Book Soulmates 2012 Summer Survey

Some of you may noticed that we're in a bit of a blogger slump.  We're still posting regularly, but we feel a bit...blah about it...like something is off!  To combat that, we're seeking YOUR help!

We've devised a survey with a series of simple questions to determine what's working, what's not working and what could use improvement. Now we know that blogging is very personal and we do it for the love of it.  However, your opinions are very important to us!  If not for you guys reading and supporting us, then we probably wouldn't be blogging.

We want to continue growing as bloggers so please help us by taking 5 minutes of your time to fill out this easy survey.

THANK YOU!

 

Midsummer Dream Fair *sigh*

I know you guys have seen this lovely, lovely poster fluttering about on the blogosphere but have you actually stopped to check out all the AWESOMENESS that "The Midsummer Dream Fair" is offering?  If you haven't, then what the heck are you waiting for?

Click on the poster to be redirected:

While you're there, poking about, stop and grab a button then pimp this AMAZING event on your blog!

Random Acts of Kindness: June Sign-Up

{Please click on the RAK button above to be re-directed to our Book Soulmates Store on Amazon. You can find all your favorite titles there and add them to your shopping cart.}

COMPLETE RULES RE-CAP:
Please read carefully & follow all rules!  Thank you!

• Please sign-up each month that you can participate (and by participate, we mean give as well as receive).
• Show off your participation by grabbing our RAK button (code is in the right sidebar).
• Create a wish list (on Amazon, Goodreads, or your blog, etc) and post it in the Google Doc located in each R.A.K post for the month.
• If you choose to do a R.A.K for someone, check out their wish list and contact that blogger directly for their information.
• Once you receive a RAK, send us an our new email to [rakbybooksoulmates @ gmail . com] so that we can update the Google Doc. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU SEND EMAILS TO THIS ADDRESS!
• E-book participation is limited to files being gifted directly to a person from the e-book store. Amazon's Kindle Store is set up to allow this, as well as the Kobo store and we believe Barnes & Noble with Nook as well.
• At the end of the month, SHOW US YOUR R.A.K by making a "RAK Wrap-Up" post.  This post should include who you SENT gifts to as well who you RECEIVED gifts from :)

OPEN TO EVERYONE including all our International brethren!

Remember, there's always the Book Depository and they offer FREE shipping!

Easy peezy!!

 Links you will need:

Sign up for June 2012 [HERE]
See who else is participating [HERE]
If you have any questions regarding RAK, please contact us via the following: rakbybooksoulmates @ gmail . com

Tips:

1. When talking about RAK on Twitter, please use the hashtag (#RAK). It makes it much easier to keep track of the conversations, answer questions and/or tweet back! =)

2. When submitting your wish list, please make sure that it is set to PUBLIC viewing. Some people have run into trouble with wish lists that were set to private. We want to be sure that no one is left out of getting great RAKs.

3. Some of you seem to have gotten frustrated because you can't get your links to appear active. This is a very easy fix :) Just make sure that when you enter your link, do NOT hit the Enter key. Instead, hit the TAB key which will send you to the next field on the form. Additional spaces entered after the link will leave the link inactive.However, if this does happen to you...no worries, we'll fix it for you :)

Random Acts of Kindness: May Wrap-Up #RAK

{Please click on the RAK button above to be re-directed to our Book Soulmates Store on Amazon. You can find all your favorite titles there and add them to your shopping cart.}


Sent:
Donated some books and swag to Me, My Shelf & I's charity event in honor of Christian Hurt.

Isalys Received:
Nada! lol 
 

Thanks to everyone for your continued participation and don't forget to leave links to your "R.A.K. May Wrap-Up" posts so we can stop by and check out your loot :)

Huggles,

Discussion: Characters To Remember

My mom and I were watching one of the new Sherlock Holmes movies recently.  After the movie, we started discussing the longevity of certain literary characters.  The character of Sherlock Holmes is now 125 years old and since his conception in 1887, has been featured in countless adaptions (not including its own original novels and stories).

He's not the only one though!  

We all know who Mr. Darcy, Heathcliff, Scrooge, Frankenstein and Robin Hood are. We all know about Alice's famous adventures in Wonderland and that Romeo & Juliet died for love.  These are just a few of the characters that we grew up with, that our parents and even grandparents grew up with.

What makes them so special and so timeless? 
What gives them such enduring longevity?

My opinion is that they were created with so much depth and complexity.  More importantly, their stories tap into basic human nature and necessities such as love, hate, curiosity, fear, greed and generosity.  Is that what truly makes their stories, any story great though?  The idea that a character's life and actions in some way mirror our own thoughts...in more exaggerated or adventurous terms.

This discussion with my mom led to my next question: 

Which characters from OUR lifetime have at chance a standing the test of time?  Will OUR great-great-great-grandchildren one day read and study and learn about Harry Potter or Katniss Everdeen?

Image via Brain Foggles

So I ask you guys, what makes a character so timeless?  Which modern character(s) from the last 20 years (whether you love or hate them) can you see future generations reading?  Which stories do you think or hope people will still be reading and studying 100 years from now?