Tag Archives: Long and Short Reviews

My Festivus Geekiatum Plans

Closeup shot of five chocolate chip cookies that have been stacked on top of each other against a peach-coloured background. Last October, Long and Short Reviews released a Wednesday Weekly Blogging topic about which new holidays participants would like to invent.

As I mentioned here a couple of weeks ago, My friend Michael Mock responded to that question by inventing Festivus Geekiatum:

Festivus Geekiatum is a day to indulge your favorite interests. Work on that knitting project, watch that anime, re-read that favorite book, perform in — or attend — that one play. Reconnect with your hobbies, re-engage your interests, work on your projects.

Which I thought was a fabulous idea, especially since it happens at the end of February when cabin fever can begin to set in and make your previous winter plans seem not so fun anymore.

(Yes, I know the first portion of this post is very similar to the beginning of an older post from a few weeks ago. I’m trying to keep everyone up to speed on what Festivus Geekiatum is and who invented it).

My tentative plans for the first annual Festivus Geekiatum include:

  • Baking something delicious – chocolate chip cookies, perhaps?
  • Rewatching a favorite episode from Star Trek or some other speculative fiction show. The Trouble With Tribbles is close to the top of my list if I can find a copy of it on one of the streaming networks my household subscribes to.
  • Finding a nerdy-themed workout online and doing it. Ideally, it would be a dance workout, but we’ll see what I can find.
  • Rereading a few Mary Oliver or Langston Hughes poems because they’re at the top of my list of favorite poets.

If any of my readers decide to join in on the fun, I’d love to hear what you decided to do this year!

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The 2024 Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge Topics

An image of a laptop sitting on a wooden table. The large text reads Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge. In the white box below, the topics for each week in 2024 are listed.

Long and Short Reviews has released the list of topics for their sixth year of Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge posts. All of the details on how to participate can be found on their site.

If you’re having trouble reading the graphic above, scroll down for a transcription of the weekly topics. I plan to participate every week and hope to see you all over there next year.

 

January 3 – Hobbies I Used to Enjoy

January 10 – A  Celebrity I’d Like to Meet

January 17 – New Words I’ve Learned Recently & Meaning

January 24 – Languages I’m Learning or Want to Learn

January 31 – Series I Wish Had Just One More Books in Them

 

February 7 – Things I Like to Do on Stormy Days

February 14 – What’s New in My Life Lately

February 21 – Pets I Used to Have (or Wish to Have)

February 28 – How I Amuse Myself in Waiting Rooms

 

March 6 – Non-Fiction Books I’ve Read Lately

March  13 – A Book Trope I Wish Happened IRL More Often

March 20 – A Book Trope I Wish Wouldn’t Happen IRL

March 27 – An Interesting Story About Family or Friends

 

April 3 – Books on My TBR List the Longest

April 10 – A Moment I Wish I Could Relive

April 17 – Introvert vs. Extrovert: Which One Are You?

April 24 – Songs That Confused Me When I Was a Kid

 

May 1 – Villains I’d Root for Instead of the Protagonists

May 8 – Books/Movies/TV Shows I Wouldn’t Revisit and Why

May 15 – Funny Things I’ve Googled

May 22 – How I Feel About Staycations

May 29 – Museums/Galleries I’ve Visited/Want to Visit

 

June 5 – Books That Are Tearjerkers

June 12 – Characters I See Differently Now Than I Used To

June 19 – Things I Totally Misunderstood as a Kid

June 26 – A Skill I Wish More People Had and Why

 

July 3 – My Thoughts on Social Media

July 10 – Do You Enjoy Shopping? Why or Why Not?

July 17 – Something You Might Not Guess About Me

July 24 – A Sport I Want to Try

July 31 – Would I Stay in a Haunted House? Why or Why Not?

 

August 7 – Funniest Advice I’ve Received

August 14 – Things I Wish More People Talked About Openly

August 21 – A Book I Wish Were More Popular

August 28 – A Funny Animal Video, Photo,  Story, ect.

 

September 4 – Things I Like/Dislike About the Mystery Genre

September 11 – Books With Fantastic Endings

September 18 – Books That Should Have Ended a Different Way

September 25 – Describe Your Sense of Humour

 

October 2 – A Genre I Want to Read More Of

October 9 – Something That Was Better When I Was a Kid

October 16 – Something That’s Improved Since I Was a Kid

October 23 – What I Do When I’m Bored

October 30 – Superstitions I Secretly Believe In/Find Interesting

 

November 6 – Things I’ve Learned from Another WWBC Blogger

November 13 – My Thoughts on the Mystery Genre

November 20 – How I Spend My Weekends

November 27 – A Musical I Liked

 

December 4 – Something I Wish Would Come Back Into Fashion

December 11 – Myths or Legends From Where I Live

 

 

 

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Free Author Promo Opportunity at Long and Short Reviews

Blue background with white snowflakes on it. The words on the banner read, Winter Blogfest. A Prize on Every Post. December 18 - December 29.”

Long and Short Reviews has just opened their submission box for their 2024 Winter Blogfest.

Who can participate: Anyone who has published at least one book (or who will be seeing their first book published soon).

What you will get: Free promotion of your book on a busy, well-known bookish site and exposure to new readers.

What you‘ll need to provide:

  • A 250-500 word guest post about winter or any winter holiday (Christmas, Solstice, Hanukkah, New Year’s, etc)
  • A small prize. Previous participants have offered stuff like a free ebook, bookmark, $5 gift card to an online bookseller, etc.
  • A short biography of yourself. Think 2-3 sentences on average, although longer is perfectly fine, too.
  • A picture of your book cover (and one additional photo to illustrate your post, if desired)
  • Links to your website, social media accounts, etc. (if desired)

Last day for submission: December 10, 2023 (or sooner if all 50 spots are taken before then).

How to submit: Follow all of the instructions on this page. If you have any problems with your submission, there is an email address on that page you can contact for assistance.

Publication dates for submissions: December 18 through December 29, 2023.

Your exact publication date is influenced by a few factors, including how early you submitted it and which winter holiday you picked because they try to match up submissions with the winter holidays that are currently happening as much as possible.

So, for example, Winter Solstice posts are usually scheduled at the beginning of the Blogfest. Christmas posts tend to be published in the middle of it close to Christmas, and New Year’s posts are generally saved for the last few days of the Blogfest.

This is such a fun event. I hope to see you all over there as guest bloggers and/or commenters.

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An Anniversary Giveaway at Long and Short Reviews

Banner for the 16th Anniversary Party for the renowned book review site, Long and Short Reviews. Text on the blue banner reads: “16th Anniversary Party. August 21-25, 2023. Win $100 Amazon GC’s and more! Dozens of winners.” There are four balloons floating next to the text and little stars and confetti strewn throughout it as well to give it a celebratory feel as most book blogs don’t last this long!

 

Long and Short Reviews is celebrating their 16th anniversary this week.

Just like in previous years, they are hosting a virtual party on their website that includes a giveaway of Amazon gift cards and many other prizes.

If you want to join in and possibly win something cool, go to their website and fill out the Rafflecopter on as many posts as you wish.  There will be dozens of new posts every day this week, so keep checking back.

Every genre is represented: picture books, middle grade, young adult, non-fiction, inspirational, romance, erotica, mystery, science fiction, fantasy, horror, mainstream fiction, and more.

No matter what you like to read, someone will be discussing it over there.

They’re also promoting indie and small press books this week, so this is also a fantastic opportunity to get to know some new authors and find some hidden gems in your favourite genre or genres. I’ve had wonderful experiences doing that and can’t wait to see what’s in store this time.

The comment sections in previous years have been delightfully talkative and friendly, too, and I expect the same this year.

I hope to see all of my readers over there!

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Free Author Promo Event at Long and Short Reviews

Blue background with white snowflakes on it. The words on the banner read, “Long and Short Reviews Winter Blogfest. A Prize on Every Post.

Hey authors, you’ll want to read this!

Long and Short Reviews has just opened their submission box for their annual Winter Blogfest.

Who can participate: Anyone who has a book to promote and who follows the instructions.

What you will get: Free promotion of your book on a busy, well-respected bookish site.

What you‘ll need to provide:

  • A 250-500 word guest post about winter or any winter holiday (Christmas, Solstice, Hanukkah, New Year’s, etc)
  • A small prize like a free ebook, bookmark, etc.
  • A short biography of yourself. Think 2-3 sentences on average, although longer is okay.
  • A picture of your book cover (and one additional photo to illustrate your post, if desired)
  • Links to your website, social media accounts, etc (if desired)

Last day for submission: December 12, although the 50 available slots sometimes fill up much sooner than that!

How to submit: Follow all of the instructions on this page. If you have any problems, that page also includes contact information for the person at Long and Short Reviews who is organizing this event.

Publication dates for submissions: December 20 through December 31. Your exact publication date is influenced by a few factors, including how early you submitted it and which winter holiday it references. For example, Hanukkah posts would probably be scheduled first thing since Hanukkah happens in early December this year, and all New Year’s posts are generally pushed as close to December 31 as they can be.

I hope to see some of you over there next month! This is a fantastic event I look forward to every year.

 

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Author Promo Opportunity at Long and Short Reviews

Calling all of the authors who follow my site! I just received word that Long and Short Reviews is ready to accept submissions for their 14th Anniversary Party. From their post on the topic:

This celebration is for all fiction genres we feature and review (romance, erotic romance, YA/Middle Grade, Mystery/Suspense, SFF and mainstream fiction) as well as non-fiction books (memoirs, self-help, etc.) and poetry, and will run August 23 – 27, 2021. We expect a huge turnout, with thousands of visitors, just like we’ve had every year on our anniversary! It’s a chance for some significant exposure.…

Along with several other prizes, we plan on giving away at least two $100 Amazon/BN GCs, and several smaller Amazon/BN GCs, all of which are sure to be a draw. Number and dollar amount of prizes will be based on participation. The more authors who participate, the more and bigger prizes we’ll offer and the more eyes on YOUR book! So… share this invitation everywhere 😊

Click on the link above for more information, including the form you’ll need to fill out if you’re interested in participating.

This is a wonderful opportunity for networking, finding new readers, and discovering great authors in many different genres.

August 1 is the deadline. Some years the available slots have filled up quickly, so I’d recommend signing up sooner rather than later if you’re able to do so.

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The 2021 Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge Topics

Happy New Year! Long and Short Reviews has released the list of topics for their second year of Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge posts. There isn’t a topic for today, but I will be participating in it again beginning next week.

If you’re having trouble reading the graphic above, scroll down for a transcription of it. Everyone is welcome to join in!

January 

6 -My Goals for 2021

13 -5 Best Places I’ve Visited

20 – Something I Collected as a Child

27 -A Book/Movie/TV Show That Influenced My Life

 

February

3 – A Few of My Favourite Things

10 – Most Romantic Book or Movie Ever

17 – How I Take Care of My Health

24 -My Greatest Strength

 

March

3 – My Greatest Weakness

10 – Best Non-Book Gifts for Readers

17 – My Theme Song

24 – What My Last Meal Would Be 

31 – TV Shows I Binge Watch(ed)

 

April

7 – Books I Chose Based on the Cover or Title

14 – If I Won a Large Lottery Jackpot, I Would….

21 – Creative Outlets I Enjoy

28 – Favourite Outdoor/Nature Activities

 

May

5 – Fictional Characters I’d Love to Meet and Why

12 – My Favourite Indulgence 

19 – Recent Topics I’ve Googled

26 – My Fantasy Vacation

 

June

 

2 – My Favourite Book and How I’d Cast It for a Movie

9 – The Best Gift I Ever Received

16 – The Best Part of Each Season

23 – Saddest Book I’ve Ever Read

30 – A Person Who Inspires Me

 

July

7 – Best Biography or Auto-Biography

14 – Favorite Holiday (and a Recipe)

21 – 5 Items I Can’t Live Without

28 – TV Show/Movie/Book That Could Be About Me

 

August

4 – Meet My Pets

11 – My Bad Habits

18 – One Task I Wish I Never Had to Do Again

25 – Book I Wish They’d Make Into a Movie or TV Series

 

September

1 – The Best Dish I Cook (and Recipe)

8 – What I Do to Recharge

15 – Books to Include in a Time Capsule and Why

22 – What Makes Me LOL

29 – Something I Wish Someone Would Invent

 

October

6 – Required Reading in School – Yay! Or Nay?! Why?

13 – An Odd or Useless Talent

20 – Scariest Books I’ve Ever Read

27 – Favorite Halloween Treats

 

November

3 – Words to Live By 

10 – Worst Advice I’ve Ever Received

17 – Paperback, Ebook, or Audio?

24 – Traditional Thanksgiving Foods I Like (or Dislike)

 

December

1 – What Sparks My Creativity 

8 – What I Thought of Santa as a Kid

15 – Funniest Book I’ve Ever Read 

Graphic for the Wednesday Blogging Challenge. Image in graphic shows a laptop sitting on a wooden surface.

Let the blogging begin!

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A Free Author Promo Opportunity at Long and Short Reviews

 

Winter Blogfest graphic on a blue background with white snowflakes dotting the top and sides. The graphic reads, "Long and Short Reviews Winter Blogfest. A Prize on every post! December 21-January 1."

Long and Short Reviews is a large, well-respected book review site that has been around since 2007. They are currently seeking out guest bloggers for their Winter Blogfest which is scheduled to run December 21 through January 1.

This is an amazing free opportunity for authors from any genre to meet likeminded writers and introduce yourselves to new potential readers.

Here’s what you’ll need to do to participate:

  • Write a 250-500 word guest post that is holiday or winter themed
  • Offer a small prize (for example, a free copy of one of your ebooks or anything else you choose to offer)

It’s that simple.

The Winter Blogfest is open to everyone and every winter holiday. You could write about Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas, the Winter Solstice, New Year’s, other winter holidays/celebrations, or the winter season in general.

In past years, they’ve published guest posts about special holiday recipes, people’s favourite memories of the season, funny stories about celebrations that maybe didn’t turn out the way the author thought they would, the history of certain holiday figures, foods, songs, etc., and so much more. As long as it’s not pure promo, let your imaginations run wild.

Participants also have the option of including links to their website, social media accounts, etc. if they wish.

Go to Long and Short Reviews for instructions on how to submit your entry and for more information. I look forward to reading your entries if you decide to join in.

The deadline to submit a guest post to this event is December 11. Spread the word!

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The 2020 Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge Topics Have Been Released

List of Writing Prompts for the Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge.

Happy New Year! Long and Short Reviews has released the list of topics for their second year of Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge posts. There isn’t a topic for today, but I will be participating in it again beginning next week.

If you can’t read the graphic above, here is the list of prompts and the dates they’ve been scheduled for. Everyone is welcome to join in!

January

8 – My Goals for 2020

15 –  Books I Can’t Wait to Read in 2020

22 – New Hobby I’m Trying (or would like to try)

29 – Best Book/Movie/TV Couples

 

February

5 – My Celebrity Crushes

12 – Books I Reread or Want to Reread

19 –  Types of Exercise I Enjoy

26 – My Favourite Memory and Why

 

March

4 –  Characters Who Remind Me of Myself and Why

11 – One Skill I Wish I Had But Don’t 

18 –  The Weirdest Thing I Learned Reading Fiction 

25 – Favourite Things to Do in the Spring

 

April

1 –  Favourite Book Series and Why

8 – Topic(s) I Could Give an Impromptu Speech On

15 –  Characters I’d Invite to a Dinner Party

22 –  My Silliest Pet Peeve

29 – Reasons Why I stopped Reading a Series I Loved

 

May

6 – Favourite Holiday of the Year and Why

13 – A Villain That I Wish Could Be Redeemed and Why

20 – How I’d Fare in a Zombie Apocalypse

27 – Books Set in My City or State

 

June 

3 – Things I Wish I Were Better At

10 –  Favourite Poems, Short Stories, or Novellas

17 – My Life in Photos or Gifs

24 – My “go to” Book or Movie for a Pick-Me-Up

 

July

1 – The Last Place I Traveled to and Why

8 –  A Project or Hobby of Mine Inspired By a Book

15 – Things I Collect

22 –  Character Names in a Book I Can’t Pronounce

29 – Stuff on My Bucket List

 

August

5 – My Favourite Tropes of X Genre

12 – What I Wanted to Do When I Grew Up vs. What I Do

19 – Favourite Book or Movies Quotes (and Why)

26 – The Strangest Thing(s) I’ve Eaten

 

September

2 – Topics That Make Me Stop Reading a Book

9 – Topics I Never Get Tired of Talking About

16 – Books with the Most Words I Had to Look Up

23 – Favourite Things to Do in the Autumn

30 –  The Non-Fiction Book Everyone Should Read and Why

 

October

7 – Recipes From My City/State/Country

14 – Re-reading Books: Why or Why Not? 

21 – My Earliest Memory 

28 – How I Decide What to Read Next

 

November

4 – Favourite Songs or Musicians

11 – Movies That Were Better Than the Books

18 –  Funniest Things That Have Happened To Me

25 – Recipes from Fiction Books That I Want to Try

 

December

2 – An Average Day in My Life

9 – A Profession From a Book I’d Love to Try

16 – Books That Would Make Great Gifts

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Happy 12th Anniversary, Long and Short Reviews!

There are four balloons in this graphic. The text reads: "Long and Short Reviews 12th Anniversary Party. August 26-30, 2019. Win $100 Amazon GCs and more! Dozens of winners."

Long and Short Reviews is a well-respected book review site that I’ve been a fan of for many years. They review titles from many different genres: erotica, romance, sci-fi/fantasy, mysteries, horror, young adult books, and more. Many of the authors they work with are self-published or from small publishers.

I love the fact that they amplify the voices of writers who aren’t already well known. Over the years, their reviewers have earned the reputation of being honest but fair. I’ve discovered so many new authors and stories there since I was first introduced to this site.

This week, Long and Short Reviews is celebrating their twelfth anniversary! They’re having a blogging bash from today until August 30 and are giving away dozens of prizes, including some $100 Amazon gift cards. All you have to do to enter is click on the link above and follow the instructions in the guest posts you read there.

Generally, the guest bloggers ask you to do something like leave a comment or answer a question about their post for one chance to win. There are multiple ways to enter per post, and you can do more than one of them if you’d like.

I will be back to my regular blogging routine tomorrow with a Top Ten Tuesday post. In the meantime, I hope you’ll join me over in the various comment sections of Long and Short Reviews over the next several days. Winning a prize definitely sounds like a nice way to end the week, don’t you think?

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