A big thank you to my readers

Hi there my dear readers,

This is to inform you that I will not be updating this blog with new posts.

It shall be maintained as it is, and I have no desire to close it down as it was through this blog that I discovered the wonderful world of book blogging back in 2006. It holds many memories.

I thank you so much for visiting this blog, posting your comments here and sharing your love of books and reading with me.

Keep reading and do connect with me on Goodreads. :)

Josette

New look on the blog!

I guess you might have noticed by now that my blog is sporting a new look. After almost six years of blogging and many changes to the blog's template (some rather unfortunate ones, some really nice ones) I have finally decided to get a professional blog designer to give my blog a refreshing makeover.

You know, nice templates are not easy to find!

What you see now on the blog is all thanks to the amazing Sheila of Blog Designs by Sheila. I contacted her on Jan 16 to request for a custom blog design, she replied and then, before I knew it, the blog designing process started! She was so efficient, patient and always asked me how I wanted my blog to look like. I also appreciated whatever feedback she gave me. I was really excited at that time and really could not wait for the final result!

If you were to ask me, what do I like best about my blog, it would be very difficult for me to just point at one thing and say that it is my favourite. For instance, in the header, I love the image of the girl (!!!), the stacks of books and the cute, little hearts.

I also ♥ the social buttons, the colour combinations, the blog post divider, the blockquotes, the fonts and the blog button.

As for the flowery background, I wasn't sure whether to go ahead with it. But after some thought and discussion with a few others including my mom and a friend, I decided to keep the background. It looks so cheery! That's how I want my blog to make me feel, to also make me be in the mood to blog about one of my favourite topics more often - books.

So now, it's a new year and thus a new look for Books Love Me! I am excited in looking forward to what the future holds for me and for this blog. :)

But wait, here's a quick run through of most of the previous blog templates! (Sigh...I wish I had kept screenshots of EVERY blog template I ever used here.) But anyway, enjoy!

I had even designed the blog header (above) by myself in 2010!

and now...it looks like this! (see below)

Different Views

Earlier, when I changed my blog's template to the current one, there were some visitors who said that they couldn't comment. I wondered why and finally figured out the problem. This blog doesn't load completely in Mozilla Firefox. I've been using Internet Explorer all the time and I didn't know. Only one day I was curious about how it'll look on Mozilla, and only then I knew the problem.

To fix it, I changed the colour of the links from white to black. Why? Cos on Mozilla, the background of my blog is white. The actual colour is purple.

Here, take a look:



On Internet Explorer


On Mozilla Firefox

So, which one are you looking at right now, hmm?

Can You View This Blog On Firefox?

Great. A new problem has just popped up. I really like the new layout of this blog. The colours are fantastic. Everything is spick and span. But, until now I've only seen it through Internet Explorer 7.

It seems that some bloggers couldn't comment on this blog because maybe they couldn't find the Comments link! Maybe they were using Mozilla Firefox. I've just tried to view my blog through Firefox and...the page did not load completely. There was no purple background. The background was white. And since the links are also white, well, they were totally invisible! No wonder visitors couldn't find the Comments link.

And I'm not sure if the template designer is still offering help or not, he seemed to have stated quite clearly on his blog that he might not provide any help with his templates. Instead, he offered some links that we can go to.

The only thing I can do now is change the colour of the links. So I've changed them from white to black, so all the links will appear on Firefox should the background still appears white.

I will leave it as it is for now. Please inform me if there's anything else that's wrong! Thanks!

Which Web Host To Use?

I'm planning to switch web host. I've heard of Exabytes and they have a student plan for students too, which isn't that bad. It's cheap too. Anyone using Exabytes who would like to comment on their service? Are they good? I've read somewhere that their customer support is kinda excellent. They work round the clock if I'm not mistaken and they reply to e-mails like the flash of lightning.

How? How? How? I am at a loss. I want good and cheap. That's what most people want too, right? =p

Blog For Money With Smorty!

Since there aren’t any more opportunities left for me at other blog advertising sites, I’m turning to Smorty.

Smorty? What does it mean? I don’t know either but I know that at Smorty, you get paid for blogging. It works like other blog advertising sites too and at least at Smorty, there are opportunities like this one for me! That little thing makes me happy.

Smorty connects bloggers with advertisers. You write what the advertisers want you to write and then you link back to the advertisers’ websites. Advertisers prefer to advertise on blogs. Then, you get paid for it! That’s the best part, isn’t it?

The dashboard at Smorty's site is pretty neat too. I just joined and yet I have over 150 points already. There's also a referral program if you're interested too. Smorty's here to stay, I tell ya.

So, if you want to blog for money, go to Smorty!

To Be A Good Blogger...

I came across this site through Project Petaling Street and was I glad I found it! The blogger, Narrowband, gave 11 hot tips on how to be a good and responsible blogger. The tips are for you, the blogger, and for your blog(s) too!

Narrowband had been very creative and precise with his tips. He explained them in an easy to understand way.

So, if you are thinking of becoming a blogger or if you were one already, I advise you to check out the tips he gave. Happy Blogging!

PayPerPost Rocks!

You must have noticed the many sponsored posts in my blog nowadays. Well, I submitted my blog recently and it was approved! It was extremely good news to me. I’ve read other blogs and their success with PayPerPost inspired me.

I don’t really like to ‘corrupt’ my blog with sponsored posts but I have no other way. In fact, I feel this is the best and only way for me to make some money at the moment. I get around $5.00 for a post and to me, it is already quite a lot! This is why I’m beginning to like PayPerPost! They surely rock.

What with all the books to read and a blog to maintain, I’m pretty busy now. I like being busy, too. Keeps my mind off things. Keeps my mind from worries! Sometimes, I also worry that I won’t be paid or my blog won’t be accepted, etc. I tend to worry a lot, unfortunately.

When I was visiting other blogs today, I came across a Thursday Thirteen meme. It sounds interesting and I would love to join it. Maybe next week. I can’t stay too long at the computer tonight. My neck is a little bit sore and I really want to continue my Rebel Angels book.

So, okay then. Good night to all of you! Sweet dreams!

Sitemap In My WordPress Blog!

My new blog just got better. =D Now, all my worries of the categories in my blog are over because I’ve added a sitemap plugin. I got this nifty plugin from here.

At first, I had some difficulties trying to get it right. I kept asking the plugin creator, Ronald, questions and he patiently answered them all. So, after many, patient attempts, I finally got it all right. Boy, was I relieved when the sitemap page looked as fine as ever.

I downloaded so many plugins and I’m still eager for more. =) Hey, plugins are nice! I don’t remember having this much fun and cracking my head up figuring out where to download this file, that folder, what to edit in the HTML part, etc. At least I’m learning new things then later, everything becomes easy for me.

Okay, I have one more plugin that I need to figure out how to use it. I’ve asked several plugin creators a few questions but all they asked me to do was to read the instructions. Of course I read the instructions! I just did not understand them that well and that’s why I’m asking them in the first place.

Never mind. I have a brain and I’m going to use it even if it feels like exploding from thinking too much. =p

Cracking My Head Over The WP Plugins

Good morning everybody! How’s your Saturday coming along? So far, my Saturday is fine, just waiting for breakfast to come home. Haha!

I’m not really sure what I plan to do today. I do know I intend on writing more paid posts and catching up on my reading. I’m currently reading my ‘Undomestic Goddess’ book by Sophie Kinsella. Yes, I’m totally enjoying the book because it’s so funny! I wonder why I’ve never tried reading any of Kinsella’s books before. She writes under two names too. Sophie Kinsella and Madeline Wickham.

Another thing I know I’ll enjoy doing is doing some touch-ups on my new blog. I still have lots of WordPress plugins to experiment. I’m wondering if Blogger has such websites too, offering useful stuff for Blogger? Anyone?

Well, I plan to try and figure out how to use the Multi Column Category List and Book Reading plugins. The instructions may sound like a piece of cake but no, I think there are more codes to crack.

Good luck to me!

So Many Plugins for WordPress!!!

Wah lau weh… WordPress has so many plugins! There is one extremely long list at Weblog Tools Collection and it was quite difficult to choose which ones I like. So, I thought I would just download the ones that stand out from the others and see if I really them enough to keep them.

I’ve been receiving spam comments lately. It’s irritating when I open up my e-mails to find that I have spam comments in my new blog. I thought they were new comments and honestly, I was pretty excited. Just imagine my disappointment when I found out that those comments were actually advertising things like mobile phones, porn sites, etc.

Well, I was browsing through the Weblog Tools page and I came across 3 different kinds of plugins that can block out spam comments. I just installed one and am hoping for the best. I have enough spam mails in my Yahoo and I certainly don’t need anymore in my new blog.

Truly, there are endless of plugins available for WordPress blogs that it is quite impossible to use them all. Yeah, I am kind of excited now because I have just discovered the page with the list of nifty plugins. Haha! I’m beginning to think WordPress is a whole lot better than my old faithful Blogger. Have no fear, Blogger, I’m not leaving you.

Okay! I’m off to write another post! =D

RSS explained the easy way!

I was always so blur about what RSS is and how it works. I just know that it's supposed to help popularize blogs, that's all. How it works its magic, I do not know, unfortunately. I found out that RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication and that's it.

After all my searches throughout the web, I finally came across this blog, 'Back in skinny jeans' and the author explained how RSS works in a simple and thoroughly understandable way. Not like how the other techie people tried to explain with all the big, unfamiliar words.

I'm so glad I found this blog! At least, I know something extra now.

So, for those who are still in the dark about this RSS thing, you may very well go here. =) Happy RSSing!

Vote for cool blogs at spicypage.com

I chanced upon this website while visiting another blog. I saw the red hot widget proudly displayed at that person's blog and just checked out what it's all about.

It's like a voting kind of site where you submit your blog or blogs that you like and people vote for it if they like it. I have only 5 votes so far and I hope to be getting more votes later on! No, I'm not going on some kind of campaign, going around screaming, 'VOTE FOR ME'! If you feel like you like my blog, make my day and throw in a vote for my blog. Hehe...=)

There are tons of other interesting blogs and websites voted there. I was quite fascinated by some of the blogs there and tried to find other book blogs too. It was a fruitless search though. Not many book blogs there.

I like book blogs. In fact, I like book review blogs and anything with book reviews. I check The Star for section on books everyday hoping to come across any reading section. Friday and Sunday are my favourite days because there will be many books reviewed.

If you like reading, why not start a book blog to tell everyone what you're reading and what you think of the books? There are not many Malaysian book blogs or maybe I just haven't visited them yet.

Come on, just start one and make me happy. Haha!

Anyway, I sent a text message to Reader's Shack yesterday and got a reply. Finally! My book will arrive next Tuesday. It'll take one whole week to reach me! It's kind of long, you know, but what do you expect if the postal fee is only RM1? Well, better late than never!

Slow way to earn money online

I have been a member in myLot for over a month and boy, is it one of the slowest money-making program ever! I would rather do paid posts in my blog than spend hours in myLot and only earn like $1.00 a day. Yeah, it's that slow.

But, the good side of it is, I get to participate in interesting and wacky discussions. I get to give my opinions on anything there provided that I know what I'm writing about. You can't simply write rubbish there. The other users might scold you and you'll then get a bad name. No, not cool.

I earned only $6.89 now from myLot. They will only pay when I've reached $10.00. That'll be like weeks from now. Haha! Okay, I hope I'll get it next week then.

Oh yeah, Erlynda tagged me a few days ago and I haven't done it yet. I'll do it soon, don't worry!

And, the STPM results will be out next Thursday, 15th of March 2007. I am wondering what my results would be. I'll keep my fingers crossed though.

booksloveme.com is ready

Yup, it's ready. It's finally ready. From now on, all book reviews will be posted there and I've also transferred all my old book reviews to my new blog.

I thought it would be so much fun setting up my new blog. Unfortunately, I don't really like WordPress. I've had the luxury of blogging with Blogger Beta that I was slogging away with WordPress. Everything is new and there are so many features to explore, plus the loading of the pages are slow too.

Well, I'm keeping this blog still. My mind is in a blur now. I need to categorize my new blog and I have no idea where to start. It's all just confusing right now but I'm glad that the new blog will only focus on book reviews and anything related to books. Nothing else.

Now, you may visit my new book blog. Specially for books and for book lovers!

Books Love Me

Changing the theme for my new blog

Wow! I thought everything would be so easy when I had a new blog. How was I to know that WordPress would just be a little, teeny tiny bit more difficult and complicated than Blogger? Augh, I was having lots of trouble just trying to change the theme or template of my new blog.

I will launch my new blog when it's ready, okay? I'm still keeping this blog too, don't worry. I just wanted my own dot com blog.

Well, it is quite easy when you know how to upload the new theme and everything to your web host's control panel. I had to ask many people but I still could not figure how to to upload the theme that I want.

And finally, I did a search in Google and found the following website: SiteGround: WordPress Tutorial: Change your WordPress Theme

Thanks to this wonderful tutorial that I've managed to upload the stupid theme and display it on my website. I've been trying to figure how for days! Haha! And finally I did it and I'm very, very, very happy and relieved. *Sigh............*

For those with their own domain and web host and having problems uploading WordPress themes, just visit the aforementioned website. They have clear and easy to understand directions.

Constant Content - Articles, Reviews, Blog Entries, and Tutorials for your website

I was just browsing in myLot and came across someone’s post where she wrote about selling articles in Constant Content. It’s quite an interesting concept really. It’s a website where writers can submit their articles and their articles can be about anything. You submit your articles, set a price for them, and just wait for someone to come along and buy it to put on their websites.

I have only submitted one article so far. Actually, I did not know what to write in the first place. There are so many things to write yet nothing flows out. But, I strived and thrived and finally, a new article was born. Haha!

There are two kinds of prices that you have to set. There are the usage price and unique price. The unique price is higher and once you have sold your article, you are not able to sell it off again.

Anyway, if you love to write and wish to earn something from it, check it out.

Crazy Computer

Bleh! My stupid computer has jammed itself again! Or maybe I jammed it??? Haha! Probably.

My sister is bringing hers over tonight so I hope from tonight onwards, I can surf the Internet and blog peacefully. I'm bored now, that's why I'm not giving up on my computer. I am still online although the computer hanged a couple of times just now. =(

I started reading Hexwood by Diana Wynne Jones last night. It was quite a boring start too. Why do all the books have boring introductions especially the ones I'm reading now? I hope it will get more exciting as I read more. I like Diana Wynne Jones. I need to know if she's American or British. I checked inside the book and it was supposedly printed in Great Britain. So, I guess she's British. But I still need to confirm it.

Okay, my computer is halfway jammed now. Got to post this before it's too late! Bye!

N.B. Diana Wynne Jones must be British. She lives in Bristol, England.

Blogging For Money - A New Trend

Money....$$$$$$$......who in their right minds would say no to money? I don't know about you but to me, money is really important. As a matter of fact, money is important to everyone. It buys us food, clothes, houses, cars, books, underwear, mobile phones, reload cards for topping up phones, that latest Guess handbag, those gotta-have-it Nike shoes, movie tickets for girlfriends/boyfriends, etc, etc.

Students are encouraged to take up part-time jobs during the school holidays so that they will spend their time doing something useful for a change. Maybe doing some waitressing, or becoming a cashier. Or giving tuition (only the geniuses are recommended for this. Well, maybe. =/ ). Whatever the job is, the money still rolls in.

How I wish I were paid simply to read storybooks or watch movies. I am a real movie buff. I love movies! I've probably watched all the movies ever made! Okay, I'm exaggerating. Hehe... However, all blogger-crazy people can sing for joy because they can earn money for doing something they love or for the sake of doing it 'cos everyone's doing it.

If you typed in 'blogging for money' in Google or other search engines, there will be a list of websites offering you cold, hard cash if you sign up with them and blog about what they tell you to blog. Popular ones include PayPerPost and Blogsvertise.

It's quite an interesting and really easy way to make money. No more ugly work uniforms, no more nasty customers, no more traveling all the way to work, and no more more! All you have to do is get comfortable on your chair and just go on a blogging spree.

Enjoy blogging everyone! =)