Final Readathon Update and end of readathon meme

 Final Readathon Update and end of Readathon meme


1. Which hour was most daunting for you?


I think the hour that was the hardest was the one right before I went to bed between 3am and 4am.
2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?

Ellen Hopkins is an author whose books that are high interest and super compelling, quick reads.  They are young adult and definite page turners.
3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?
I would suggest having a page where people can put in the charity they are reading for so that others can sponsor them and/or check out the charity.
4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?
This is my first time participating in Dewey's 24 hour readathon.  So I guess I thought everything went pretty well.
5. How many books did you read?
Three and 1/4 books.
6. What were the names of the books you read?
I finished The Book of Unholy Mischief (about 78 pages)by Elle Newmark in the morning.
The Accidental King of Clark Street by Diane Dryden
The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams and
Fallout by Ellen Hopkins
7. Which book did you enjoy most?
Fallout, only because I have read the other two books in the series and it was the one I was most invested in finishing, which is why I saved it for the middle of the night.  I knew it would keep me awake.
8. Which did you enjoy least?
I enjoyed all of the books and my time spent doing what I love: Reading.
9. If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders?
I really enjoyed cheering.  Can't think of any advice right now other than I really needed people cheering me on in the middle of the night and no one commented after midnight.
10. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time?
I will probably participate again as a reader and cheerleader.  It was fun but I am definitely exhausted.  I really liked reading for charity and wished more readers did this, it was very motivating for me.

 

24 hour Readathon update #?

My final update for the night and it is 4am and just 3 hours in the readathon to go.  I just finished reading Fallout by Ellen Hopkins.  She is my author of choice for all future readathons.  So here are totals and then I am bidding everyone goodnight as I can't stay awake any longer.

 Pages read:  960
Time reading:  11 hours
Can't remember how many challenges I did right now.
I cheered several times during the readathon
My pillow is calling Goodnight.

 Read A- Thon Update:  Ok, it is 2am and I am fighting to stay awake.  I am now reading in a very uncomfortable computer chair.  My back hurts and I just got a snack since I don't drink coffee.  What else keeps people awake?
Pages read: 751
Time reading:  8 hours and 56 minutes.  OK next time I post, I need to make up these for minutes.
Cheerleaders, I need you!!!

Read-A-Thon Update. Midnight

Pages read so far:  588
Time spent reading:  7 hours and 56 minutes
Book completed: 2
Challenges completed: 5
Distractions:  computer, tired eyes, dog
Try really hard not to fall asleep. OMG, I am tired.
Fallout is an excellent book and I am counting on Ellen Hopkins to keep me awake for a few more hours.
I feel like my typing is slurred, possibly I am drunk on words.

NO pictures for this post, Blogger is acting funny.
Laura

24 hour Readathon update

Read-A-Thon update #2.

Pages read so far:  293
Hours read so far:  5 hours and 51 minutes
Challenges entered:  3

OK, things are picking up here.  My daughter spent the afternoon playing with a friend so I had time to read and do a few challenges.  I just completed reading a book and am ready to start my 3rd book today.  I just finished reading The Accidental King of Clark Street by Diane Dryden.  It was a lighthearted fun read and reminded me how important it is to be part of a community, like the book blogging community. 

My goal is read 1000 pages and I am a bit behind.  So my next book is going to be a quick read and then I am on to a young adult novel written in prose called Fallout by Ellen Hopkins.  It is almost 700 pages and will hopefully put me where I want to be at the end of the readathon.

The charity I am reading for is The Women's Prison Book Project and I have several sponsors.  I am sponsoring myself for a penny a page.  I feel that by reading for a charity it is pushing me to keep going. 

So now comes the hard part, staying awake late into the night.

Pet Pics and Prose mini challenge for the readathon

Pet Pics and Prose mini challenge

Here is my adorable dog Titus who incidentally loves books.  He always has to smell what I am reading and he frequently gives my books little kisses.

My favorite book featuring an animal is The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams.
The Rabbit doesn't have a name in the book other than rabbit.  I think I will re-read this book for the challenge later.

For the challenge we are supposed to write a sentence using the first letter of the animal's name in the book for all the words.  I will use the letter R since the main animal character goes by the name of Rabbit.  I doubt this will make any sense but here goes.

.
Sentence:  Rabbit reads red raspberry rings in a really reliable realm.

Armchair Traveling mini-challenge for the Readathon

Armchair Travel:  I am a big fan of traveling through books and today's challenge has taken me to Venice in Italy, Spain, and the streets of Chicago.  I will try and show you a few landmarks.

In The Book of Unholy Mischief, I spent a lot of time reading about the Rialto.  Here is a picture of the Rialto bridge and a gondola in the canals of Venice.  Can I just say, that I desperately want to visit Venice.  It looks so beautiful.

The next stop in The Book of Unholy Mischief is Cadiz, Spain.  It was a Moorish stronghold and so the picture of the city below, I hope, presents a Moorish temple or a Catholic Cathedral.  I have never heard of this city in Spain until I read about it today and searched for a photo for the mini-challenge.  It is beautiful.  I think I need to go on a Mediterranean cruise.

Lastly, I present an image of Clark Street in Chicago, Illinois.  I have been to Chicago but not to this street.  The novel I am currently reading takes place on this street, it is called, The Accidental King of Clark Street.

 

So I have traveled far and wide today and hope to continue to a new city or country.
  Ciao!

24 Read-a-Thon update

My Read-A-Thon Update:

Pages read so far: 78
Time read:  90 minutes

I am feeling sad about my progress so far as we are into the 5th hour and I haven't gotten much accomplished.  I am the sole care giver of my 9 year old daughter this weekend and I have had to make breakfast, take her to ice skating lessons, etc and so that is where my time has gone.  I have finished reading one book, as I only 78 pages left in it and so I will make lunch for my daughter and settle in for a long afternoon of reading on the porch swing.  Hopefully my daughter will pick up a book as well and we can both snuggle with our dog on the patio.  The book I finished today is:  The Book of Unholy Mischief by Elle Newmark.  It was really enjoyable. 

The book I am reading next is called The Accidental King of Clark Street by Diane Dryden.  She is my Hometown Track Author in the Spotlight this month.  I can't wait to disappear in a good book.  So off I go to make lunch, maybe cheer-lead for 15 minutes and possible take on a challenge.  I will check back in when I finish the book later this afternoon.  See ya.

Her Fearful Symmetry

Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger

As we take our tour through Her Fearful Symmetry, I would like to point out some important details for you to ponder.  First of all, let me welcome you to Highgate Cemetery in North London, a most historical place with many famous burials located within our walls.  It is our first stop on the tour and the background of the book.

 Notice as you enter the gates, the high stone arches and look around at all the beautiful stone statues located above the family crypts.  The artistry is lovely but also notice the plant and wildlife located here.  As old cemeteries go, this one is full of character and history.  Beware of Ghosts and Be sure to stop by the family crypt when your in town.

Let's cross the street and visit the flat in London where the main characters live.  There are three large flats located in the building.  The flat on the ground floor is owned by Elspeth, who dies early on in the novel and leaves her flat to her twin sisters children, who also happen to be twins.  There names are Veronica and Julia.  There are secrets and strange happenings in this flat. When you enter the flat notice how cold your skin feels, it is quite natural to get the chills here so remember your sweater.

The middle flat is owned by Robert, who is a tour guide of the Highgate Cemetery.  He happened to be Elspeth's lover before she died and he misses her terribly.  The twins are a welcome distraction when he is not busy working on his thesis on Highgate cemetery.  Veronica is his favorite.  There really isn't much to see here except Elspeth's personal diary which details her relationship with her twin, Edie, and divulges their secrets.

The top flat is owned by a man named Martin who has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and cannot leave his flat.  It is definitely a sight to see.  There are boxes everywhere and paper on the windows.  He became friends with Julia while trying to be a better man for his wife.  Watch your step and be careful not to injure yourself.  The newspapers on the front step are in a precarious place.  

Well, this concludes our tour of Her Fearful Symmetry.  Please leave your comments in the green box along with a small donation to keep the cemetery open.

Thank you all for coming.  I hope you had a lovely tour today.

 Your book guide,

I received this book through Crazy Book Tours.

I am participating in Dewey's 24 hour Read-A-Thon on Saturday

Hi Everyone,

I am happy to announce that I will be participating in Dewey's 24 hour Read-a-thon on Saturday, October 9th.  This will be the first time I have participated in a Dewey's 24 hour reading marathon and I am super excited about it. 

I will be reading for charity.  The charity I have chosen is called The Women's Prison Book Project.  It is a Minneapolis based non-profit.  Please check out the website HERE and read on for more information about The Women's Prison Book Project.  I would love it if you would consider sponsoring me per page or per hour or even a flat rate donation of 5 bucks would be great.  I am sponsoring myself at a penny a page and I hope to read at least 1000 pages.

I am also a cheerleader for the read-a-thon, so one hour out of my day will be devoted to cheering on other readers!  Go Readers!  I also plan to complete at least one reading challenge in between books.  I actually have 3 books picked out to read right now and am getting excited.  My husband and son are out of town so I will also be taking care of my daughter and hoping to entice her to read an hour or so.  

Here is more information about The Women's Prison Book Project:  WPBP does not have any paid staff--all donations benefit women in prison directly. We use the funds to buy books, pay for postage, and purchase mailing supplies. Your donation means more women in prison receive books they requested from us.

Since 1994, the Women’s Prison Book Project (WPBP) has provided women and transgender –identified persons in prison with free reading materials covering a wide range of topics from law and education (dictionaries, GED, etc.) to fiction, politics, history, and women’s health. We are an all volunteer, grassroots organization. We seek to build connections with those behind the walls, and to educate those of us on the outside about the realities of prison and the justice system.
Of the more than two million people confined in U.S. prisons and jails, over 150,000 are women.  Eighty percent of these women are there for non–violent crimes, such as shoplifting, prostitution, drug related convictions, and fraud.  Of the women convicted of violent crimes, the vast majority were convicted for defending themselves or their children from abuse.  More than 1/2 of all women in prison are women of color, and two–thirds of women in prison have at least one child under eighteen.  Most of these mothers had primary custody of their children before going to prison.
These facts mean that women in prison have specific needs for particular kinds of information: material on families, children, women's self–help, women's health, and legal aid pertaining to women who fight back against their abusers.  There are also many lesbian, bisexual, and transgender prisoners who often have trouble obtaining information that is relevant to their lives.  As new prisons are built to warehouse the growing number of incarcerated people in the U.S., the meager resources previously available to prisoners are being cut or limited to only a few. WPBP is one place where women/transgender persons in prison can get information that is often unavailable from any other source. WPBP works to support prisoners; and through that solidarity work to empower prisoners themselves and build connections through prison walls.

We recognize that prisons and the entire “justice” system are about controlling and suppressing the lives/movements of the poor, women, and all people of color. The U.S. has the highest incarceration rate in the world, and that is no accident.We urge all progressive people to include prison issues as an integral part of the struggle for sweeping social change. In keeping with this view we also acknowledge that as activists on the outside it is vital to provide whatever material support that WPBP can to women political prisoners and prisoners of war in U.S. prisons and jails.



 

THe Traveler

Check out the Book:  The Traveler by Suthep Srikureja

About Suthep Srikureja

Suthep Srikureja lives in Bangkok with his wife and three children. An entrepreneur and a writer, he can often be found immersed in various bodies of water. The Traveler is his first book.
You can find out about Suthep and his book at http://www.mettavisions.com

About The Traveler

Written by Suthep Srikureja while listening to the music of the waves and stunningly illustrated by Denys Blacker, The Traveler is about Dreams and Wishes…it’s about Expressions and Wonder and about Hope and Trust.
It is a Story of the Stars and it seeks to inspire awe in our everyday existence and optimism about the future.


It looks wonderful!!!

Hometown Track Author in the Spotlight #3

Hometown Track Author in the Spotlight #3

I would like to introduce October's Author:  Diane Dryden!

There are special reasons why I chose Diane to be this month's author in the spotlight.  First of all, I have known her my whole life as she is my Dad's first cousin.  My grandma and Diane's mom were sisters.  I have very fond memories of spending time with Diane's family at the lake in the summer. 

Diane has published two books that the blog world needs to hear about and that I personally can't wait to read and review.  She is working on a third book to be published soon. 

Diane is not from Minnesota but she hails from Shell Lake, Wisconsin which is about a two hour drive from Saint Paul.  She has roots in Illinois as well.

The features for October's author in the spotlight are:  a contest,  a book review, an author interview, a  booklist, a short biography and maybe a guest post. 

So stay tuned to learn about a fabulous author.