New Books, Changes & Future Challenges

My final package from BetterWorldBooks came in today; it contained The Dead Sea Scrolls: A New Translation by Michael Wise, Martin Abegg Jr., and Edward Cook and the misleading title, The Gnostic Gospels by Elaine Pagels. Misleading because the book is about the Gnostic Gospels rather than the Gnostic Gospels. Minor set back - those gospels are available online, anyway and this will just aid me through reading them, I suppose. 

In other news, I'm changing the set up of the "reviews" I write on here. And it's a simple change, so you don't have to worry about getting all confused. Rather than the picture being on this side of the post ====> it'll now be located on this side <====. I'll also be posting film "reviews" rather than just sticking to books - though, these reviews will consist of movies actually worth reviewing. Music reviews might find a home here, but it's too early to speak considering most of what I've been listening to isn't worth my time. 

Included in this change, I started a Twitter account (@ObservantReader) for the new year. I'm still unsure if this will work to bring in more traffic - for the most part, the account will be used for linking posts I make here. However, I'll include Amazon specials, book news links and other things of the sort - not to mention, book finds while I'm on the move. I'll also embed a Twitter app here on the homepage. 

If my Twitter idea does work with bringing in more traffic, I'll start shopping around for used books to put as giveaways. Possibly four times a year, plus other small giveaways in between - these can consist of journals to stationery to (possibly) DVDs. If I do go forth with this idea, it'll be late in the year. 

I'm beginning back snapshots, as well. Though, I imagine it won't be like the ones I'm posted in the past. I don't aim for artistic - I'm not a photographer, nor do I have the time or patience to learn how to be a successful one (I'll leave that to you pros out there), so these will be very amateur (the very essence of snapshots). I doubt they'll be edited other than cropping and (perhaps) shadowing. 

The last thing - and possibly the most challenging - I plan to do on this blog is live blogging during book hunts and book sales. Video might be implemented later on, but it's doubtful so don't count on it. 

This year, I partook in two challenges: the 100+ books in a year and the read-books-you-normally-wouldn't. I only managed to complete the latter with the Rizzoli & Isles novels - which I've grown to love. Next year's is full of potential challenges, but the only one I'm going to focus on is my religious texts challenge. This challenge might spawn a spin-off blog of its own - possibly a WordPress blog, though I'm leaning more toward Tumblr (though lately, that site is a let down). I'll post a link if I do go forth with it. 

Until next time, keep on huntin'.

Checkout these deals @ BetterWorldBooks: