To Reblog or not to Reblog? That is the Question!

This post is inspired by The Book Musings– because without her- I might never would have taken the time to think about the implications of reblogging.

A few weeks ago I found a post from The Book Musings about reblogging and her asking people to not reblog her posts (Note: This was back during her time as a blogger with a partner- since she has become TBM- she’s not had to worry about this problem.) At first, I read through the post- and while I respected her stance- I did wonder “Is this a big deal or not?” Based on my experience with reblogging- it was just one of those quirky WordPress features. But, I dug deeper. I thought harder. And- it clicked. While I’ve not had really any negative experiences with the reblogging- I’m sure some have. And that’s got to be disheartening.

So What Is Reblogging?

Simply- it’s adding a post that someone else wrote to your blog. No, it does not say you wrote it and if you click on the link- it takes you to the original posting. There’s probably a better way of explaining it- I’m just shooting for simple and easy!

Why Would You Reblog?

For me- the times I’ve reblogged a post is either when I was interviewed by a fellow WordPress blogger or when I was jointly hosting Book Lovers Unite and we were posting discussion questions. Both examples worked out great- and was just a quick way to make sure the others knew about new stuff.

That is why I reblogged.

Why You Should Not Reblog

An occasional reblog is fine, in my opinion. However, if a great percentage of “your” blog posts are actually reblogs- well….. Maybe you should cut back. Blogging is about a personal connection to people- and if these are not your words, even if you aren’t taking credit- you’re missing out on the personal connection.

You started this blog for a reason. Maybe it was to be a writer. Maybe it was because all the cool kids were doing it. Maybe, maybe, maybe. Maybe- you just needed a hobby- a safe place to talk about things you like and if you found some other like-minded folks, well- even better.

Let people get to know YOU. Not the reblog.

Should You Take The Reblogged Post Down?

There are going to be people, like me, that are not caring so much about my content being reblogged (at least this is my view point currently). The few times it has happened- it’s been to a place that I did not mind- and it was fine. HOWEVER- there are people who want no part of reblogging- and if someone asks you to take a post down- do the decent thing and take it down. Doesn’t matter if you agree. Doesn’t matter if you think it’s a nutty request. Respect the bloggers wishes- and build a good karmic reputation amongst other bloggers. While I’m not a lawyer- I’m going to say that as long as the post has this reblog feature- you are probably in your rights to click it. However, it’s just better to err on the side of caution when someone asks you politely to take something down. Again- one day your future blogger self will thank you for taking this advice.

What to Do When You See a Post You Would Like to Reblog?

You see a post- and think, I would love to reblog this. So what should you do? You have a couple of options: 1. You can reblog. 2. You can ask for permission from the writer to reblog. 3. You can give a linky shoutout.

What should you do? Depending on the relationship with the person- I STRONGLY advise #3. Option #2 is fine, though. Proceed with caution about #1- I’d only do that if I KNEW the blogger would not mind.

Reblog or Link Shoutout? What do You Prefer?

I mean, aren’t they kind of the same thing? Yes and no. While technically both could be considered a shoutout- the link shoutout is preferable to all the bloggers I talked to. Link Shoutouts make bloggers feel good- and everyone likes to see a pingback 🙂

What are your thoughts on reblogging? For it? Against it? Not really thought about it?

Comment and let me know- I’m so VERY curious!

*Traveling With T’s note: While I’ve had my posts reblogged in the past, please know that I value my content and would prefer a link shoutout as opposed to a reblog.

Literary Friday ya’ll…..

Literary Friday is back! I took last Friday off because a cold had wrestled me to the ground and took away my will to blog- and with Deep South Magazine also taking a break, I was glad to have a day to rest!

But- I’m back (and with a new button!) So, folks, ya’ll are in for a treat this week. TONS of great things to discuss!

1. Deep South Magazine and their #literaryfriday is back! Deep South Magazine has a great cookbook giveaway, news about their next great Twitter chat w/ Ann Hite (psst- I’ll be co-hosting!), Calling Me Home news, Donna Tartt’s latest- The Goldfinch making a book list, and much more! Plus- Deep South has created a Holiday Gift Guide (A Cajun Food Tour that I would love to go on- plus so much more. Even better- some of these stores are giving a discount! And saving money never goes out of style!)

2. My Thursday Mashup is filled with great giveaways. Seriously giveaways that you do not want to miss!

3. Bloggers Made of AWESOME is back this week with Samantha @ Chick Lit Plus. This gal is Superwoman. She does a million things- and is kicking butt and taking names!

4. What are you reading for #fridayreads? I’m reading KIND OF CRUEL by Sophie Hannah (still….), just finished THE OTHER WOMAN by Hank Phillippi Ryan, and about to start ONCE WE WERE BROTHERS.

5. I’ll be live-tweeting from TurnRow Books tomorrow as Joshilyn Jackson chats about her latest book- Someone Else’s Love Story. Unless the icy weather has a different plan for me. Fingers crossed!

6. This Chick Reads is hosting a GREAT International giveaway of holiday books- one that is on the list is Sarah Morgan’s SLEIGH BELLS IN THE SNOW- a great, cute book!

Thursday Mashup

Hey ya’ll- it’s Thursday Mashup time (pssttt… here’s the button I made 🙂

You know how I like a good mashup- a place where you can stop by for a giveaway, some bloggy talk, and lots of bookish goodness!

Here’s the good stuff this Thursday:

Giveaways

#bookgiveaways

Luxury Reading is giving away a Kindle Fire HD tablet!

Always With A Book is giving away The Wrong Girl by Hank Phillippi Ryan (who I adore- seriously, if you like Sue Grafton, you should def check out HPR!)

#craftygiveaways

Recently- I’ve started following non-book blogs. Why? Because I’m a craft girl at heart- books are my other love- but crafts are also great!

The Thinking Closet is giving away a stocking full of great stuff thanks to herself and other bloggers! Seriously, I could tell you all the good things- but you really need to go check it out! There is def a Starbucks gift card (totally worth entering alone for that!)

H2O Bungalow is giving away a CRICUT. Yeppers, you read that right. My crafty heart just beats faster.

H2O Bungalow is also giving away 600 Visa Gift Card- I could BUY crafty stuff with that 🙂

Bloggy Goodness

Love at First Book is hosting her weekly Linky Love party- River City Reading is co-hosting (so it’s a super-special stylish party y’know!) Link up your best post because if you do, THIS could happen!

Books Speak Volumes is gearing up for a Jazzy January- a Jazz Age that is! Like the 20’s? Been wanting to read a book about that era? Sign up, read a book or more- and you may win a prize! Full details can be found at Books Speak Volumes.

Have you ever wondered about Hanukkah? The symbols and other things that pertain to Hanukkah? Living where I live, I’ll be honest, I’ve not had a first hand experience with Hanukkah- I knew a few of the symbols from reading and TV- but that was my experience. On Twitter, though, I realized I was friends with quite a few Jewish people- and even though I was curious- I wouldn’t ask much because not everyone likes to talk about their personal life. However, Love at First Book guest posted on The Book Wheel about Hanukkah symbols- and it was so interesting, I had to share!

The Relentless Reader shares some bookish gifts that would be so appreciated- just in case you need ideas!

Have you finished your Goodreads Reading Challenge for 2013? My Novel Opinion has! Read on for her stats and tips for next year!

Guest Post: Understanding the Paranormal Genre by Tamara Lee Dorris (CLP 5)

Photo Credit: CLP

Today, Traveling With T is a stop on the Casey’s Quest by Tamara Lee Dorris tour organized by Chick Lit Plus. To see the other tour stops (to read excerpts and other guest posts) visit here.

Psst… Guess what? There is also a giveaway! Say what?! Yepppers- there is a 20 buck Amazon gift card giveaway! Visit here to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway!

Understanding the “Paranormal” Genre

When I first started writing Casey’s Quest, I knew I wanted to include a component that would intrigue readers, but it was important to me that it was based on truths. In other words, I am not a vampire or werewolf kind of writer. My intention with all of my novels, regardless of genre, is to teach (or at least imply) some kind of spiritual truth along with something else. For the Quest series, I chose remote viewing. Remote viewing is a factual skill that in fact has been well-documented in military endeavors from as far back as WWII. Nevertheless, the idea of “seeing” some place in one’s mind seemed to fall under the umbrella of “paranormal.”

The problem I had with this is that when people go to read paranormal books, most of them are expecting some hard-hitting, zombie-walking, vampire-biting activities. In fact, not only did I work with the idea of secret military projects and remote viewing, but I coupled it with Shamanism. Ideally, readers will discover that remote viewing and meditating or visualizing (as done with the Shamanistic practices) share very similar premises. Basically, quieting our minds to the point we can “see” things. I believe my interest in the esoteric/spiritual side of things started with my mom reading books written by seers and psychics when I was growing up. But that’s another story!

For some reason, people seem to attach a negative connotation to words such as paranormal, esoteric, and even, metaphysical. In reality, I like the description “spiritual,” but in researching genres, I found that term still relates largely to books of a religious nature. Now that is not to imply there is anything at all wrong with stories that revolve around religious matters. In fact, there is a huge market for Christian literature. However, if I attempted to put Casey’s Quest, for example, under that heading, I’d be asking for big trouble, fast.

In my opinion, the referencing of genres is grossly ineffective. We currently have so many smash-ups of genres. For instance, my Guru books are humorous, self-help, spirituality…and last time I checked, that wasn’t a genre. So what does my high-priced publicist do? She places it as romance (even though there is not one ounce of romance, in my opinion) and we get 25,000 downloads and great reviews. How in the heck then, do we figure out our genre? I propose we don’t.

A picture paints a thousand words. I find that by and large, I am attracted to book covers. If I see teeth and blood, I know a vampire will be popping up at dark. If I see a knife or a gun, I’m betting it’s a murder mystery. Sexy people hugging? Romance is about to be had. I tend to be drawn to chick lit, and I think we all agree that those covers are plenty self-explanatory (see my “Secrets of a Spiritual Guru” covers for a good example). Also, dramatic covers catch my eye. I still remember when the book “It,” came out, which was a true story based on a life of horrible child abuse, that the cover blew me away. I had to read that book.

Ultimately, genres are just like loose-fitting sweat pants. We grab them at random because they are comfortable. I urge each of us, though, as we go on our book-reading adventures (and who doesn’t like a good kindle sale?), that we consider titles and book cover art to give us a good indication of what sings to our heart or draws in our interest. Until the publishing industry finds a better, more effective way to categorize books—which may be never—we’ll have to trust our eyes and our instincts.

Photo Credit: CLP

Tamara Lee Dorris has been a life-long fan of personal and spiritual development, and has written several books that fall under the category of “self-help.” Casey’s Quest explores various aspects of spiritual development, brain science & the paranormal. Tamara She is also an adjunct professor, radio host, and long time real estate professional.

To connect with Tamara, visit her blog, Facebook, Goodreads, and Twitter.

To buy Casey’s Quest, visit Amazon.

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

Bloggers Made Of AWESOME: Samantha March @ Chick Lit Plus

Several weeks ago, I began participating in blog tours for Chick Lit Plus- thanks to a fellow blogger passing some information on to me. At the time I did not realize that Samantha of Chick Lit Plus was the same Samantha that I knew from She Reads (but she is!) Participating in Samantha’s tours is easy and wonderful for bloggers who want to do more social blogging like tours!

Samantha @ Chick Lit Plus: Bloggers Made of AWESOME

Samantha- when did you begin blogging?

I started Chick Lit Plus in 2009.

How did you come up with the name Chick Lit Plus?

I wanted a name that showed my love of chick lit, but I also wanted to include more genres than just chick lit, and I wanted to be more than just a book blog. CLP also features celebrity news, beauty reviews, and health and fitness articles.

What are your thoughts on blogging today in an ever-changing book-ish world? Are blogs helping other readers connect with good books?

I think blogging is just about the coolest thing ever. Not only are blogs helping connect readers to books and authors, but blogging gives bloggers a community, helps them interact with people who love books and reading just as much as they do. It is so thrilling to have chats online or via email with someone you’ve never met, but it doesn’t feel that way because you have so much in common. I think that’s really special.

When you are not blogging (or reading!)- what do you like to do?

I am a published author and an independent book publisher. My company is Marching Ink, and I also run CLP Blog Tours. I do also have a “real” job, and I worked for my local VA Hospital helping veterans get enrolled into the system. Coming from a military family the job means a lot to me.

Do you have any #literaryconfessions?

This is so embarrassing, but I’ve never read The Great Gatsby! And I’m the biggest fan of that era, so it makes zero sense! Nor have I watched the movie…going to hide in a corner now!

Do you have a #literarycrush?

I’m sure this is a different answer, but I honestly don’t crush on a whole lot of literary characters. Or actors. Or musicians. I’m strange. Talk athletes and we have a different story 😉 But honestly, my literary crushes are the authors themselves. Ann M. Martin of The Baby-Sitter’s Club sparked my interest in reading and writing and creating stories, Francine Pascal continued that with Sweet Valley High, and Emily Giffin’s novels inspired me to start my blog and get serious about writing.

What books are you looking forward to reading in 2014?

Emily Giffin has a new one out in May I believe, that I’ll be looking forward to!

In your opinion, what book has been the best book you have read (so far!) in 2013?

Eek so many! I loved Zoey & The Moment of Zen by Cat Lavoie, but another one that really got me going was The Girl You Left Behind by JoJo Moyes.

You have a beach vacation planned. What are the 3 books that you must bring?

How did you know? My honeymoon will be here in 3 months 🙂 Honestly, this answer is so boring, but I’ll be bringing whatever is on my review docket! But if I could pick and choose, I would like to bring a romance novel, a chick lit, and a mystery – a good range!

Are you an e-book or tree book lover? Or does it not matter?

I enjoy both, but reading on my Kindle is a lot more convenient. It’s easier to travel with, but I’ll never get tired of cracking open a “real” book!

How do you find other blogs to read? Recommendations of other bloggers?

I find a lot of blogs online, or from CLP Blog Tours. And I think it’s great to support, share, and comment as much as you can!

Chick Lit Plus organizes blog tours for authors. Do you have tips or recommendations for other bloggers who might be interested in one day being a blog tour organizer?

It’s a lot harder than it sounds. It’s a full-time job that doesn’t pay like it, and you can lose your patience about twenty times a day. It’s not just finding blogs, it’s communication and organization, and willing to put in the work each day to truly help authors market their books. But if it’s something you truly love doing, it won’t feel like work.

What is a book that you’ve wanted to read, but just haven’t found the time?

The Great Gatsby!

Samantha March is an author, editor, publisher, blogger, and all around book lover. She runs the popular book/women’s lifestyle blog ChickLitPlus, which keeps her bookshelf stocked with the latest reads and up to date on all things health, fitness, fashion, and celebrity related. In 2011 she launched her independent publishing company Marching Ink and has two published novels – Destined to Fail and The Green Ticket. When she isn’t reading, writing, or blogging, you can find her cheering for the Green Bay Packers.

Want to connect with Samantha? Visit her website, Goodreads, Twitter, Facebook, CLP Twitter, and Chick Lit Plus.

Look! One of my posts was most clicked at the Linky Love Party hosted by Love At First Book!

So you know how I rave about some Love at First Book– she’s a mover and shaker in the bloggy world! And you know a few weeks ago she started showing linky love to everyone by hosting these Spread The Love Linky parties?! And she showcases the links that got the most clicks………

Well……….. it happened. Drum roll, please. Cue the saxophone music. The drums, the cymbals, the glitter, the sequins, the over the top excited-ness!

One of my links was the most clicked on links!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Specifically, it was the link: Gift Ideas for the Book Lover In Your Life!

Excited! So happy! Yippeeee! Throwing glitter and sparkles everywhere while dancing a jig!

Thank you to each and everyone who clicked the link, who checked out my Gift Ideas for the Book Lover in Your Life!

Excuse my Sally Field moment “You LIKE me! You really LIKE me!”

xo,

T @ Traveling With T

Sleigh Bells in the Snow by Sarah Morgan (+ BIG giveaway)

Photo Credit: Harlequin

Thanks to Harlequin, I (Traveling With T) am the last stop on the Sleigh Bells in the Snow by Sarah Morgan blog tour! What does this mean for you? A fun review to read and a GREAT giveaway!

What’s the giveaway? 1 copy of Sleigh Bells in the Snow and Harlequin Cover holiday gift tags (which are SO cute!) Please know the giveaway is US/Canada only. Giveaway ends December 4th. Winner will be notified December 5th.

Sleigh Bells in the Snow

Christmas time for many is a wonderful time. Holiday music, the thrill of snow, hot chocolate, trimming the tree, and spending time with family and loved ones. But for Kayla Green- Christmas and all it’s traditions is a time to be avoided. This time of year brings up memories that Kayla would rather forget. So when Kayla gets the opportunity to work over Christmas for a resort that needs a new PR approach- she jumps at it. Being away from the holiday happiness- not having to see it- well, Kayla feels great.

Until….

She arrives at Snow Crystal and realizes it’s a holiday come to life place. Perfect for romantic or family holidays- Snow Crystal embodies everything that Kayla was hoping to escape. To complicate matters further- the PR she was supposed to do for Snow Crystal- well there is at least 1 person in the O’Neil clan who would rather her not be there. How will Kayla fare in the O’Neil winter wonderland?

Slowly, though, Kayla begins to feel the Christmas spirit. Or is that the love of the eldest O’Neil brother? With Jackson, Kayla begins to want to feel the holiday magic again- a fact that terrifies her. As each day passes in Snow Crystal- Kayla begins to wonder how different life could be, how she could be closer to having things she’d forgotten she wants and healing the rifts of Christmas past.

Will Jackson make Kayla the happiest woman on Earth? Can Kayla come up with a PR approach to make Snow Crystal the hot place on the map to visit? You have to read Sleigh Bells in the Snow to find out!

Traveling With T’s Thoughts

Perfect holiday book. Wonderful. Loved the storyline between Jackson and Kayla. A first book in a series that is sure to be a great addition to the holiday reading. If you are in need of some holiday spirit- read this. It’ll put you in the best mood!

Photo Credit: Mangomini

These are a few of Sarah’s fav things- and they all play a role in the book!

Thankfulness….

Today is Thanksgiving Day- and families are sitting down to eat dinner together. Some families are missing people- due to military service, death or other circumstances. But, mainly, today is a day where people sit & eat together- turkey, chicken and dressing & a myriad of side items. Sweet desserts will also be consumed. Today is the day where many give thanks for all the blessings they have enjoyed this year.

Wherever you are, whatever your Thanksgiving ritual is- I hope you stop and think about the family, friends, and other loved ones you have. Consider the things that happened this year- maybe you had a banner year, but even if you didn’t- there is still something to be thankful for.

I’m thankful for:

My family. I love them- even though sometimes they make me feel a little nutty.

I’m thankful for my beautiful niece that is fast approaching this world- she’s still snug as a bug in her mommy’s belly- but will be arriving soon.

I’m thankful for people who make a difference in my life- who inspire me to be best me possible.

Thankful for bloggy friends- friends who support and help me as I strive to make Traveling With T a place I love and am proud of.

Thankful for authors- they are my rock stars. Thankful so many took a chance on a small town with a blog- and given me time, interviews, and books.

Thankful for 2 bloggers (Love at First Book and The Book Wheel). Each time I think I’ve hit a wall with this blog- they’ve been able to talk me down- and advise me. Without them, I might not would have known all the things I do know about the blogging world.

Thankful for She Reads- a place that has exposed me to many different types of books- and trusted in me enough to make me their Online Discussion Leader and Twitter chat host.

Thankful for my life. It’s a good one- and while it may not always be exactly what I’d hoped for- it’s pretty good.

Thankful for my dad- he gave me a scare earlier this year with a health problem- but, it appears he’s bounced back and is better off.

Thankful for a particular friend- one who can always tell when I need a supportive shoulder- and willingly drops things & helps me out.

Thankful for a group of ladies that I met while taking part in the Sweet Potato Queen Weekends. I may not get to see them but once a year- but boy, oh, boy- it’s a heck of a weekend!

Thankful for Erin from Deep South Magazine. A friendship that began with a tweet- and enriches my life in a million ways. xoxo

This year has had it’s ups and downs- have had some really good things happen- and have had some things I’d rather not happen, happen. I’ve tried to just keep on rolling and have fun when I can- and appreciate the good moments.

What are you thankful for?

Giveaways: The Good. The Bad. The Ugly.

Giveaways. Everyone loves a giveaway. I mean who doesn’t like getting something for free?

I LOVE getting free stuff. Books are probably my favorite- but in the past I’ve won gift cards, a purse and wallet from Vera Bradley and an ornament from Radio City Music Hall.

Getting the package in the mail and opening it- seeing the goodies, well it’s a great feeling!

However, there are some bad sides to a giveaway, as well. And when a giveaway goes to the dark side- nobody wins. We’re all unhappy. It leads to wrinkles and gray hairs. It makes us feel all yucky- and that is no fun.

Let’s discuss a couple of things about giveaways that make us feel yucky (and solutions to them!)

Not Getting The Prize You Won

Oh, this is terrible. It happens, though. Is it the person who sponsored the giveaways fault? Could your mailman be to blame? Might you be to blame because in your excitement over winning you mistyped your information.?

If you won from a publisher (say a book), seriously- calm it down for about 6 weeks. Usually, it’ll arrive and life will be good. After 6 weeks, though, perhaps you’ll want to send a nice email to the person- just a simple inquiry as to “if said prize had been sent”. Hopefully- you’ll get a nice response and the prize will either be on the way or quickly shipped if it was indeed forgotten. If it’s the mailman, though, not much can be done. 😦 😦

True story: I won a book from XYZ place- a book that was named XZY (in case you hadn’t picked up on it- I won’t be naming the said book or person/place I won from). Over 6 weeks go by without a book- and I email to check. Emailed back with apologies and a promise to send another book out within next few days. Fine with me 🙂 Then 2 weeks later- still no book. Another email- and a promise of sending a different book since they no longer had this book. Ok. Not what I wanted to hear- but I’m rolling with it. I’m still technically waiting on the 3rd book XYZ said they were sending- although- I have no faith it will show. And it’s ok- because I learned that sometimes, even when you love a giveaway, some you should not enter. Because it’s no fun not getting the prize- and while I’m sure XYZ is a great place- it is disappointing to win- but not to win.

Not Being Clear about Restrictions of Giveaway

I live in the USA. So, restrictions about giveaways rarely apply to me. And because they did not apply to me- at one point in my life, I rarely thought about them applying to others #justbeingtruthful. When I started having giveaways here, though, I made sure to make the restrictions known- even though I really did not think that people viewing my blog were not from state-side. I’ll be honest again- when I would view my stats and I would see the foreign maps lit up with visitors- just assumed it was S*am (rhymes with ham). And if you looked at the s*am folder- you would’ve assumed that, too. But, guess what? It’s NOT! I actually have international followers (hey ya’ll!) And thanks to them- I’ve become so much more aware of WHY you should make sure to mention if there are restrictions or not on the giveaway.

If you think you hate not getting the giveaway you won- imagine winning the giveaway and then finding out you are ineligible. Yep- that hurts. Am I saying that every giveaway should be open to everyone? No- I’m not. Because, for the most part, someone higher above you decided if the giveaway is international or not (this is if you have a giveaway being offered by a publisher). What I am saying- regardless of whether you are providing the books yourself OR it’s a publisher sponsored giveaway- just make sure it’s known if it’s US only, US/Canada or INT. Because when everyone knows the rules and restrictions- we all feel happier (well maybe not exactly- but at least we don’t have hurt feelings!)

And make no mistake- I’m not advocating that bloggers that host their own giveaways have to make it international- it would be lovely- but when you’ve already bought the book, then add postage- it gets expensive!!

Emails. Emails. Emails.

Yes, emails can be a downside to a giveaway. Why? You email the winner. And then the winner is MIA. Never answers. You hate that. You WANT them to reply. You don’t want them to miss out. But you have people you need to let know, prizes to be sent, etc. I like to give 48-72 hours of reply time (because in this day and age with everyone attached to their smart phones- email is at your fingertips. ) Winners, don’t make us wait- send your replies as soon as humanly possible. Again- makes everyone feel better!

The second part of why emails are annoying- when you have won something and it’s not arrived. I can’t speak for everyone- I can only speak for myself- but my giveaways are sent by a publisher. I forward the winner’s info to them- and then it’s sent to the winner. So, yes, after sometime- I LIKE to know if you have not received your prize- but please know that multiple emails are not necessary. Because after you email me 1 time, I touch base with my contact- and usually let you know the scoop. I can’t (and won’t) email someone a million times about the prize. #justsaying

What Did You Learn About Giveaways?

I hope some of these topics were helpful. Or made you more aware about giveaways. Go forth and win! #beawinnereveryday Hopefully none of these things will apply or happen to you- but if you win a giveaway- be Joe Cool. 9 times out of 10, it’ll arrive- and you’ll be all happy 🙂

The Mountain- My Time on Everest by Ed Viesturs

Photo Credit: Goodreads

The Mountain

Mt. Everest- the world’s tallest peak. A climber’s holy grail- as it takes strength, determination, guts and smarts to climb Mt.Everest and live to tell the tale. Ed Viesturs is this kind of person. When you have climbed all 14 of the world’s 8,000 meter peaks, as a climber, you need a challenge. Something to work hard for. Mt.Everest hears Ed’s need for a challenge and gladly supplied said challenge.

Ed, with eleven expeditions to Mt. Everest, has successfully reached the summit 7 times. One might wonder what type of skill Ed has or is it luck? In The Mountain, luck is not a word that used. And Ed, well he’s different. Unlike other climbers, he’s been able to avoid some of the physical ailments (frostbite, pulmonary edema or cerebral edema) that can take a mountain climb from dangerous to deadly. Ed comments on the differences of his physicality, but also remarks that before a climb- he goes through rigorous conditioning.

As Ed Viesturs talks about climbing, the reader begins to understand that making it to the top is not all Ed wants. He doesn’t want to the be the person who made it, then die the next day because he ignored conditions or gut feelings. His goal is to safely make it there and back- and not to have an obsession with the mountain. One might think, though, with 11 expeditions to Mt.Everest, he has a slight obsession. Maybe, maybe not. It should be noted that that in his 11 expeditions, he only reached the summit 7 times- which might have something to say about the conditions Ed was facing or a feeling he had.

Ed tell stories of the Everest International Peace Climb- the pit falls, the hard work, and more of working with climbers from different countries in this event. Ed also mixes in accounts of his climbs to Everest- stories of people who did it before, some with fatal consequences.

Ed Viesturs has had many successes at Mt. Everest- but the mountain has also taught him many lessons. Each story, as Ed writes, is written with the respect and awe that Everest not only deserves, but is entitled to.

Traveling With T’s Thoughts

The Mountain by Ed Viesturs is a book that is awe inspiring. His stories, his pictures- together, they make the book pop. Ed has great respect for Mt. Everest and it shows in his story. Whether a person is a climber or just fancies reading stories of others climb, this book, The Mountain, would make an excellent read.

The Mountain was provided by Touchstone Publishing in exchange for a fair and honest review. Above thoughts and opinions are mine alone.