The Brain Lair Bookstore - Kickstarter ( cancelled)

#BuildABookstore #SaveALife

Kickstarter cancelled for now:

Dear Family and Friends,

Thank you for your support! In about 3 weeks, we raised over $11,000! That is amazing and we should be super proud of ourselves! During those three weeks, I’d done more research and had been updating and revising the Bookstore Kickstarter but could not keep up with the feedback. I’d also been in touch with two mentors who have experience with the Kickstarter platform. It was suggested that I cancel the kickstarter, and work with one of the mentors on revising it with a stronger, more cohesive message.

The research shows that successful crowdfunding campaigns have usually raised 1/3 of what they need within the first 15 days. Since the funding is all or nothing - I would hate to continue and then we don’t fund the project. This will give me time to do more research, reach out to more people in my community, and find a potential space.

All of your pledges will be returned. But don’t spend the money just yet! I plan on opening a new kickstarter in a few months. As backers, we can still communicate through this platform. I will keep you informed every step of the way. As soon as the new Brain Lair Bookstore Kickstarter is open - you will receive a link.

Again, I thank all of you for your tweets, posts, blogs, and just loving encouragement. The “crowd” part of this crowdfunding has just been phenomenal. My heart is full.  

Kathy AKA The Brain Lair.

Review - Diego: Bigger Than Life by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand

Diego: Bigger Than Life
Carmen T. Bernier-Grand
David Diaz, Illustrator
Marshall Cavendish Children's
64 pgs.

Format
This biography of Diego Rivera is written as a series of poems with 14 full-sized illustrations interspersed. 3 of the illustrations are actually reproductions of Diego's work. Almost every poem includes a small illustration that acts as a summary. The penultimate poem, Still Lifes, features Deigo's ode to Frida Kahlo, titled The Watermelons. The poems are short and appear as visual poetry not so much the language or rhythm from the words. Immediately following the poetry is The True Life of Diego Rivera and it's written in expository text. The book also includes a glossary, a chronology and notes.

Summary
We meet Diego at the age of 1 1/2 when a tragedy forces his parents to send him away. He returns home at 4 and draws on everything. He enters an artist's school and wins a scholarship to travel to Spain. At 19 Diego enters a self-induced battle over whether to pursue art paid for by patrons or paint what his heart desired. We follow Diego through many loves and losses including his relationship with the esteemed Frida Kahlo.

Thoughts
"He told me to be whatever I want to be." (13) The first person narration pulls you into the story while Diaz's illustrations keep you there. Bernier-Grand's poems give you succinct slices into Diego's life and what influenced his art. Although she only touches briefly on Diego's love life, it might be enough to move this book towards the mature 7th or 8th grader. The expository text coupled with the chronology provide a clearer, more complete picture of Diego Rivera but I think an additional biography would be needed for students who want to focus on this artist for a report.

Carmen T. Bernier-Grand website has some teacher activities for her books including Diego: Bigger Than Life.

Booklist Online starred review for Diego: Bigger Than Life

Blog Tour - Thug Lovin' by Wahida Clark

Thug Lovin'
Wahida Clark
Grand Central Publishing


Summary
Tasha and Trae, the hood's favorite couple, are still together following the events of Thug Matrimony. Even with their relocation to sunny Los Angeles, the drama of New York cannot be escaped. From running a nightclub to dealing with models, shady lawyers, big money, new kinds of temptations, seductions, and drugs-not to mention new love interests-can this infamous couple weather all the storms and keep it together?

Thoughts
I couldn't finish this one. I felt that the characters were too "ghetto-ized". The excessive language and violence were also turn-offs. Knowing that Trae came from a history of thugs and when he immediately ran-off from Tasha, even though she was due any day, filled me with despair. Note that this is the fourth book about Tasha and Trae and you may be served better by reading the first three.

About the Author
Wahida Clark was born and raised in Trenton, New Jersey. She began writing fiction while incarcerated at a woman's federal camp in Lexington, Kentucky. Her first novel, Thugs and the Women Who Love Them, and the sequel, Every Thug Needs a Lady, appeared on the Essence bestsellers list. Since her release, Wahida has achieved much success with her follow-up of Thug Matrimony. Her most recent work, Payback With Ya Life, made its way onto the prestigious New York Times bestseller's list.

Wahida continues to amplify the urban landscape from her home and office in East Orange, New Jersey.

Challenges! Update on my Reading Challenges

I don't join many challenges - I have this thing about wanting to do something vs. having to do something - a challenge usually makes me feel as I have to do it - so, of course, I don't want to do it!

But there are some challenges that are not too bad - so I joined some!

2009 Support Your Local Library Challenge hosted by J. Kaye's Book Blog - my goal is to read 50 library books by the end of the year. This helps support libraries while keeping cash in my pocket. My only hesitation being will I remember to return the books on time? Since I work in a library and knew I had to do an internship in yet another library I figured I would give it a try. So far I've read 31 of 50 library books and owe 12.00 in fines. Hmm...not really keeping cash in pocket?!? j/k

Diversity Rocks Challenge hosted by Diversity Rocks - my goal is to be more aware of my reading and try to read at least ONE book by an African-American writer per month. I've since decided to make sure I'm reading multiculturally with an emphasis on African American. I've only read 5 books that fit my criteria. This is out of the 60 something books I've read so far this year. Not too good. Need to step up on this!

A Shakespearean Summer Challenge hosted by Liv's Book Reviews - my goal is to read 3 of Shakespeare's plays that I don't remember ever having read even though I know the story. This short contest is part of The Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev release celebration that the Word Ninjas are putting together. It's over in August. So far I've read nothing. Noted and correcting!

The Everything Austen Challenge hosted by Stephenie's Written Word - my goal is to read 5 books and watch 1 movie by challenge's end which isn't till January! Yeah! I've watched Pride and Prejudice four times this month and it's only the fourth! Pretty good!

Newsweek 50 Books for Our Time Reading Challenge hosted by My Friend Amy - I only have one book to read for this new challenge: Brooklyn by Colm Toibin. I'm so excited because this book is on my Wanna Read It list! 50 bloggers are each taking one book to read by year's end and then decide if Newsweek was correct, are these really the books of our time. There were four books left when I wrote this!

Along the way I've participated in the Dewey 24hr ReadAThon and MotherReader's 48hr Book Challenge. Now that I've put this in the open, I'm hoping this will help me reach my challenge goals! Somehow, I also need to start on my 20 books I want to read plus all of the possible Newbery books, EEK! What have I gotten into? There has to be a way to link them all together....

Are you participating in any challenges? How are you doing? If no, why not?