But I made the NZ Book Related Twitterer’s List into a Page all of it’s own. Link s’over there, see →

I have a motherlode of library books to get through in the weekend.

And finally, LoTR fans – you be hating on me, but I couldn’t agree more with this:

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

If you think I’ve left you off the list (woops, sorry) or you don’t want to be on the list (woops again) or you think I’ve put you in the wrong group (hey, I’m human you know) then please feel free to speak up! This is a totally moveable feast, as they say.

Publishing
@Auckland_UP
@FergusVUP
@VUPBooks 
@RHNZ
@HarperNZ
@phantom_house
@PearsonNZ
@penguinbooksnz
@nztaylor 

Writers
@EmilyJPerkins
@ElizabethKnoxNZ
@writehandedgirl
@rachaelking70
@discorobot
@EyelashYoung
@CherylBernstein
@chrisjtse
@hamish_keith
@modernletters
@TinaMakereti
@PipAdam
@hinemoana
@Aybrow
@Lee_Pletzers
@HelenRickerby
@NaliniSingh
@Helen__Heath
@FakeChadTaylor
@zenpeacekeeper
@timjonesbooks
@PCLittle
@AliceandRachel
@wendylnissen
@BrownSpeak
@NigelLatta
@kiwiwriters
@nickypellegrino
@impossiblecat
@rgoodchild
@samelworthy
@Artandmylife
@pjkmorris
@paul_shannon
@lytteltonian
@Craig_Cliff
@harrismint
@anna_caro_nz
@AdrienneRewi
@marydanae
@Vampyr14
@ChrisBellNZ
@MareeAnderson
@amandaashby
@sarahantz
@lemonemma
@harvestbird
@ehjc
@southernkbelz
@rabarts
@lynnejamneck
@rippatton
@gearsgeary
@peajayar
@FifiColston
@traviscottreau
@PhilippaJane
@catconnor
@jenlongshaw
@WieldingWords (also editing and proofreading)
@WritersBlockNZ
@gracebridges
@DavidSlack

Blogging and writing about books
@Jaffa12
@the1blacksheep
@catatonichic  
@BeTheChangeBook
@ScoopBooks
@xicanti
@CatherineHaines
@nzdodo
@justaddbooks
@GuySomerset
@BookmanBeattie
@wellreadkitty
@bookTVnz
@BookieMonsterNZ – yep, that’s me.

Festivals/prizes/organisations
@BooksellersNZ
@lianzaoffice
@nzbookcouncil
@AklWritersFest
@NZBookMonth

Booksellers
@PageBlackmore
@BookaholicsNZ
@timeoutbooksnz
@MK1comics  
@paperplusnz
@womensbookshop
@UnityBooks

Libraries
@tararualibrary
@Kingshighlib
@chblibraries
@wcl_library
@rodneylibraries
@kebabette
@Manukau_Libs 
@NLNZ
@Massey_Uni_Lib
@Auckland_Libs
@kapiti_lib
@HDLibraries
@summerlandlibra
@citylibrary
@mtroskillib
@invlibrary
@UHLibrary
@OtagoLibrary
@rnzfblibrary
@dnlibraries
@LincolnULibrary
@lilac_library
@nzetc

Phew. There’s a lot of you, isn’t there?

But it’s not just about Waitangi Day, it’s also about national identity, personal identity, Maori identity and personal history. It’s awesome. I can’t really say more as I think the post speaks for itself. Please to read it.

P.S. I’m wrestling with a Sydney Bridge Upside Down review…. it will arrive later…

That is a bookie’s Cute Overload right there. And check out this and this and this and this and… (yeah, just check out all of it from the links)

P.S. If you’re on Twitter give me a follow (I’m a lovely follower-backer).

And don’t forget our Facebook page – please fan us (100 fans means we can get a proper personalised Facebook URL)!

Mums On Top

Just a quick reminder about the Mums On Top 1st Birthday Competition – where amongst some great prizes you can win books from BookieMonster! Check them out and join up!

Also just a reminder that BookieMonster is on Twitter – you can follow us at @bookiemonsternz for conversation, blog post notices and other inanities…

You can also connect with us on Facebook.

So here’s one of my ideas for advancing digital publishing in New Zealand (and feel free to contact me to purchase the rights/negotiate a settlement if you have the backing and/or funding to put this scheme in place ) :

Every child (and yes I do really think it’s needs to be every child for this to work) in school from year 0 – year 13 in New Zealand is given an e-book reader – but this e-book reader needs to be more and do more than the hardware currently available, this needs to be a combination of a Kindle and an Ipod, and it needs to be able to have digital material “pushed” to it via a wireless network. The idea is that every child will have a huge plethora of material made available to them by their teacher that is directly related to not only what they are learning within the curriculum, but also to their particular learning level. This material encompasses all possible available digital material – textbooks, fiction and non-fiction books, comics, digital material from the net, music, movies, TV and other visual media, art representations, presentations both graphic and video – basically anything and everything.

This material will be constantly available to the child, both in class and at home. Parents will obviously have total access to the material so they can keep up to date with both the content and what has been used by the child. The hardware would also contain a schedule so that the parent could see what homework (for instance) has been scheduled by the teacher, and also what school activities are imminent.

Teachers spend a huge amount of time gathering resources for teaching, and my hope would be that the ability to have a majority of these resources centralised would help to cut that time down, or at least not increase it by adding an extra resource.

The business model would revolve around supplying the hardware for free (as incentive), and fees being paid by schools for supply and any applicable fees for use of content. I envisage details of available content being held on a central database for searching by teachers, and there also being options for teachers to request specific material or requirements and the supplying company doing the research and sourcing of available material. With the amazing efforts of organisations like National Library of New Zealand, Digital NZ and Te Papa in digitising content there is already a large amount of available New Zealand focussed content available (by the way, this model is purely an idea, and perhaps would work just as well or better the other way – paying for hardware and not for content, or just a set yearly fee for content management).

Obviously this is a fairly utopian vision, not to mention I’m lacking on the day to day practicalities and also the intricacies of legal requirements, etc. Plus I can’t think of any currently available hardware that would fit all the requirements of what I see this scheme achieving. But I really wanted to add a positive contribution to the digital books debate, and also see what sort of ideas I personally could come up with beyond the parameters of traditional book publishing and distribution.

Do you have any ideas? Any thoughts on my posts? I’d love to see some further comments and debate!

And, as mentioned, any investors who want to fund the BookieMonster in her future activities?

Feel free to tweet me any comments and follow me on Twitter also!

If you too are a Twit or a Tweep or a Tweeter or whatever the current word for it is, let us know your username in the comments section below and we’ll follow you! Or follow us on Twitter and we’ll follow you back (because we’re nice like that!). Comment away…. (I want to see something more interesting than spam in the comment section!).

And don’t forget to subscribe to our blog and receive emails with the latest postings every day! I’m even kindly adding another subscription form here:

Sweeeet. Can’t say I don’t make it easy for you!

P.S. Have finished Dark Fire by C.J. Sansom and moving on to my next read now…not sure whether to go with The Red Queen by Margaret Drabble or I Am the Messenger by Marcus Zusak… recommendations and decision-making on my behalf will be most welcome! Twitter me your thoughts or comment!

Now, I really am not a big mystery fan. I’ve read one Agatha Christie, and several Ngaio Marsh and also a couple of Patricia Cornwell. One reason I’m not a mystery fan is down to the simple fact that I don’t like surprises, not even in books. I like to know exactly what’s happening and I like to concentrate on the writing, rather than being directed to ignore it in favour of the plot.

A consequence of this is I am an inveterate reader of the end of books whilst theoretically only being at the beginning. (Insert shocked gasp here). Yes, I am a walking spoiler.

However, enough about my little problems, what about the book? Well, even though I know the answer to the mystery I am still enjoying the book. It was recommended to me by a fellow “bookie” on the Trade Me Books messageboard as being of above-average quality writing and it definitely fulfils that promise. I have to confess that I do find that I take about 5 – 10 minutes to settle into reading the book, and have to concentrate a little harder to stop my mind wandering whilst reading, but despite this I am still enjoying it. The historical detail and atmosphere evoked seems to be (to my vaguely historically educated mind) spot on, as are the various political intrigues and machinations described.

In future I will be seeking out more Sansom to read.

PS – Don’t forget to subscribe to receive blog updates via email using the subscription form to your right!

And you can now also get updates via Twitter…yes I have given in and become a Twit (officially). So follow me if you too are a Twit. (Yes, alright, I know we’re supposed to say Tweeter, but really let’s call a spade a spade, shall we?). My twitter name is bookiemonsternz. Who knows how long it will last?