My Dewey Read-a-Thon

I'll post here instead of blogging for the Dewey Read-a-Thon.

You can sign up here:

http://24hourreadathon.com/

Has it been a year already? Or do they do it more often, or is this a different read-a-thon than the one you've participated in before?

They do one every six months.

oh, too bad. I'll be working early voting that day. maybe next time.

I've never really tried a read-a-thon before. Is it fun? What do you like about it?

I like sitting all day and reading! I like the mini-challenges and ordering tons of books from the library so I have a nice selection. I like posting about what I'm reading that day on the hour.

Here's my tentative TBR list. I obviously won't read all of them - I've averaged 7 books over the last RAT - but they are my possibles.

Bad Moon Rising by Kenyon
The Cat Who Could Read Backwards by Braun
Diplomatic Immunity by Bujold
Kitty Raises Hell by Vaughn
Lover Awakened by Ward
The Queen's Bastard by Murphy
Searching for Dragons by Wrede
The Secret Garden by Burnett
The Secret of the Old Clock by Keene
Skeleton Canyon by Jance
Staying Dead by Gilman
Ten Big Ones by Evanovich
Vengeance of Dragons by Lisle
Very Bad Deaths by Robinson
When Demons Walk by Briggs
Glory in Death by Robb
Once Upon Stilettos by Swendson
Shakespeare's Christmas by Harris
The China Bride by Putney
The Princess Diaries by Cabot
The Midwife's Apprentice by Cushman
Unraveled Sleeve by Ferris
Highland Velvet by Deveraux
Tuck Everlasting by Babbit
Whitney, My Love by McNaught

Wow, you have a great range in this list. I'm just curious, are any of these are rereads for you? They would be for me, and ones I would enjoy revisiting.
Braun, Bujold, Wrede, Burnett, Keene (!), Evanovich, and Cabot. I think I have read something by 3 or 4 others on the list, just not your book.

Enjoy!

Four would be re-reads but I haven't read three in a long time. The re-reads would be the Robinson, Putney, Deveraux and McNaught. The last three were a long time ago.

ETA: Oh, and the Keene of course.

Two more days! Tomorrow is pick up at the library and they have 21 books for me! What do you think I should start with? I'm thinking Midwife's Apprentice as it's been in my house a bit and it's very short and it is a good thing to start the Read-a-thon off with a BANG!

I hope you have lots of fun with this! So envious :) Haven't done a read-a-thon since I was at primary school (5-11).

Snack ideas:

Cheetos (my downfall)
cashews
apple & peanut butter

What else? I like little bite size things for reading. Hmm...

For me, snack ideas would include:
Cheese (of course)
Nuts (probably almonds)
Oranges
Whole Grain Cheerios (dry)
Carrot sticks with salsa

(that reminds me, need to add salsa to the shopping list)

Ooh, how about those little cheese bits by the same company that does laughing cow?

Jelly babies. Or bridge mix. Or wine gums. My snack ideas are all candy :(

I'd forgotten about bridge mix. mmmmm

Nice, cool grapes might be nice.

I'm eating grapes as we speak, so that would be my suggestion as well.

And Cocoa Roast Almonds from Emerald. Nummy.

I have kale chips and energy bars for less messy food. Ooh, I wish I had grapes.

Good luck with the read-a-thon! I'm participating, too, but I'm planning to use Twitter and a Facebook note (permission set to "everyone"). I only have 3 books picked out so far, and only 1 is light. Must check out bookshelves for breezy back-up...

Go Morphy, Go!!!

First two books will be Midwife's Apprentice by Cushman and then Flirt by Hamilton. Go me!

Title of book(s) read since last update: Midwife's Apprentice by Cushman
Number of books read since you started: 1
Pages read since last update: 122
Running total of pages read since you started: 122
Amount of time spent reading since last update: 55
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 55

Where are you reading from today?
The couch

3 facts about me …
Read over 200 books last year, like to cross-stitch and crochet, about to start school for an Associate's in Accounting

How many books do you have in your TBR pile for the next 24 hours?
26 books from the library plus a few I own

Do you have any goals for the read-a-thon (i.e. number of books, number of pages, number of hours, or number of comments on blogs)?
No read goals, other than to read as much as I can.

If you’re a veteran read-a-thoner, Any advice for people doing this for the first time?
Start with an easy book - a children's or graphic novel, for instance.
Prepare snacks ahead of time.
Get a good night's sleep the night before.

Read on...

Have a great day reading Morph ...

Have fun, Morph! I will probably join in for a few hours this afternoon. Wish I could devote the whole day!

I am watching you!!!

Go, You dearie!

Title of book(s) read since last update: Flirt by Hamilton
Number of books read since you started: 2
Pages read since last update: 171
Running total of pages read since you started: 293
Amount of time spent reading since last update: 85 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 140
Mini-challenges completed: Hour 1 meme

The Kick Off of Champions

My kick off strategy mainly consisted of ordering a lot of books from the library. My husband is my assistance and keeps me fed and watered. I sent him off to the grocery store with a list that included snacks such as apples and peanut butter, Cheetos, a Lunchable, cashews, mandarin oranges, etc.

I'm on the couch, my usual spot, and have my two furry reading companions, Maia and Tawnie. Maia, is at my left foot keeping my ankle warm and Tawnie is on the other side of my pile of books.

I went to bed on time last night (once I stayed up late the night before to watch a movie, MISTAKE!) and got up in enough time to take care of email and such.

#16 Bridge Mix? suspension, arch, post-and-lintel ... nice if you like steel and concrete snacks ;)

Number of books read since you started: 2
Pages read since last update: 130
Running total of pages read since you started: 301
Amount of time spent reading since last update: 85
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 225
Mini-challenges completed: Kick Off of Champions, readers of the hour

31> LOL - hard on the teeth, that! My husband is a bridge engineer and even he wouldn't eat it. Bridge mix is not assorted playing cards coated with chocolate either.

Title of book(s) read since last update: Once Upon Stilettos by Swendson
Number of books read since you started: 3
Pages read since last update: 173
Running total of pages read since you started: 474
Amount of time spent reading since last update: 110 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 335 minutes

Yay! Morphidae! Morphidae!
Keep it up! Keep it up!

Win! Win! Win!

Holy Toledo! That's already 5 1/2 hours of straight reading. Go, Morphy, Go!

eta: actually, 6 1/2 hours, by the time I got here. GO! GO! GO!

*waves pompoms*

Gimme an M...
Gimme an O...
Gimme an R...
Gimme a P...
Gimme an H...
Gimme a Y......

What's that spell? MORPHY! What's that mean? SUPER READER!

Yay! *leaps astoundingly into the air and lands in a perfect split*

(I love virtual cheering. I'm capable of so much more.)

ETA: Apparently I am not capable of spelling correctly. Fixed. Glad you liked it, Morphy.

You all made me smile. I was wondering if I was going to get any cheerleading because I'm posting here instead of a blog and was sad I hadn't seen any so far. Thanks so much! :D

Title of book(s) read since last update: Searching for Dragons by Wrede, what a delightful book!
Number of books read since you started: 4
Pages read since last update: 242
Running total of pages read since you started: 716
Amount of time spent reading since last update: 110
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 584

Next book is Diplomatic Immunity by Bujold.

My mother was great at encouraging me to read. I remember going to the library and she would never comment on how many books I took out. The only rule was that I could only take out as many as I could carry. This usually meant a huge pile that I balanced under my chin as I toddled out to the car. When I was 12 or so, she was watching me read - I was reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - and she figured out why I read so fast. I was reading "chunks" instead of words and would only look at a line twice before moving the next.

http://www.rif.org/

Just got home from work and had to come check the thread. Can I sell snacks to the crowd? POPCORN! CANDY! PEANUTS! GET YOUR ICE COLD COCA COLA! *Balances tray carefully as the wave of cheers comes 'round again* Atta way to read, Morphy!

I'm also loving the insights into your reading habits. :)

Mid-Event Survey:
1. What are you reading right now?
Diplomatic Immunity by Lois McMaster Bujold

2. How many books have you read so far? Working on my fifth

3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon? Kitty Raises Hell by Vaughn

4. Did you have to make any special arrangements to free up your whole day?
Not really.

5. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those?
Asthma attack due to smoking steak being grilled, doh!

6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?
I'm enjoying it more because I'm not posting every hour. More time to read.

7. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?
More quick challenges like the Where in the World challenges rather than ones that take 10, 15 or 30 minutes.

8. What would you do differently, as a Reader or a Cheerleader, if you were to do this again next year?
Blog next time even though it's the only time I do so. People aren't commenting here on LT like I got last year, probably because they have to log in/register.

9. Are you getting tired yet?
A little bit.

10. Do you have any tips for other Readers or Cheerleaders, something you think is working well for you that others may not have discovered?
I can't stress the importance of starting out with an easy, light read.

Number of books read since you started: 4
Pages read since last update: 115
Running total of pages read since you started: 831
Amount of time spent reading since last update: 90
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 674

Go, go, go...

Title of book(s) read since last update: Diplomatic Immunity by Bujold
Number of books read since you started: 5
Pages read since last update: 192
Running total of pages read since you started: 1023
Amount of time spent reading since last update: 120 minutes
Running total of time spent reading since you started: 794 minutes (13+ hours)

And I'm done. Nighty night!

Way to go!

1. Which hour was most daunting for you?
The first hour. I was a little stressed on getting things together, getting my computer "stuff" done and it took me a bit to get into reading that early.

2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?
Searching for Dragons by Wrede is the second in her dragon series. They are a delight.

3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?
Faster mini-challenges. If they take 10 minutes are more, it's too much. Where is the World type challenges are the best.

4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?
Nice to be on Facebook

5. How many books did you read?
5

6. What were the names of the books you read?
The Midwife's Apprentice by Karen Cushman
Flirt by Laurell K. Hamilton
Once Upon Stilettos by Shanna Swendson
Searching for Dragons by Patricia Wrede
Diplomatic Immunity by Lois McMaster Bujold

7. Which book did you enjoy most?
Searching for Dragons by Patricia Wrede

8. Which did you enjoy least?
Flirt by Laurell K. Hamilton

9. If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders?
If someone is on your team, leave at least ONE message for them.

10. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time?
I'm not sure. I must admit I've been disappointed in the challenges (they take too much time) and the lack of cheerleading received (other than my LT GD peeps!) I'm a reader and prize giver.

I won a handmade crocheted bookmark for my post #40, the Reading is Fundamental Challenge.

woo hoo!!

I participated in an unofficial capacity, and managed to finish two books I've been reading, the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which was a first time read, although I've seen both movies, and Storm Front, the first book in the Dresden Files series, which I'm rereading in its entirety in anticipation of reading the newest book Changes.

Great job, Morphy! I love Patricia Wrede - that is one of my favorite series ever.

*whistles loudly* Congrats on the bookmark win!