Room 7609: Rio

There's an all night party in room 7609...

This week's fun finds...


Feature on the art of becoming a book reviewer that receives free books
from Dreams and Speculation

The Blogging Road pt1: Getting Started
The Blogging Road pt2: Mechanics of Reviewing/Blogging & Technical Stuff
The Blogging Road pt3a: Reviewing & Networking
The Blogging Road pt3b: Networking With Fellow Readers And Reviewers

Being in the book blogging mode for the last year, it is interesting to read about how-to's and tips.

~*~New monthly feature: Cover Matters
at The Book Smugglers

Cover Matters is a new monthly feature in which we examine the medium that is first contact between a reader and a book: the cover. This feature will dedicate more separate space to a topic that has always intrigued, irked, and befuddled us. We will be talking about issues such as whitewashing practices, covers in poor taste, misleading or completely inaccurate covers, clichéd covers and, of course, covers that manage to get it right. We plan on having guests (bloggers, authors, cover artists, and publishers if possible) join us for these monthly pieces, with the following question in mind: Do covers matter?

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Speaking of covers...
Wild Cards and Iron Horses by Sheryl Nantus cover has been released. This was a steampunk ebook mentioned during SteamPink week that is one to watch out for August 2010.

Excerpt:
Jon stepped inside the building, his eyes slow to adjust to the different lighting of the workshop. The thick wooden door swung shut behind him with a resounding thud. His imagination brought up the image of a gladiator walking into the Roman arena about to meet his doom.

Squinting as his eyes watered yet again, he could just make out the man standing by a table. He waved Jon over with his left hand. As Jon got closer he saw the empty right sleeve pinned down on the heavy leather coat. A cold chill ran down his arm at the sight, the wartime memory of a hundred men crippled in the same way rising and falling in his mind’s eye. Forcing his thoughts back to the present, Jon looked around the workshop, using the exercise to anchor himself. Read more of the excerpt here.

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Do It Gorgeously:
How to Make Less Toxic, Less Expensive, and More Beautiful Products
by Sophie Uliano
Sometimes I like covers of books that I don't necessarily purchase or read. I found this one a fun one with a fun title ;-D

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Did you come across any fun bloggish news this week?

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* What is Room 7609 and Room 7609 monthly book giveaways?

* image source Rio