It has been a while since I added new links (and deleted some old ones) to my Top Post page. But today I finally forced myself to sit down and get it done. I try to feature posts that ranked high in my analytics program, the result of a lot of good "buzz" around the net.

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Have you noticed my posts have been a little sparse lately? Well, if you have you’re not alone. This past week has been hectic, to say the least, and I have been doing a little traveling with spotty internet, so posting hasn’t been easy.

The good news is, however, that I’m back and will be posting according to my unofficial "official" posting schedule. The summer months are always a little slower as far as blogging goes. I’m planning to step things up in the fall and winter months. And, like I have mentioned in the past, will be re-organizing the ads and maybe making a few other changes to the blog.

I hope everyone out there in the blogosphere is enjoying their summer! Have a safe and happy Monday!

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I hope all of you are enjoying your weekend, especially because it’s the first day of June and summer is pretty much here, as far as I’m concerned. I just wanted to write a quick post about some "housekeeping" items I need to address.

Friday Link Love will return next week
I apologize for not getting my Friday Link Love post up this week. I really don’t have a good excuse other than I was so tired on Thursday night (when I write the  link love posts) that I could barely put together a coherent sentence. On top of that, I kinda slacked off on collecting various posts to use. I can’t remember the last time I missed a Friday Link Love post, so this doesn’t happen very often.

Monthly Newsletter on Hold…for now
For those of you who subscribe to my monthly newsletter, it is currently on hold for the time being. Why? I’m working out a way give the newsletter a complete makeover (as far as content is concerned). Once I hammer out the details, you can be sure that your favorite newsletter will be back into your mailbox in no time!

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I want to congratulate Sheri Doyle, who won the $30 Amazon gift card by commenting on this blog during April’s comment contest! Please check out Sheri’s blog One of the Best Things.

If you didn’t win, don’t worry, there will be plenty more opportunities for you in the near future. I’m not sure exactly when my next giveaway will be, but you can be certain it will be soon!

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I’m back! I apologize for not posting in several days – I’ve been busy with a few other projects and found myself short on time. Instead of writing several posts to cover several topics, I’m gonna combine them into one post to save me (and you) time. Here’s what’s going on at Brad’s Reader:

Comment Contest Winner to be Announced

The good news is that a winner has been picked and notified for my April 2008 Comment Contest! I’ll be announcing the winner soon (probably before the weekend), and the $30 Amazon gift card is on its way! If you didn’t win, don’t worry, I’ll be holding many more contests like this in the near future.

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As a way of promoting this blog, I decided to start selling uber-cool Brad’s Reader stuff. Check out my little shop at Brad’s Reader Gear – I’ll be adding more products and designs in the very near future. Right now you can buy t-shirts, tote bags, mouse pads, coffee mugs and other cool stuff.  And don’t worry, the quality is pretty good. I have put my money where my mouth is and bought samples of the stuff I sell, so I can say with confidence that you will be happy with whatever you decide to purchase.

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Time is quickly running out for your chance to win a $30 Amazon gift card! All you have to do is leave a comment on any post written this month (April 2008). Any comment received after 11:59pm April 30, will not be eligible. Please be sure to read my easy contest rules and, more importantly, have fun!

How do you win such a great prize? It’s easy! All you have to do is leave a comment under any post written this entire month and you will be eligible to win. Here are a few simple rules to keep in mind:

1. The winning comment will be chosen at random.

2. Comment as many times as you like, on as many posts as you like (as long as they are written this month). The more comments you make, the better chance you have at winning!

3. All comments MUST follow my simple guidelines. Please read them carefully. Spammers will not be eligible.

4. The $30 Amazon gift card will be in US dollars only. No prize substitutions will be made.

5. Have fun!

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I see this as a good sign that I must implement a formal comment policy for this blog. It means it’s getting more attention, which unfortunately also means that spammers are starting to take aim. My guidelines are pretty straightforward and there shouldn’t be any surprises.

Please feel free to leave a comment, or as many comments as you like. I love hearing what others have to say. Don’t be shy! If you do decide to comment, just keep the following in mind:

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What happens when a bunch of lawmakers decide that it’s a good idea to make booksellers register with the state government if they sell "sexually explicit material"?

I’m not sure what the answer is, but we’ll probably see a few lawsuits and some good court battles as a result. Basically, on March 13 the governor of Indiana signed into law a bill that requires booksellers to register with the state if they sell sexually explicit material. How do they define sexually explicit material, you ask? Here’s what Publishers Weekly is reporting:

"Sexually explicit material" is defined as any product that is "harmful to minors" under existing law.

I’m glad those genius lawmakers were specific enough so there’s no gray area (sarcasm!). Basically, any sexual content in a book sold at a bookstore could be seen as sexually explicit and thus is harmful to minors. This means that even classics like Shakespeare could qualify, not to mention a lot of contemporary literature, books on human sexuality, photography books with nude photos and…well… you get the idea.

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