I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.  I spent some time with family, ate a lot and I’m enjoying some time off from work. These long weekends are great for catching up on some much needed sleep.

Today is Black Friday – when consumers all over the US go on a crazy shopping spree and retailers offer deep discounts on everything from clothing to electronics. Even if you’re not one who celebrates the holidays, it’s hard to ignore the steep discounts. For your convenience, I added a link to Amazon’s Black Friday deals page (an affiliate link, of course).

No matter what your plans are, have a safe and happy weekend!

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Welcome to the very late edition of Friday Link Love. I had a busy day of trying to get stuff done that I neglected throughout the week. Time somehow slipped away from me and I’m finding myself needing a few more hours each day. So without any further distraction, here are some great links for you to check out. And as always, have a safe and happy weekend!

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First I’d like to wish everyone a belated Happy Veteran’s Day. If you haven’t yet thanked a veteran for his/her service, it’s never too late.

There is really not much to report for this past week. A lot of you are in the middle of your NaNoWriMo projects and sweating because November is just about half way over. If you need a break from writing, I have some great links below for your reading entertainment. If you’re not participating in NaNoWriMo this year, then you should have plenty of time to check out these links.

It’s Friday (the 13th) and you know what that means – have a happy and safe weekend.

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This has been a busy week for me. I’m sure those of you participating in this year’s NaNoWriMo marathon are even busier than me, so I’ll keep things brief. It’s Friday, the weekend is here. Have fun!

Seriously though, if you need I quick break from your writing, I have some great links for you to check out, just like every Friday. As always, have a happy and safe weekend!

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Welcome to the Friday “Spooktacular” edition of Link Love! Actually it’s not, just business as usual. I’m not a big fan of Halloween (yes, I’m a Scrooge). Although I will be attending a Halloween party Saturday night, dressed as an unemployed writer. Seems fitting in this economy.

Halloween aside, the Chicago area keeps getting pounded with lousy weather and rain storms. While I normally enjoy the occasional drizzle and/or storm, this constant bad weather is starting to pick at everyone’s nerves. Most of us have forgotten what a blue sky looks like, or the sun for that matter.

Enough small talk. Here are a few great links from around the web for your reading enjoyment. Have a happy Halloween and, as always, a safe and weekend!

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The exciting event this week, of course, has been the announcement of the Nook, the e-reader from Barnes & Noble. The Nook is a revolutionary step forward in many ways, which I described in my earlier post.  The Nook also adds much-needed competition to Amazon’s Kindle and the line of e-readers from Sony.

In the emerging ebook industry, we need healthy competition to ensure innovation, reasonable pricing and choice for consumers. I’m looking forward to reading the first reviews after the Nook is released in late November. My local B&N store already has promotional material for the Nook available for customers.

Other than that, it has been business as usual. Fall must officially be here, as the Chicago area has seen miserable weather over the last few days – cold, rainy, windy and very bleak. Winter is not too far behind. Oh well, at least it’s Friday, and you know what that means!

Have a happy and safe weekend!

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The weather in the Chicago area has been miserable. Cold temperatures and rain have been pounding us for a while now. No sunny skies in sight, at least not in the foreseeable future. This week has been an average week, with the exception of my home internet being down for about a day. No big deal, I got a lot done around the house and when I needed to log on, I just wen to my neighborhood Starbucks.

Not much else to write about today. It’s Friday, the weekend is here and you know what that means – two days of freedom. Read a book. Get some writing done. Or just relax and enjoy your favorite hot beverage. And don’t forget to mark your calendars: November 21 is the National Day of Reading! Let’s make this a success.

As always, have a safe and happy weekend!

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I wish there were more hours in the day. Seems like there is just too much that needs to get done and never enough time to do it. Between this blog, other writing projects, freelancing and working at my ‘regular’ job, my days are squeezed pretty tight. At least the weather in the Chicago area has been crummy so I’m not tempted to spend more time outside.

Another week has flown by and we are now well into October. Don’t forget to visit here on December 1 to kick off the ’3 years of Brad’s Reader’ celebration. I promise you won’t be disappointed! I’m keeping my plans under tight wraps, so you’ll just have to wait until December 1 to find out what awaits you.

Until then, have a happy and safe weekend!

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I can’t believe it’s already October! Time seems to really fly. The leaves are starting to change color and the air is becoming more crisp. I also like how nights are becoming colder, makes it much easier to sleep. During the summer months I lay on top of the bed sweating (I know, too much information).

These last 3 months of 2009 will be busy here at Brad’s Reader. There will be the December surprise, but I also have some other goodies up my sleeve. I won’t say anything more, so you’ll just have to keep coming back to find out!

That’s it for now. I got some great stuff for you to read during the next two days. As always, have a safe and happy weekend.

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I can’t believe September is almost gone. Summer is behind us and we are heading full-steam into autumn. I love the fall because the leaves change colors, the crisp and cool air, the shorter days and it’s also nice to be able to sleep at night without sweating (I know, too much information). I’ll be honest though, my favorite seasons are spring and autumn. Summer is too hot and winter is too cold – at least here in the Chicago area. Spring and autumn is when real change happens and we can see it all around us.

Also, as we approach December, it will mark 3 years of Brad’s Reader! I started this blog as hobby to express my opinions about literature and writing, and since then, the blog has grown and evolved in ways I never imagined. But I’ll discuss that more once December is here.

In the meantime, it’s Friday, and you all know what that means. Have a happy and safe weekend!

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