A few weeks ago we learned that the New York Times changed how they organized their paperback bestseller list. It is now broken up into trade (which is a format frequently read by book clubs) and mass market paperbacks, giving readers the ability to track a number of bestselling selections in each category. Earlier this week, as I was reading our list of the "Top Requested Guides," I realized that I wanted to make some changes there to give many more titles the chance to be spotlighted, as the appearance of some of the same guides each month was keeping us from sharing new trends with you. Beginning this month we now are featuring our "most read" guides in the following categories: New Favorites, which includes popular new guides; Ongoing Favorites, which includes guides that have been popular with reading clubs for an extended period of time; and Enduring Favorites, which includes discussion guides to the work of authors who have been read by book groups for years.

Happy Halloween! I'm very excited about today --- I'm dressing up as a witch to walk around the neighborhood with one of my best friends. My younger son is getting his wish: he is going to be a ghost. I bought him a white sheet this weekend since we did not have any in the house. He is wildly excited about this. My older son is on the fence about whether to accompany us or hand out the candy. He is pawing through the candy bucket here! Speaking of treats, Kidsreads.com has lots of terrific books for you in October.

Happy Halloween! I feel like a kid today. I'm dressing up as a witch to walk around the neighborhood trick or treating with one of my best friends. My younger son is getting his wish: he is going to be a ghost. I bought him a white sheet this weekend since we did not have any in the house. He is wildly excited about this. My older son is on the fence about whether to accompany us or hand out the candy. He is pawing through the candy bucket here! I have decided that Daylight Savings Time HAS to end before Halloween next year so it can be dark enough early to trick or treat!

Whew! If the past few weeks' weather gave me any illusions about the hazy lazy days of summer sticking around, they’re gone now. It FINALLY got cold, my two sons are buried in homework, my older son is stressing his college applications, our pool finally has been closed up for the season (gee, I really wanted to swim on Halloween this year) and the leaves are starting to drop. Time really flies, especially with so many things begging for our attention. Luckily for me, lots of those things are book-related.

Last weekend in Miami/Coral Gables was just lovely. I still am dreaming of the pool at the Biltmore --- all 80 meters of it. I had a room overlooking it, and when I opened my drapes the water was my view --- perfect! I lounged when not doing laps, though my pool reading was not typical resort fare.