places we’ll go. Aww. Lovely.

I love you, Dr. Suess.

Basking in the reading-related geekiness,
AS

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The first movie in the Hunger Games trilogy hits theatres this weekend, and this book geek cannot wait.

I avoided purchasing books two and three because, well, because it was just a couple months ago and I was pregnant and I was tired. And tired pregnant women need their sleep! Or so I told myself.

I think that excuse lasted, like, two days.

Two days later I finished book two. Two days after that, book three.

Phew. THAT was a busy week.

Actually, it was a busy week. I remember stuffing one of the books into my purse and sneaking in a paragraph or two while waiting for appointments to arrive at a coffee shop. I think I even nabbed a couple sentences while in line for soup at Panera.

Geek. I is one. It’s nice to meet you.

So the movie comes out this weekend, and Pinterest is all a’flutter with Hunger Games-related pins this week.

If you can stand the Hunger Games geekiness, go take a peak. Run a quick search, feast your eyes, and enjoy.

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My favorite chick lit author, Jane Green, has just released a new book.

Chick lit. Kind of an unfortunate category title. Don’t you think?

Anyway, I love me a good Jane Green novel.

I read Jemima J, one of her earlier works, eight or nine years ago and was hooked. I have read all of her novels and own the majority of them. Her books are girly in the sense that the subjects revolve around relationships and family and career women, but they aren’t your typical chick lit in regards to the quality of the writing. Her novels are fast reads, but enjoyable. And they’re never predictable.

I can’t wait to dive into this book.

I’d strongly recommend any of Jane’s novels for any of them women in your life. Or the chick lit-loving men! I am not here to judge.

Here’s the book:

Enjoy!

You know how you sometimes have books on your shelf that, for some reason or another, you just can’t ever get yourself to pick up and read?

Poor little books. It’s like they’re the last ones chosen for the pick up soccer game at recess. Hopeful and wide-eyed, wishing that every time I approach the book shelf that this, this will be their moment that they finally get a chance to play.

I’ve written before about how I choose what book to read next; it all comes down to impulse. If you’re not feeling it, you’re not feeling it. And if that means that a poor little copy of one of Robert Irwin’s awful terrible crazy so-so real estate investment tomes sits unopened for two years, then so be it.

Sometimes, a book just isn’t destined for several dedicated hours of face time. And that’s where skimming comes in.

I wrote about it. Skimming, that is. About how I do it and still get some use out of it and save a lot of time. You can read it if you’re into that sort of thing. Here’s the link:

But this was totally not the point of this post.

The point of this post was to ask you a question, dear Internetz. Are you aware of all of the utterly delicious, drool-inspiring, I-wanna-remodel-my-home-in-order-to-add-them book shelf photos there are out there?

I’m sorry I just used delicious and book shelf in the same sentence.

Feast your eyes, my fellow bookies:

Lovely.

So fun.

Darling!

This makes my eyes cross a little bit. But I think I like it.

Oh my.

OH MY.

Ok, this is getting painful.

[thump]

That was me hitting the floor. I just died.

See you in book heaven,
AS

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All photos pulled from Pinterest.