Wow where did the year go? Here we are in December already and its time to post this challenge again. I started this one in 2011 and had so much fun with it. You can see my 2011 map here.
So what is the point of this challenge? It is to try to read in each of the 50 States between January 1 2012 – December 31, 2012.
So how do you decide what state a book is categorized under?
1. In a fiction read it would be the State or Country that the book spends the most time in. (Ie. If your main character is from Wisconsin but the book is all about his/her time in college in California – the books should categorize under California….)
2. Non fiction reads categorize in whatever State or Country it is about (Ie…. a book about fly fishing in Colorado is a Colorado point, and a book about women in Afghanistan is an Afghanistan point.
3. If the book goes from one state to another… go with the state that most of the time is spent.
How to get started
Set up a map under Google Maps. It is easy to do! Every time you read a book in 2012, upload a cover picture to Picasa Web Albums (there may be other sites to use, feel free to use what works best for you).
Grab the challenge button here for your posts and sidebar:
Questions?
Do you have to have a blog to participate? No. You can do everything on the map above without linking the book to a review.
Do I have to have my post up by January 1st, 2012? No, but I would think you would want to get started right away at the beginning of the year. However, you will be able to sign up throughout January as well.
How will people see my map? There are a couple of possibilities. On your original challenge post you should have a link to your map. You could also put it on your side bar to draw interest to it (see mine on my left side bar) I will be linking my map to every review I will also set up a monthly link here to post updates if you wish.
I dont get it – I cant figure out how to use Google maps but I really want to participate! No worries! You are welcome to create a challenge post that lists the 50 states (as well as bonus out of USA spots) and then fill them in as you read in the areas.
Do audio books count? ABSOLUTELY!
Once you are ready and have your map set up please create a blog post (those who have blogs) using the Challenge picture of the map I provided above as well as link to this post so others may join in. Then come back and link that post here to Mr Linky (below) so I as well as other participants know that you are participating and we can pop in throughout the year to check out your map and how we are all doing. I will post a linky at the end of each month so participants can check in with their own post of how they are doing. I will offer a $10 amazon gift card to one lucky participant who does a check in post at the end of each month and links it.
This is actually a fun and easy challenge as all books you read qualify and it will be fun to see where you generally read books from as well as searching out books to fill in areas that you need.
For those who have covered the 50 states by the end of 2012, they will go into a drawing for a $25 gift card to Barnes and Noble or to Amazon. ** All other areas beyond the 50 states are bonus points and we will have a drawing using random.org for those who read 10 or more books throughout 2012 in that category.
You can see my map I worked on in 2011 here to see what the map looks like and how the pictures link to the reviews. (If you zoom in you will see the individual areas I read in and clicking on the blue pins will show you what book it was and clicking on the picture will take you to the post!
That’s it! Here is a link to tips on how to do it. Any other questions – please leave them in the comments section below.
I can’t wait to see WHERE You Are Reading!
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* Please enter the link to your post on your blog, not directly to your blog. Thank you 😛
*If you do not have a blog but wish to participate by creating the map you can link to your map
Book Journey 
I am going to try this challenge! I only read about 75 books a year and so it may be really hard to accomplish all 50 states but I am excited to see what my reading map will look like next year at this time.
Thanks for running the challenge this year.
Nice! I went in with no direction to where I read this past year and did ok, but this year I want to do it with more intentional 😀
Tried this in 2011 and did better than I thought I would….never did get the hang of the map….
already have a book for Vermont and a few other states 😉
Gina, go in and look at my map. If you want I can help with directions… I am not that computer savy so for me to figure it out means it is fairly easy to do 😀
Sheila: Thank you for hosting again. I didn’t complete the challenge last year but it was fun seeing all the places I visited through reading. I use photobucket and will have to figure out how to post the cover images since I’m not computer savvy also.
Hi Cheryl and YAY! I am going to add directions to a page on this post to help you (and others) as well 😀
Going to put some real effort into the states I missed this year!! It is terrible how addicting this challenge can be, but I just ran out of time.
I kept thinking I was going to get to a certain point and then read more intentionally – I did not. 🙂
This sounds like a lot of fun! Even though I’m from Spain, I do a lot of my reading in English, so I think it’ll be fun to try and fill in my map. But I have a question: I write in spanish on my blog, so any book review will be in Spanish. Would that be a problem?
Not a problem 😀
I do not even know the 50 states of America and did not know there were 50! but I am definitely coming in on this one!
Mystica… where do you live? 😀
Going to give it a try! Sounds like a fun way to read through the year. Hope I can figure put how to do it.
I am going to pull some of the instructions off last years post and add to this one to help people new to the google maps. 😀
I failed big time on this one this past year. I read soooo many books it was just hard for me to keep up with it. But I’ve cut way down on the amount of challenges I’m participating in, in the coming year and I’m gonna give it another whirl LOL! Thanks for hosting Shelia, it really is a great challenge!
Thanks Deb – I enjoy it 😀 I really liked seeing where I read this past year… it fascinated me how many books have settings in New York, Florida, and California… 😀
I too had plans to cut down on the challenges joined…..didn’t work, I’m up over 16…..lol
I am in. I totally bombed on keeping up with my map so I will just record where I read on my challenge page.
Whatever works 😀 Glad you are in.
I took this challenge in 2011 and read 52 books but only managed about 30 states. I still filled in my map for the locations in London and France just for fun.
I’m going to try again in 2012!
I havent done my recap yet Diana but I did not get them all either. I loved doing it thought ;D
I would like to try a challenge this year. See where it takes me I doubt 50 states, don’t like to be locked in, but lets see how it goes. I am in. Thanks for hosting this challenge.
HI Susan – no locking in… I read a lot out of the US and in some cases… out of this world 😀 Its just a fun way to keep track of where you are reading 😀
I did a map this year and it was a lot of fun–and now I get to join a bunch of reading mappers! Yay!
They are kind of fun Jean, I was new tot he maps too when I started this 😀
I am going to do this challenge, just not sure about the whole map Picasa link thing.
Elisabeth you are welcome to do it without the map 🙂
I’m totally going to participate, but not entirely follow the rules, lol. I like the idea of it, but I don’t think I’ll force myself to read something specifically for the challenge – more like track it and see how it goes!
YAY Crystal! I didnt force myself into any reading plan either last year – it was just fun to track it. 😀
Your map looks so cool. I really want to do this now. I’m going to do as some of the others stated — just read and see how my map looks next year. I may pick up a book here and there for a specific location, but I won’t get stressed about it. It sounds like so much fun.
Thanks for hosting.
Thats all I did.. I thought as I got towards the end of the year I would read more intentionally but I never did 😀
I love this challenge! I read a lot and this will help me get more organized.
Awesome! It is a lot of fun 🙂
This looks like a challenge for me. I do not usually pay attention to where the book I read take place but I look forward to give some thought to this. I have already got a few books in mind.
And I will get help for the map from my husband 🙂
YAY Jane – glad to have you on the map! 😀
I am going to give it a try, not sure of the map. Have to think of books for the challenge.
Ok Sheila, I am finally understand how to set up the map. But, I do have a couple of issues. How do I get the map in focus. My map is totally outside. Then I understood the map was out, of bounds with the map. I can figure, but the readers wouldn’t.
Second, how am I able to get the graphics for the book. It is asking for the URL. Not like my blog, where I can find it on my computer.
The third to link the post to the map.
I have been working on this all day. I like how your’s worked out. It would be so awesome if I could figure this out. Any help would be great. thanx Susan
Sheila, I finally figured the hardest part out. I went to youtube and there is a tutorial how to put your pix up. How do you make your post link to your map? The other question, my map is zoomed out, what am I doing wrong that I have to scroll several times to get in to the locations.
Finally, I am feeling more confident and can’t wait to start the challenge. Can you please help?
Susan you are doing well! On your map page you will see in the upper right a little link picture… when you click on that it will give you the address of your map. Copy this.
Back at your blog post you can use this link just like you link a picture on your blog. I hope that helps a bit…. let me know. I just sat down after 6 hours of straight cooking for a Christmas party tomorrow so I am a little unfocused 😀
I finally took the plunge and signed up. I wasn’t sure if I would, but it looks like fun. I hope I did the map right. LOL
Thanks for hosting this!
Fantastic! Way to take the plunge Yvonne! 😀
Okay, I think you’ve got me convinced – especially when you said I could keep a list rather than a map, which looks too complicated and time consuming for me! 🙂
YAY Carrie!
Just signed up and added a post will add a link on the side and my map iink as I set it up. I enjoyed last years challenge and was able to finish the last book on Dec 30.
Some states are hard to find. I know one or two books didn’t make the map as I forgot them earlier in the year and cant remember where they were set.
Some are hard to find Jenny! Now I get excited when I hear a book I plan to read is set in a state I do not have yet 😀
Me too and I go on no not another in Montana or Texas.
Hopefully by doing a monthly recap this time we will be able to see each others states and find books we are missing for states we need.
I’m signing up again, although the silly linky auto-filled in my entry so it looks like I’m just reading Rosie’s Bus. Oh well.
I probably won’t do check-in posts because I keep updating the sign-up one, although I always review my challenges as part of my weekly look at what I’m reading. This should be fun!
Glad to have you on board again Beth 😀
I’m in, this sounds like a really interesting and different way to view my reading through the year.
I read a lot of speculative fiction so I may not get all 50 but I bet my map/list will be interesting.
I hope you enjoy 🙂
I have signed up and put the link on my blog. I am also doing the 2012 Men In Uniform Reading Challenge, and the Goodreads Challenge.
Good luck Susan! Have fun!
I already am 🙂
Good – I love using the map! Its so excited to see everywhere I read 😀
I always thought this looked interesting, so will try it this year. Though I’ll be surprised if I get over half of the US “visited”. Most of my reading is historical fiction in other parts of the world, or other worlds. Which will be interesting to try and plot
This looks like so much fun! I don’t know if I’ll be able to find books in all 50 states but I’ll definitely give it a shot!
How did I not add my link yet? Here it is: http://ratb2.blogspot.com/2011/12/2012-where-are-you-reading-challenge.html
I kept forgetting to add to the map last year, so I’m just keeping track at the above link.
Glad you did now Vicki 🙂
I decided to do both map http://www.google.com/maps/ms?msid=202252592560795051060.0004b5c13ef7b9508a423&msa=0&ll=38.203655,-98.4375&spn=37.617046,79.013672
and list http://susans2012books.blogspot.com/p/where-are-you-reading-state-statistics.html
After awhile it’s easier to see all the places on a list, as the map gets rather crowded…
I am doing both as well Susan…. on the sidebar I am keeping track on the states on a list – but love the look of the map filling up 😀
I’m joining a little late, and unfortunately 11 of the 12 books I’ve read this year have been set internationally or in the future, so I’m not too far along, but this challenge was just too exciting to pass up! Can’t wait to see how many of the 50 I can get!
Glad to have you on board Megan!!! Enjoy!
Hi Sheila. I am sure I joined in December but I can’t find my name on the list at the top of this page. Do I have to join again?
Hi Jane, if you are not on the linky please add the link to your post of when you signed up… that is odd you are not on it if you had already linked up. 🙂
I find it odd too, but I have now signed up again. I have chosen to link to my Where are you Reading Challenge page instead of the actual join up post from 18th of December.
I missed the deadline for the challenge but I really like this idea and might just keep my own list just for fun.
You can still sign up, the linky is open 🙂
I have completely forgotten about the monthly challenges but now that I have remembered I can’t find the link for them.
Hi just wanted to give you a brief heads up and let you know a few of the pictures aren’t loading properly. I’m not sure why but I think its a linking issue.
I’ve tried it in two different internet browsers and both show the same outcome.
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