Book ~ "Earthly Pleasures" (2008) Karen Neches

From www.karenneches.com ~ Welcome to Heaven. Use your Wishberry to hustle up whatever you want. Have an online chat with God. Visit the attractions such as Retail Rapture, Wrath of God miniature golf and Nocturnal Theater, where your nightly dreams are translated to film.

"Your greeter might just be Skye Sebring who will advise her newly dead clients on what to expect now "that they’re expired. “Heaven is like a Corona Beer commercial” she assures her clients. “It’s all about contentment.”

So different than Earth where chaos reigns. Unfortunately for Skye, she’s been chosen to live her first life. She’s required to attend Earth 101 classes, which teach all of the world’s greatest philosophies through five Beatle songs.

Skye has no interest in Earthly pursuits until lawyer Ryan Blaine briefly becomes her client after a motorcycle accident. Just as they are getting to know each other, he is revived and sent back to Earth.

She follows his life via the TV channel “Earthly Pleasures” but discovers he has a wife as well as a big secret. Why then does he call a show for the lovelorn to talk about the lost love of his life?

In Earthly Pleasures, great love can transcend the dimensions, narrowing the vast difference between Heaven and Earth.

It's not the kind of book I usually read but Isabel had posted about it in April and I was intrigued. I requested it from the library at that time and just got it last week.

I found it confusing at first ... there's a lot of freaky stuff going on with lots of characters. But once I started putting the pieces together, it started making sense and my interest picked up.

If you like fantasy and are willing to open your mind, you'll enjoy it.

It's a quick easy read.

Book ~ "Now and Then" (2008) Robert P. Parker

From Amazon.com ~ When a client who suspects his wife is cheating on him is murdered in Parker's 35th Spenser adventure, the Boston PI takes it personally, not only because the case resonates with Spenser's past history with love interest Susan, but also because Spenser feels he can't let a client get murdered without doing something about it. The repartee is up to Parker's high standards, and the detection is hands on and straightforward, with Spenser carrying the load. Since Spenser's aides, including the stalwart Hawke, outclass the heavies, Spenser has time to deal with the mysterious other man, Perry Alderson, whose academic background appears as suspect as his dealings with various subversive groups. This briskly paced cat-and-mouse game offers Spenser fans exactly what they've come to expect from the reliable Parker— no-nonsense action and plenty of romantic give-and-take between Susan and Spenser, who even find the subject of marriage intruding once more.

I used to read a lot Parker's Spencer novels ... but I got tired of Susan, Spencer's longtime girlfriend. I found her to be annoying and her character ruined the books.

I picked this one up and was happy to find Susan not so much the focus or annoying.

The story line was so-so, not overly exciting.

The constant references to Susan's cheating 20 years ago was tiresome ... it was 20 years ago yet Spencer keeps going on about how he love love loves Susan.

I won't be rushing out for the latest one.

Book ~ "The Language of Success" (2008) Tom Sant

From Amazon.com ~ Language is the medium of business. To be successful, we need to communicate effectively in writing. That's true whether we are providing instructions to our colleagues, communicating with our customers or advising our direct reports. We must be able to deliver clear, accurate messages that inform, persuade and motivate. Unfortunately, people lapse into habits that interfere with their ability to communicate. "The Language of Success" shows readers how to avoid these mistakes, and to write lucid, concise and accurate emails, letters, performance appraisals and presentations. Now anyone can master the lost art of clear writing and: eliminate ambiguities, jargon and grandiose claims; master proper paragraph structure so the message doesn't get muddled; avoid wishy-washy or misleading terms like"world class" or "state of the art" write clear concise sentences that follow the "first time right rule", use email professionally and efficiently create career-enhancing reports. Honest and authoritative, "The Language of Success" will gives readers practical techniques to help readers cut through the fluff, guff, geek and hyperbole, write exceptional business documents and get their message heard.

Good reminder how to write efficient emails to persuade, inform, etc.

It was ironic, though, that there were so many typos in a book about writing for success!

Book ~ "Write About Dogs" (1999) Keith Ryan

From Mini Book Blog ~ This is a novel about science and love and spiritual understanding. It is about a beautiful dog, a beautiful woman, a crabby school teacher, and men acting like boys. This book has ideas about marriage, large animals and inner peace. Along the way there is some frank discussion, room for error and more than a few laughs. In the end, everyone lives happily ever after.

This book wasn't what I was expecting. I love reading books about dogs and I thought there would be more of a focus on a dog. That was the attraction to me.

I found the writing style a bit painful.

I wanted to like this book because of it's title and because it's written by a Canadian author ... but I'm sad to say that I didn't.

Not the style I like, I guess.

Book ~ "Notes on a Beermat Drinking and Why It's Necessary" (2008) Nicholas Pashley

From HarperCollinsCanada ~ First published in 2001 to national acclaim, Notes on a Beermat is Nicholas Pashley’s ode to the amber nectar of the gods, a witty meditation on beer and everything that goes with it — from socializing to the solitary pleasures of a beer and a book, to the qualities necessary in a good pub.

Most books about beer focus on the beverage itself, how to make it and how to buy it. Notes on a Beermat, the only Canadian book of its kind, explains how to drink beer and why it is absolutely necessary. With characteristic wit and charm, Pashley observes, for example, that “to ensure a steady and regular supply of beer, it was necessary to cultivate grain. This in turn transformed early man from the hunter-gatherer to the agriculturist. Even then, beer was making people smarter.”
Whether you’re out for an after-work drink with colleagues or you’re looking for a seat at your favourite watering hole, Pashley is your guide. His stories about searching for the perfect pub, the best time of day to drink beer and the silliest pub conversation he’s ever had will leave you laughing into your pint.

Gord had read this and recommended it. It's a funny and interesting read about beer.

In addition, Pashley talks about pubs all over the world. He lives in Toronto and I've been to some of the ones he mentions here.

Especially interesting is the Subway Game ... you pick a subway station you've never been to. Then you proceed to find a licensed establishment and have a beer. And then move on to the next place and so on. It's not about winning or losing points ... it's about finding hidden treasures. Gord and I sort of do that on occasion ... we'll go for a walk and will only stop in places we've never been before.

Book ~ "Chasing Darkness" (2008) Robert Crais

From Amazon.com ~ It's fire season, and the hills of Los Angeles are burning. When police and fire department personnel rush door to door in a frenzied evacuation effort, they discover the week-old corpse of an apparent suicide. But the gunshot victim is less gruesome than what they find in his lap: a photo album of seven brutally murdered young women -- one per year, for seven years. And when the suicide victim is identified as a former suspect in one of the murders, the news turns Elvis Cole's world upside down.

Three years earlier Lionel Byrd was brought to trial for the murder of a female prostitute named Yvonne Bennett. A taped confession coerced by the police inspired a prominent defense attorney to take Byrd's case, and Elvis Cole was hired to investigate. It was Cole's eleventh-hour discovery of an exculpatory videotape that allowed Lionel Byrd to walk free. Elvis was hailed as a hero.

But the discovery of the death album in Byrd's lap now brands Elvis as an unwitting accomplice to murder. Captured in photographs that could only have been taken by the murderer, Yvonne Bennett was the fifth of the seven victims -- two more young women were murdered after Lionel Byrd walked free. So Elvis can't help but wonder -- did he, Elvis Cole, cost two more young women their lives?

Shut out of the investigation by a special LAPD task force determined to close the case, Elvis Cole and Joe Pike desperately fight to uncover the truth about Lionel Byrd and his nightmare album of death -- a truth hidden by lies, politics, and corruption in a world where nothing is what it seems to be.

I'm a fan of Robert Crais and his Elvis Cole series.

This book was okay but not great.

I find that I enjoy the earlier Elvis books more ... they are lighter and funny, which to me, was the appeal. This one is more like a crime thriller.

There were so many characters that I had a hard time at times keeping they all straight.

I figured out who dunnit way before the end ... but I still don't know why he/she dunnit. I was getting tired and I wanted to be finished so maybe I missed the motive? And I don't know how/where he/she dunnit. I guess I needed more of the details to pull it all together.

Book ~ "Here For a Good Time : On the Road with Trooper, Canada's Legendary Rock Band" (2006) Ra McGuire

From Amazon ~ "We're Here for a Good Time" - "Raise a Little Hell" - "The Boys in the Bright White Sportscar" - all Canadian anthems - all recorded by Trooper. "The Globe and Mail" calls them "honest-to-God Canadian legends". "The Toronto Sun" lauds the ongoing strength of their "Boomer/Gen X cachet". They have sold millions of albums, have travelled tens of thousands of miles, and, for thirty years, have borne first-hand witness to an amazing era in popular music: "sex, drugs, and rock & roll" and the long hard road where careers are made and broken. Ra McGuire, Trooper's charismatic leader, singer and songwriter, still travels that road, performing 100 shows a year from Tofino to Torbay and everywhere in between. Famous for his quick wit and sometimes too-candid stage banter, McGuire has always had a knack for keeping audiences on the edge of their seats. In this book, he reveals the peaks and valleys of his life on the road, and the joys and challenges of being a 50-something rock star at large in the country he knows like the back of his hand.

We saw Trooper last month and that's where I discovered that Ra McGuire had written a book.

McGuire has a blog and this is three years of his posts.

It was interesting to read of his account of being on the road ... I didn't realize they still tour as much as they do.

He lives in White Rock, BC, and sounds like a nice fella.

He's very proud of his son, Connor, who is also a singer. I downloaded Connor's album and it's very good ... it's acoustical.

Book ~ "Cheech & Chong: The Unauthorized Autobiography" (2008) Tommy Chong

From Amazon ~ Tommy Chong, America's favorite stoner comedian, he takes us on a nostalgic trip through his career with partner, Richard "Cheech" Marin. Over the course of their decades-long partnership, Cheech and Chong performed to sold-out crowds across the country, made nine hit albums, starred in eight blockbuster movies, and created memorable and iconic characters that still resonate with fans today.

But the good life didn't just appear in a haze of smoke. It all started during the late 1960s in a strip club in the fragile heart of Vancouver's Chinatown, where Tommy was winding down his career as a Motown recording artist and starting an improv comedy troupe, and Cheech was a draft-dodging, pottery-throwing, underground music reviewer. Together they came to define the hippie-era counterculture, and their celebrated movie debut, Up in Smoke, remains one of the highest-grossing Warner Bros. films ever.

In his very own unauthorized autobiography, Chong reveals his unique relationship with Cheech and recalls the inspiration for their most beloved bits. He introduces famous guest stars like Peter Sellers, John Belushi, Jimi Hendrix, Dan Aykroyd, John Lennon, Diana Ross, and Jack Nicholson, and examines the influences that had the greatest impact on his comedy -- from R&B musicians and Redd Foxx to Lenny Bruce and (of course) marijuana. Finally, with keen insight and utter candor, he explores the rift that has separated the legendary comedy team for more than twenty years.

From pot smoking to politics to the universe at large, Cheech & Chong: The Unauthorized Autobiography is the closest you'll ever get to sitting in a van made entirely of marijuana, trading stories with an unlikely legend, and feeling ... well ... funny.

I'd seen Cheech and Chong's movies when they first came out in the 1980s. They were funny in their day ... would they hold up today? So I was interested in reading about them.

The writing style is casual and conversational which I liked ... lots of F-sharps, etc., though. Not a big surprise, right?

Before I read his book, my impression of Tommy Chong was that of a laid-back likeable stoner. I can't say that I came away liking him as a person when I was finished. His story and experiences were interesting. But he's 70 years old now and at times came across as a dirty old man. Yuk. Other times I found him to be very arrogant and self-indulged.

So I would recommend this book if you were/are a Cheech and Chong fan.

They are currently touring together and I can't see how that would work. Two old dudes trying to do the routine they did 30+ years ago when they were still living it.

Book ~ "Last Night at the Lobster" (2007) Stewart O'Nan

From Amazon ~ Set on the last day of business of a Connecticut Red Lobster, this novel tells the story of Manny DeLeon, a conscientious, committed restaurant manager any national chain would want to keep. Instead, corporate has notified Manny that his (and Manny does think of the restaurant as his) location is not meeting expectations and will close December 20. On top of that, he'll be assigned to a nearby Olive Garden and downgraded to assistant manager. It's a loss he tries to rationalize much as he does the loss of Jacquie, a waitress and the former not-so-secret lover he suspects means more to him than his girlfriend Deena, who is pregnant with his child. On this last night, Manny is committed to a dream of perfection but no one and nothing seems to share his vision: a blizzard batters the area, customers are sparse, employees don't show up and Manny has a tough time finding a Christmas gift for Deena. Lunch gives way to dinner with hardly anyone stopping to eat but Manny refuses to close early or give up hope. Small but not slight, the novel is a concise poignant portrait of a man on the verge of losing himself.

I cared about Manny and was amazed at his professionalism right to the end.

I found that there were too many other characters, though, working at the restaurant and I couldn't really keep them straight ... until some started leaving and that's when I got to know who was left better.

It was interesting to see how a chain restaurant (Red Lobster) works as an employee.

I'd heard good things about this book and was on the hold list at the library for months. It was a good story but I'm not sure it warranted the wait.

It's a quick read and I'd recommend it.

Book ~ "bowWOW!: Curiously Compelling Facts, True Tales, and Trivia Even Your Dog Won't Know" (2007) Gina Spadafori and Marty Becker

From Amazon.com ~Are You Crazy About Dogs? Whether you've just brought home your first puppy or you've known for years that your beloved dog rules the roost (and the bed!), you will delight in this quirky must-read canine compendium. Filled with charming illustrations and little-known facts beyond just breeds and behaviors, you and yours will be the smartest at the dog park when you discover ... Who is the longest running dog on Broadway (and other puparazzi trivia)? Why do dogs have cold noses? Who were the most popular presidential puppies? What's the best way to train a dog? What's the best sport for your dog? How can you get your dog to stop digging? Why does your dog pump his leg when you scratch him?

Fun fast read for dog lovers.

Book ~ "Shoe Addicts Anonymous" (2008) Beth Harbison

From Amazon.com ~ This fiction debut of Harbison features four D.C.-area women who meet weekly to swap and chat about ... shoes. Trying to get a handle on her massive consumer debt, Lorna Rafferty posts an Internet ad looking to trade footwear with women who have good taste and wear size seven-and-a-half. A senator's trophy wife, Helene Zaharis, is dreaming of escaping her loveless marriage when she stumbles upon Lorna's post. Overweight phone sex operator Sandra Vanderslice struggles to overcome her agoraphobia long enough to attend the shoe meetings. After a few funny missteps, the threesome finds a fourth member, Joss Bowen, the nanny of a shrewish socialite's hellion boys. Joss couldn't care less about shoes but uses the group as a reason to get out of the house. Harbison does a fine job of showcasing how each woman is trapped ... Lorna by her debt, Helene by her marriage, Sandra by her self-image, Joss by her employment contract ... and how the fresh eyes of the group allow them to see themselves in a new light. Harbison creates vivid, convincing characters and handles them well. Reading this novel is like eating a slice of cake.

Like "eating a slice of cake"? Odd description. Anyway ...

This book was recommended by my pal, Jennifer. I'm not into shoes and I have been finding it hard lately to find good chick lit since all the heroines seem to be in their twenties ... I can't relate to them and their trials and tribulations.

The women in this book are in the thirties, approaching their forties, with life experiences. I cared about them and found them believable.

Definitely an enjoyable read if you are looking for something light.

Book ~ "Broken" (2008) Daniel Clay

From Amazon ~ Part narrated by Skunk Cunningham, an eleven-year-old girl in a coma, Broken tells the intertwining stories of three families who live in a suburban square in the south of England. The Oswalds – Bob and his five daughters – are the neighbors from hell. They lie, steal, cheat, bully and intimidate anyone unlucky enough to be anywhere near them, including Rick Buckley, a geeky but harmless nineteen-year-old boy who lives with his mum and dad on the other side of the square. Humiliated publicly by the Oswalds in the early stages of the novel, Rick descends into madness and becomes the Broken of the title. Skunk, her brother Jed and their new friend Dillon become fascinated with what’s happened to Broken which, in turn, leads to Skunk ending up in the coma from which she narrates the story.

This is an odd and strangely engrossing book ... and I really enjoyed it.

All the stories are indeed intertwined and none of them are happy.

The author has an interesting writing style that I enjoyed.

If you are looking for something dark and different, you should check it out.

Book ~ "You've GOT to Read This Book!" (2007) by Jack Canfield and Gay Hendricks

From Amazon ~ Canfield and Hendricks stay in the inspirational mode with this collection of dozens of entertainers, sports personalities, businesspeople, writers, environmentalists and activists telling up-by-their-bootstraps stories involving books. Some, like Dave Barry (inspired by humorist Robert Benchley) and Lou Holtz (David Schwartz's The Magic of Thinking Big) are well known. Other are recognizable for the products they've created: Craigslist founder Craig Newmark praises The Cluetrain Manifesto, which mirrored his own early belief in the power of the Internet. Among the more memorable contributions is that of 21-year-old Farrah Gray, who spent his early childhood on public assistance, read Deepak Chopra's The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success at age 11 and made his first million at 14. Two contributors — motivational speaker Lisa Nichols and eBay COO Maynard Webb — cite Stephen Covey's best-selling The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Covey himself was uplifted by heady reading — Holocaust survivor Victor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning and E.F. Schumacher's A Guide for the Perplexed — both books, he says, affecting everything from his parenting to his teaching. It's a mixed bag, more uplifting than literary, but readers may find the book that turns them on the way these contributors were.

As a reader, I wanted to read about the books that had inspired others.

Quite a few of the books listed are religious and spiritual, which didn't interest me. But there were some that sounded appealing. I have requested some from the library and I'll let you know when I read them. For this list, click here.

As I was reading this book, I was wondering what book has inspired me enough to be listed in a book. I'm read many many books ... and I can't think of just one.

What book has inspired you?

Book ~ "meowWOW!: Curiously Compelling Facts, True Tales, and Trivia Even Your Cat Won't Know" (2007) Marty Becker

From Amazon ~ Are you crazy about cats? Prove it! With this illustrated quirky compendium of all things cats, you will delight in the most obscure factoids about the history, the biology, and the quizzical nature of our feline friends that will test your knowledge and fill you with wisdom.

Whether you're a cat lover, a trivia buff or searching for information before you adopt your first kitten or adult cat, everything you always wanted to know (and everything you didn't think of asking) is revealed! Who's the smartest cat on record (besides yours!)? Why do cats chatter? What are the most popular cat names? When can a kitten use a litter box? Why does your cat lick you? Why do cats eat grass? Is catnip a good treat?

Jam-packed with tips from two of America 's most well-known feline experts—Marty Becker, D.V.M., and syndicated pet-care columnist Gina Spadafori—the cat really is out the bag thanks to this charming gift book.

Fun and informative book that explains a lot about our boys.

Now I know why Morgan likes to lick my head ... but why does he have to do it at 6:30am??!!

Book ~ "Sitcoms: The 101 Greatest TV Comedies of All Time" (2007) Ken Bloom and Frank Vlastnik

From Amazon ~ The most beloved, most groundbreaking, and most entertaining TV comedies of all time are celebrated in words and pictures.

In 101 lively chapters and lots of special features, the authors explore our favorite form of popular entertainment, the TV situation comedy. Of the many hundreds of shows that have debuted over TV's 60-year history, the authors have carefully selected the most influential, popular, and enduring ones, from Gilligan's Island to Seinfeld, I Love Lucy to Will and Grace, creating a history of the medium that goes beyond stats and trivia to reveal all that goes into the creation of classic television, from the writing and all-important casting to the directing and, of course, the acting.

Each chapter of Sitcoms features numerous photos, many rare and behind-the-scenes, along with cast lists, artists' biographies, "off-set" tidbits, critical commentary, and all of the relevant statistics. Special features cover such topics as famous unseen characters, sitcom pets, spin-offs, sitcoms made from movies, and many more. It's a visual and informative feast for TV lovers, from nostalgia buffs to the TV Land generation.

Fun book about our favourite sitcoms. I found myself saying, "Oh ya ... I forgot about that show! Oh ya ... I forgot about that show!"

Book ~ "The Dog Dialed 911" (2006) The Smoking Gun

From Amazon.com ~ The most hilarious and outrageous true stories collected in 10 years (almost) of the world's funniest investigative reporting. Proof that truth really is stranger than fiction! This wildly entertaining book features excerpts from a wide array of public documents--court transcripts, FBI files, contract riders, morgue and police reports, etc.--that hilariously illuminate some of the most important, scandalous, or bizarre news stories to make headlines in recent years. Wittily and ingeniously organized as a book of lists, The Dog Dialed 911 reveals, among many other things:

* 7 things you should never tell a cop
* 3 ineffective ways to kill your spouse
* 5 dumb things to steal
* 2 tales of terrifying toilets
* 4 of Bill O'Reilly's favorite pick-up lines
* 3 gay wedding registries
* 5 of the most embarrassing Bush family arrests
* 6 really bad bosses
* 4 reasons why man is not a dog's best friend

The brilliant creators of the highly popular Web site TheSmokingGun.com have combed their archives to produce a book that will make readers laugh, and laugh again, on virtually every page. • The Dog Dialed 911 rivals the best of the Onion and Darwin Awards collections, and is sure to be embraced by readers who propelled those books into long-term bestsellerdom. • Not only did the Smoking Gun shatter James Frey's literary career into a million little pieces, but TSG consistently makes headlines with its revelations about celebrities and political leaders behaving badly.

Some funny stories! I occasionally go into the Smoking Gun website.

Book ~ "The Dogs of Bedlam Farm" (2005) Jon Katz

From Goodreads ~ When Jon Katz adopted a border collie named Orson, his whole world changed. Gone were the two yellow Labs he wrote about in A Dog Year, as was the mountaintop cabin they loved. Katz moved into an old farmhouse on forty-two acres of pasture and woods with a menagerie: a ram named Nesbitt, fifteen ewes, a lonely donkey named Carol, a baby donkey named Fanny, and three border collies.

Training Orson was a demanding project. But a perceptive dog trainer and friend told Katz: “If you want to have a better dog, you will just have to be a better goddamned human.” It was a lesson Katz took to heart. He now sees his dogs as a reflection of his willingness to improve, as well as a critical reminder of his shortcomings. Katz shows us that dogs are often what we make them: They may have their own traits and personalities, but in the end, they are mirrors of our own lives–living, breathing testaments to our strengths and frustrations, our families and our pasts.

The Dogs of Bedlam Farm recounts a harrowing winter Katz spent on a remote, windswept hillside in upstate New York with a few life-saving friends, ugly ghosts from the past, and more livestock than any novice should attempt to manage. Heartwarming, and full of drama, insight, and hard-won wisdom, it is the story of his several dogs forced Katz to confront his sense of humanity, and how he learned the places a dog could lead him and the ways a doge could change him.

I've read other of Katz' books about his dogs and have enjoyed them. He writes in an honest and straightforward manner.

I found this one a bit hard to get into at first because Katz seems colder and impersonal. In some parts, it's deep ... he talks about his estrangement from his family and reunion with his sister. Not what I was expecting from a lighthearted "dog" book.

I'm glad I stuck with it, though, because it was interesting and fun to read about his adventures with his sheep.

I've read the books out of order so know that Orson is put down in the next book (I won't be reading that one!). So it was odd to read about Katz and Orson's devotion to each other knowing Orson won't be around much longer.

Book ~ "Blogging for Business" (2006) Shel Holtz and Ted Demopoulos

From Amazon.com ~ Why do 20 to 40 million Weblogs, or blogs, serve as an outlet for an estimated 32 million readers worldwide? And why do these numbers continue to skyrocket?

In Blogging for Business, authors Shel Holtz and Ted Demopoulos tell you exactly how and why more companies are incorporating blogs into their business strategies. This smart new guide helps you engage in the global conversation by creating and maintaining blogs to generate heightened awareness and greater customer mindshare.

Interesting book about blogging for business.

One thing that set this book apart was that it gave a lot explanation about making money with your blog with advertising by describing the different kinds of ads and their effectiveness.

Book ~ "Publish and Prosper: Blogging for Your Business" (2006) DL Byron and Steve Broback

From Amazon.com ~ While personal blogs take up much of the blogosphere, blogs are quickly gaining popularity in business as an inexpensive and amazingly effective marketing tool. It’s time for a practical book about business blogging: this is the first book to demonstrate how businesses are blogging and how you can use blogging technology to converse with your customers to build your brand and sell your products.

Written from the business person/designer’s perspectives, this book shows how businesses can leverage current, real-world blogging techniques, tools, and platforms to promote and enhance their ventures. The key idea is that the conversation with your market is stronger and more meaningful with a blog. Filled with practical information and a how-to approach, this book provides case studies of companies as large as Boeing or General Motors and as small as Clip-’n-seal. Readers will learn about the types of business blogs, how companies use blogs, how to sell blogs to management and IT, effective blog design, content, and conversation, pitfalls to avoid, how to develop Web presence, and more.

I find blogging and the Internet and how they are fitting into businesses today very interesting.

This was an excellent book! It doesn't really start way back with the basics but if you are a beginner, you wouldn't be lost.

Lots of good info along with examples and links.

Book ~ "The IT Girl's Guide to Blogging with Moxie" (2007) Joelle Reeder and Katherine Scoleri

From Amazon.com ~ Want to break into blogging but don’t know where to start? Dynamic duo Joelle Reeder and Katherine Scoleri of The Moxie Girls show you how to start your first blog, polish your prose, get involved in blogging communities, make sense of RSS feeds, podcasts, photos and more — all with fun, humor and attitude!

Inside you will find the need-to-know info to get your blog noticed: How to choose the right blogging platform or content management tool, select a web host, dress up your blog, manage blog content and keep your privates private! When you are ready for more, The Moxie Girls will treat you to insider dish on blog etiquette, analyzing blog traffic, blogging for business, creating podcasts and adding bling to your blog with plugins, add-ons and more. Throw in the refreshing cocktails, beauty tips and gossip with the Girls at the end of each chapter and you’ll be Blogging with Moxie in no time. So, what are you waiting for?

The IT Girl’s Guide to Blogging With Moxie is packed with the content you need wrapped in casual, engaging dialog and a cheeky, bite-sized format.

Yes, it's another book about blogging but this one is written in a fun and lively style geared towards women.

Lots of excellent information is covered, along with many many helpful links.

If you are new to blogging or looking to get some new and fresh ideas, you should check out this book.