Tag: Read A Thon

Dewey Read – A – Thon Has Begun!

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)81 Comments

Are you ready!  I am and soooo looking forward to this.  I have most of the day set aside to read, with the slight possibility of attending a wrap up potluck gathering for our kick ball team late afternoon – that has yet to be determined.

This post will be up all day and this is where I will post updates and any mini challenge info I participate in. (updates are at bottom of post)

Mid Event Survey Challenge:


1. What are you reading right now?  finishing up Sold by Patricia McCormick


2. How many books have you read so far?  4


3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon?  I am hoping to treat myself with City of Bones by Cassandra Clare


4. Did you have to make any special arrangements to free up your whole day?  No, my day was free by design… I just made sure to avoid any commitments.


5. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those?  I haven’t house has been quiet.  😀


6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?  I love the commitment of all the readers… its fun to think of us all over the world taking this day to read.


7. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?  nope… I know it takes a ton of work to pull this off and many hands.  I think they do a fantastic job.


8. What would you do differently, as a Reader or a Cheerleader, if you were to do this again next year?  This is my third time participating so I kind of plan to just not commit myself to too much and enjoy the day with books.


9. Are you getting tired yet?  I crashed about an hour ago for 30 minutes so uhhhh…. no I feel…. refreshed.  😀


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 break it up a bit – I am not stuck in the chair.  I have read from the kitchen, the couch, the reading room… I took the dogs for a short walk to get the blood pumping…


Read!

Say what? Say what?

Read!

That’s what we do!

We Read!

We Read for you!

We choose a book, and read it through,

Then pick another, to later review!!!!

 

I am reading Indie Books!!!
I am reading Indie Books!!!

 

 

some of the books.... not all 🙂

 

Hour Sixteen Update


Current read:  The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

Books Completed:  5

1. Mistaken Identity by Don and Susie Van Ryn and Newell, Colleen and Whitney Cerek (non-fiction)

2.  100 Banned Books Censorship Histories of World Literature by Nicholas J. Karolides (non-fiction)

3.  Noah’s Castle by John Rowe Townsend (fiction)

4.  The LORAX by Dr. Suess (Childrens read and banned book)

5.  SOLD by Patricia McCormick (Fiction)

Total amount of time spent reading:  13 hours, 11 minutes

Total pages read so far:  621

Eats?  Just oatmeal and a lot of coffee!  Ummm…. and a few candy corns.  And now add on a cup of salsa chicken chili and a yogurt.  And some Fritos…. 😛  Later in day had diet Pepsi and pizza w/ hubby.

Crashed and had a little nap = now up and drinking water….. Rocky Theme song going on in my head 😀

Fall Catch Up Read-A-Thon

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)27 Comments


While catching up on some blog visits today I found Michelle over at The True Book Addict running a little fall clean up of reads.  As I looked around my home I have half read books everywhere.  I know…. I have BADD (Book Attention Deficit Disorder).  It’s not that they are bad books, it’s just that my mind goes from one read to the next…. first I want mystery and then oh look, now I want comedy, ooh but look over there a memoir….. oh but I must read that historical fiction….

you get the gist…

Michelle’s week-long clean up appeals to me because there are books I really want to get reading but also want to finish these other books I am reading as well… so I decided to sign up.  This week is a great week to sit down evenings and pick up these books and get back to the joy of reading.

It’s not too late to join in.  Pop in over at Michelle’s and she will welcome you to the group.  😀

Reading Sanctuary

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)52 Comments

This Challenge Is Closed – winner was debnance from Readerbuzz

So here we are in the wee end hours of the readathon many of you have been reading for a long time out of the past 24 hours so I want to make this one easy.

Leave a comment here telling me how the readathon worked out for you:

Were you able to escape the hustle and bustle of life?

Where did you do the majority of your reading?

Did you leave the house (or wherever you were) at any time during the challenge?


That’s it.  Leave a comment here answering the above questions and I will enter you into the random drawing  for a $10 Amazon Gift Card.

Have fun… oh and by the way….  YOU ALL ROCK!

Readathon Mid Event Mini Challenge

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)14 Comments

  

    

   

   

  

1. What are you reading right now?  Guest House by Brabara Richardson
 
 
2. How many books have you read so far?   3 1/2
 
 
3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon?  Fablehaven and/or Hex Hall
 
 
4. Did you have to make any special arrangements to free up your whole day?   I cleared out the house – hubby worked in office and College son took off with friends for the day to let me do this. 
 
 
5. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those?  More than I would have liked.  Phone and 19 year old popping in and out…
 
 
6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?  Mostly how long it takes me to get through the books.  My own fault of course…. I am cheering and visiting and twittering and nosing around the mini challenges.  🙂
 
 
7. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?  No
 
 
8. What would you do differently, as a Reader or a Cheerleader, if you were to do this again next year?  Hmmmm…. probably just planning my time better as a reader. 
 
 
9. Are you getting tired yet?   Surprisingly not , and I started 2 hours early here at 5 am to get a jump on the challenge. 
 
 
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?  Not at this time
 
 

   

     

     

     

The Readathon has begun and I have been reading for an hour at this point and sipping coffee and doing a little cheerleading too.    


   

The first challenge up today is sharing a little bit about the Readathon prep and me….  so here goes:   


   

Where are you reading from today?

I am home in Minnesota in my Reading Room (picture me buried in a large recliner covered in a blanket that I love because it used to be my mom’s…. surrounded by books, coffee and a little bit of chocolate (Hey!  How did that get there???)


   

3 Facts About Me

1. I am a huge gamer.  I love challenges and board games and online games and computer games.  One winter I played and beat all of the Zelda Nintendo games for Nintendo, Super Nintendo, and whatever the game box was after that….  (Crazy stuff.  I know right?)   


   

2.  I have been to Honduras 8 times and work with street kids and kids who live in the dump when I am there.  I think that is the most fulfilling thing I have done this far with my life.   


   

3.  I am a biking fool and sign up for every bike tour within a 3 hour radius of my home.  The first one this year is April 25 and the goal is 65 miles.    


   

How Many Books Do I Have In My TBR Pile For The Next 24 Hours?

That is hard to say…. I went through and picked out an assortment of about 15 – but that was for variety….  no way I will get through all of them.  I would be happy if I could complete 5.   


   

Do I have any Goals for this readathon?

Hmmm….. not really other than to just have fun with this.  There are a couple of books I really am hoping to get to today- Fablehaven and Hex Hall.   


   

If you’re a veteran read-a-thoner, Any advice for people doing this for the first time?

Have fun!  This is a great event but it is not an assignment!  Take a break when you need to.  (I have my IPOD ready to go with an audio book in the event I need a break later and want to hop on the bike for a spin around the neighborhood.   

Also – watch the Dewey site for fun challenges (for the gamer in you!) to participate in.  AND take a break and check out some of the other participants blogs or chat a bit on Twitter.  You never know what blog you may find that will be come a “must read”.    

   

Mini Challenge: Drabble Time (post 5)

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)13 Comments


Here is my attempt at a Drabble for the mini challenge by Midnight Book Girl.

Katniss, armed with her bow and a single arrow, crawled cautiously through the woods.  She worked at staying alert to sounds and possible traps that would cause her to fail in her mission.

A flash of color; what was that?  A unicorn.  She had never seen one before.

And the chanting.  What was with the chanting, were the voices saying “crucio?”

As she made her way to the clearing and seen the large building that loomed over her that said Hogwarts.  She knew the bow was probably not going to be enough to save her.


Hopefully I didn’t break the rule here by mixing two series of books but thought it would be fun to see what would happen when Hunger Games meets Harry Potter…. LOL

Update:  I have finished Sand In My Bra and Poetry Speaks  Who I am.  Both very good in very different ways.  I am moving on to Avempartha and Guest House…. need some water and something to munch on.

Readathon Mini Challenge (post 4)

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)18 Comments

I can’t help it…. the creative person in me can not resist this mini challenge….

seriously how fun is this?

Bart wanted us to put three or four books together to form a sentence.  As my eyes scanned my book shelves (even though I tried to keep them on my book!) I made one that cracked me up.  When I pulled the books together I saw I had five so here is the picture as 4 books:

While I was gone, Cleopatra’s Daughter sold nine dragons.

and here it is as 5:

Inside the kingdom while I was gone, Cleopatra’s Daughter sold nine dragons.

Readathon Mini Challenge :Kick Off (post 3)

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)22 Comments


I have to do this mini challenge as it is my friend (and BEA  roomy) Reagan who is hosting.  If you have not checked out her super cool blog I recommend it.  🙂

The Mini Challenge is to discuss the prep work that went into our Readathon start.  Mine was setting up my favorite chair in the reading room… I pulled in an extra little table so I could have near me:

My Books ( the possibilities anyway…)

Reading Glasses (in case eyes get tired)

Notebook and pen (to prep thoughts for reviews)

Cell phone (I dont want to have to get up)

Coffee Cup (how I love thee….)

Camera (possible mini challenge moments!)

Barnes and Noble gift card in case I have a weak moment

my favorite blanket (Kiki, this is the blanket I talked about in the last post!)  🙂

And I took a picture to hopefully give you the full visual.  🙂

Readathon Progress:  Reading Sand In My Bra (on page 65)….. still 1st book but have spent a bit of time Cheerleading!  🙂

Morning Meandering: Readathon Day

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)16 Comments


5:00 am at The DeChantal Household and Coffee Cup and I am ready to go with todays Readathon.  I have books picked out that vary from size, to genres, to the ones I have been drooling over for months but have not had time to get to.


Throughout the day I will be posting updates of what I am currently reading…. what I am fueling my brain with (besides words) and I will be participating in mini challenges throughout the day.  (*Note to subscribers of this blog : if today’s event creates extra posts in  your email I apologize now and want you to know this is for the next 24 hours only. )

So what am I starting with?  I actually have a couple near by for mood changes but here is the early (EARLY) morning start up:


The second book of this Sullivan series.  I have book three and book for is due out in a few weeks.  I am half way through this one and want to finish it today.



I picked this book up when my friends and I were in Grand Marais, MN last fall.  It was at a cute little book store and thought it looked like a fun read.

Ok that’s my starting line up and I am reading!  Check out more of what is going on today at the Dewey Readathon website.  At last count there were 371 participants!

Dewey’s 24 Hour Read A Thon!

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)54 Comments

bookworm2My very first Read A Thon!  I am so excited!  This post will stay on top today (all other posts today will be below so be sure to check them out!

What is Dewey’s 24-Hour Read-A-Thon? For 24 hours, we read books, post to our blogs about OKour reading, and visit other readers’ blogs. We also participate in mini-challenges throughout the day. It happens twice a year, in April and in October.

It was created by the beloved Dewey. The first one was held in October 2007. Dewey died in late 2008. We’re still saddened by her absence, but the show must go on. The Read-A-Thon was renamed to honor its founder in 2009.

This will be my log of what I am doing each hour of the Read A Thon….

8 am:  Start time:  I am up and excited to go.  I am fully loaded with a fresh pot of coffee and finishing up Receive Me Falling by Erika Robuck (loving it!)

9 am:  Checking out the Deweys 24 Hour read A Thon blog to see what challenges are happening… the 8 am book is complete.

10 am:  I am reading Too Many Visitors For One Little House by Susan Chodakiewitz (short read) and now have movied on to Love Has A Face by Michelle Perry (super excited about this one!)

24read
11 am:  Had more coffee, caught up on the mini challenges (I am a sucker for those!) Commented on a few blogs and continues reading.

12 noon:  Eating a little bag of trail mix… checking in on new challenges.  Taking a break soon to write a post on a great post I seen at Maw Books that is calling me…. then seriously back to my book.

1 pm:  Back to the mini’s… I am hooked on the challenges…Oh NO!  Must stop so I can read.  Reading now and had some yogurt.

2 pm:  Made popcorn for the reading challenge last hour and am now enjoying it while still into my book.  Also did some lunges in the kitchen while the popcorn popped so I wasnt just sitting all day…LOL

3pm:  Reading on…  about half way through.

4 pm:  Sat the book down and read a graphic comic on line.  It was for a mini challenge.  I have never read a graphic comic before.  Deciding with my hubby what to plan for dinner… (I am hoping we just order pizza!)  Oh – and I won a mini challenge comment prize and was able to pick to books out of the prize package!  I went for Shiver and The Lost Symbol!  🙂

5 pm:  Dinner break w/ hubby and then shut laptop down so I could finish the book and stop being tempted by the mini challenges and comments… 🙂

6 pm:  Used this hour and finished reading Love Has A Face by Michelle Perry! YES!

7 pm:  Back on line and catching up on comments and looking to see what the challenges are for this hour… then I have a few small childrens reads I am going to do before I go to a bigger read..

8 pm:  I have started The Help.  Yippy!  I have so been looking forward to this read!  :0  Cha Cha happy dance – seriously!  I did all the mini challenges this hour because – they are so fun!

9 pm:  Holy cats!  13 hours in for me… I feel good.  Maybe a bit more coffee.  Enjoying The Help so far and knew I would.  I did the Dewey post… I had too.  Such an amazing person… I wish I had known her.

10 pm:  Ok now I am a bit tired…  got up and stretched a bit.  Book is good.  I put it down to do the two mini challenges and now am back on it.

11 pm:  Still here… reading only now and not commenting so much.  At 11:30 I am checking the mini challenges for this hour and then will return to the reading.

MIDNIGHT:  Getting tired.  Broke up the pattern of reading by writing a review for one of the books I finished.  I wanted to capture the details while it was still fresh in my mind!  Checking in on the Read A Thon site to see what is new…

1 am:  Wow… its like I am coming full circle… but not…LOL.  Yup getting tired and giddy.  I did the challenges.  Still reading but it is not sticking to the brain as well….

2 am:  I think I am done.  Eyes dont work any more….

3 am – 6: am:  Sleeping 😉

6 am:  Up – cheering for those who are still going….