Happy BBAW!

Today is the official kick-off to Book Blogger Appreciation Week! Make sure you visit My Friend Amy's Blog to get the lowdown on everything. She has a tremendous amount of giveaways going on at her site, but she also has links to other bloggers who are holding giveaways this week. Of course, don't forget to enter my giveaway as well!

What am I going to be doing this week? Well, In addition to my giveaway, I have an interview with a fellow blogger, a discussion about my bookshelves, a Friday's Forgotten Books review (oh, so thrilled to be asked to do this), and more fun, fun, fun!

Today I thought I'd start out appropriately and recognize bloggers that I really appreciate. These are the folks on my bloglines; the ones I check out daily because their blogs are so much fun! I've mentioned a number of them on here before, but they are all worth numerous mentions so go pay them each a visit and see for yourselves!

Alafair Burke is one of my absolute favorite authors, and she is just such a fun person. So you know that combination is going to equal a great blog!

Sam over at Book Chase is one of the most intelligent, well-rounded bloggers I read. He's always in the know on the latest book news. And I've added so many books to my TBR list from his reviews. My thoughts are with Sam, as he's down in Texas and there hasn't been a post from him since Friday. Hope all is well for Sam.

Cipriano is at Bookpuddle, which I think is just the best ever name for a blog. He says he's "splashing around in books." He's also writing poetry and offering up the best Splash de Jours. Always look forward to a post from Cip!

And of course you often hear me mention my buddy Corey from The Drowning Machine. Not only do we share similar interests in book, but Corey has some of the most amazingly insightful and creative posts. I just love his approach to literature! And we're both Buckeyes so that's an added benefit! ;)

Trish over at Hey Lady! Whatcha Readin'? Is just a blast. She will come up with some of the most amusing posts. It's always fun - and healthy - to add a chuckle to your day. Trish also adds to my TBR list. Since I'm often so focused on the crime fiction world, Trish opens my eyes to some of the other great stuff that's out there.

Lesa at Lesa's Book Critiques is also a great source for my TBR pile. She's another mystery lover and she's a Library Manager with an inside track to all the great stuff coming out. Plus, she lives close to the Poison Pen in Arizona! I love to read about the writers she meets out there!

I just recently started reading Laura Lippman's Memory Project. We know she's a talented novelist, and it translates into this blog as well.

Alafair Burke turned me on to Oline Cogdill at Off the Page: On Books and Culture (a Sun Sentinel Blog). Oline has great discussion points on mystery topics. Lots of fun!

Patti over at Patti's Pens and Picks is another librarian and she's often talking about mystery novels as well. She's also been doing a lot of research into Web 2.0 offerings and how they work for the benefit of readers.

Tim Hallinan is another of the authors with a blog I follow. There are more than just Alafair and Tim, but these two are the most consistent with their blogs. Tim has such a great sense of humor, so his posts are always a fun experience.

Michael at Lazy Thoughts from a Boomer has a diverse blog. He includes not only a lot on books but also movies and current events. He and I are very often on the exact same wave length - especially when it comes to Robert Crais! :)

So there you have a sampling of my bloglines. When I'm not reading or blogging myself, I try to pop in on these blogs and others. They contribute to my reading choices, keep me up to date in book news, and provide some added entertainment to my day. Love them all!! And I definitely appreciate them EVERY week, but especially during this week. Thanks Bloggers!!