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Read-a-Thon, the Updates, & Mini-Challenges

April 10, 2010 by

I have commenced reading The Lotus Eaters, which I have to post on Monday for a tour.

Hour 1: pages read 80

Mini-challenge #1:

Reading from my apartment with Anna and The Girl

Facts about me: I’ve got wet hair, I’m wearing slippers, and I am in my new favorite reading chair.

# of books 9

Goal: finish The Lotus Eaters.

Advice: read in small doses, get up and walk around with your books for exercise to keep those muscles from atrophy, and have some snacks handy…and a husband or friend to cook for you is always helpful.

Hour #2:

I just want to say that I haven’t read much between 9-10am because I went to the library sale, and boy did I buy too many books and 4 books for the Vietnam War reading challenge giveaway!  I also picked up some great poetry books for the end of month giveaway for National Poetry Month.

OK Gals and Guys, back to reading…have a great time.

Hour 3:

We have our official participants: Anna and The Girl

And we have an unofficial participant:  Anna’s Husband!

Mini-Challenge, Hour 5:

From The Lotus Eaters, page 106–

“During the main course of sauteed sole and julienned vegetables, they discussed the logistics of surviving as a Western woman in Saigon — how to find feminine products and the chronic shortage of hair spray, where to have one’s hair styled, where to buy clothes, where it was safe to go along, what kind of culture there was, how to handle the number of soldiers all around.

Demitasses of espresso and sliced mango with sticky rice were served. . .”


Are you hungry yet?

Hour 6:

Just a few notes.  I’ve read more of The Lotus Eaters and read about 30 pages of Cross Country by James Patterson.

The Girl is taking a break and napping in the bedroom, and we had some orange chicken meal, which I found wanting — frozen Chinese food is not the same as fresh made Chinese…that’s for sure.

Hour 8:

Not much progress going on.  I’ve read about 140 pages in two different books.  I haven’t finished one solid book, but I’ve eaten jelly beans, cheese, crackers, drank 2 cups of coffee, 1 cup of cranberry ginger ale, and has some really bad frozen orange chicken.

I’ve also cheered almost everyone on my list, but I will get to the blogs in letter T soon!  Ok, back to reading.

Here’s some fun for everyone in Hour 11:

If the Cover Fits Challenge:

Vibrant:

Scary:

Disturbing:

Beautiful:

Moving:

Thanks to The Girl for her contribution!
Mid-Event Survey:

1. What are you reading right now? The Lotus Eaters by Tatjana Soli
2. How many books have you read so far? I have not completed one.  I’m reading two off and on.  I’ve read 233 pages so far though…which is good for me.
3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon? Your Ten Favorite Words by Reb Livingston
4. Did you have to make any special arrangements to free up your whole day? No
5. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those? There were interruptions, which is why I began reading Cross Country by James Patterson because its a lighter read and I don’t have to concentrate as hard.  I also took a few breaks to walk the dog and cut up some cheese for snacks and eat lunch and dinner.
6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far? Read-a-Thon has been a flourish of activity and reading and the time just flies by.
7. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year? No suggestions here.  Just wish there were more mini-challenges that weren’t repeated from previous years.  And that the sentence from book titles challenge was a vote that included all the entrants.
8. What would you do differently, as a Reader or a Cheerleader, if you were to do this again next year? Cheerleading is tough work, and though I signed up for only 1 hour, I’ve completed that hour and will probably do some more later on as part of a break.
9. Are you getting tired yet? Not at all surprisingly.
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 love when cheerleaders visit the blog to cheer me on with their little rhymes, etc.
Hour 14:
Anna and The Girl have headed home for the evening, and I hope to finish up The Lotus Eaters.  I’ve also got an audio book on stand by should my eyes get tired.  My husband is asleep on the couch — poor guy worked this morning really early.  I hope everyone is having a great time.
I’ve been cheering, but I’ve met the one hour commitment, but you never know, I could stop by your blog to cheer you on some more.  You’ve been warned.
Pages read:  265
Hour 15:
Ok, I’m really getting sleepy, so its off to bed for sleep or maybe just a nap…we’ll see but I wanted to leave you with my parting cheer: (and a page count)
Some of you may have seen this already, but here it is in case you haven’t:
Looks like you are making great headway
Keep up the reading, don’t let that head sway
Eyes on the page and coffee in hand
You’ll be entering a new land.

GO READER!

Pages read:  331
I’m going to rest my eyes for a bit and listen to my audiobook.  Keep up the good work!

Hour # 23:
I listened to Shutter Island for a while, but feel into a nap, but I’m back now reading Cross country and The Lotus Eaters.  I’ve dropped by some blogs on my list to cheer them on in these wee hours of the read-a-thon.  Keep up the good work everyone…here’s my cheer in case you’re curious:
Don’t let those eyes droop
head out on the stoop
get some fresh air
before heading back to that chair
pick up your book
take another look
read, read, read
Ok, onto the Cliffhanger Mini-Challenge at Alicia Blade:
I think the biggest cliffhanger for me happened in Suzanne Collins Catching Fire, and I am still waiting for the resolution to the revolution!  Yes, that book ends with a big reveal of behind the scenes political activity, and I want to know what happens.  Will Katniss grasp her destiny with both hands and challenge the Capitol…what will happen to Peta, what is up with Gale, and who are these underground revoluntionaries?  I cannot wait to get the next in the series, MockingJay.
Wrap-Up:
Time read: 17 hours
Pages read: 391
Audio Chapters: 4

End-of-read-a-thon Questions:
1. Which hour was most daunting for you?
Hour 15 was a beast
2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?
The Lotus Eaters is a really absorbing read.  Cross Country isn’t a bad choice either, the chapters are nice and short.
3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?
No suggestions other than some tweaks to the mini-challenges.  I think the book title sentence challenge should include all entrants in the final vote.
4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?
I really liked the cheer teams and the division of blogs to cheer for.
5. How many books did you read?
I didn’t finish 1, but I’m nearly finished with The Lotus Eaters, about halfway through Cross Country, and just at the beginning of Shutter Island on Audio.
6. What were the names of the books you read?
The Lotus Eaters, Cross Country, and Shutter Island
7. Which book did you enjoy most?
I enjoyed them all.
8. Which did you enjoy least?
None
9. If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders?
I think it would be fun to have some premade cheers for those unable to make up their own, but then again maybe people just want to cheer in their own way. No other advice, but I did like the shout out to National Poetry Month with the cheerleading team names.
10. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time?
I’ll probably read and cheer again next year, though cheering is addicting and took time away from my reading.
Have a great Sunday everyone!  Keep reading!
Filed Under: 24-hour Read-a-Thon, Events Tagged With: , ,

Comments

  1. Anna says
    April 11, 2010 at 1:46 pm

    You did great! We fell asleep somewhere between Hour 16 and 17. I got up about 15 minutes after the Read-a-Thon ended and finished another book. LOL
    .-= Anna´s last blog ..Read-a-Thon Hour 12: Mid-Event Survey =-.

    • Serena says
      April 11, 2010 at 4:08 pm

      Yeah I was up at 5:30 or earlier…I don’t quite remember. But I cheered for a while and then went back to reading.

  2. Andreea says
    April 11, 2010 at 1:32 pm

    Happy reading! Hope you’re not too exhausted afterwards!

  3. Arielle says
    April 11, 2010 at 10:53 am

    It must have been fun having The Girl to cheer you on 😀

  4. bookworm says
    April 11, 2010 at 10:15 am

    wow serena, looks like you did great with the read-a-thon and fantastic cheering by The Girl 🙂

  5. Alex says
    April 11, 2010 at 8:21 am

    Wonderful job on the Read-a-Thon! Way to go! I’ll be looking forward to reading with you on October. Keep on rocking and reading, read-a-thoner! It’s been lots of fun! 😀

  6. Vishy says
    April 11, 2010 at 7:09 am

    Hope you are still there Serena! Hour 24 is on! Almost at the finish line! You can do it! Hope you have a wonderful homestretch!

  7. jehara says
    April 11, 2010 at 6:59 am

    Hold your eyelids up! Almost at the finish line! You can do it!!

  8. tanabata says
    April 11, 2010 at 6:33 am

    Thanks so much for stopping by to cheer me on! It sounds like you’ve had a great read-a-thon so far. Way to go! Hang in there, only a little longer now.
    .-= tanabata´s last blog ..Read-a-thon/Sleep-a-thon: Update Two =-.

  9. Rebecca says
    April 11, 2010 at 1:04 am

    Great job, Serena! Keep it up all of you! And you so have me wanting some mango right now…

  10. Colleen (Books in the City) says
    April 11, 2010 at 12:55 am

    Thanks for stopping by my blog to cheer me on!!
    .-= Colleen (Books in the City)´s last blog ..Late Entry to Read a Thon! =-.

  11. carol says
    April 11, 2010 at 12:52 am

    A story is a special thing
    The ones that I have read
    They do not stay inside the books
    They stay inside my head.
    (author unknown)

    Looks like you’re having a great read-a-thon. If I closed my eyes now, I’d be asleep.

  12. Cheryl says
    April 11, 2010 at 12:33 am

    Your snack looks so fancy. You are doing great.
    Here to cheer you on!
    .-= Cheryl´s last blog ..Hour 13 =-.

  13. Serena says
    April 10, 2010 at 11:03 pm

    Thanks everyone for cheering! I’m going to rest my eyes and listen to a book!

  14. Natasha @ Maw Books says
    April 10, 2010 at 10:25 pm

    I love that all of you are doing the readathon together. How fun! And The Girl is awesome!
    .-= Natasha @ Maw Books´s last blog ..Dewey’s 24-Hour Read-a-Thon Update #3 =-.

  15. Staci says
    April 10, 2010 at 9:51 pm

    I loved that video of The Girl…she’s goofy and sweet!!! Your snack looks great and so does your blog!!!

    Cheering you on!

  16. Amused says
    April 10, 2010 at 9:28 pm

    Looks like you are making some progress though out the day and your snacks sound and look yummy!
    .-= Amused´s last blog ..Read-A-Thon: First Check-in =-.

  17. softdrink says
    April 10, 2010 at 7:35 pm

    Tell The Girl she’s hired. 🙂

  18. carol says
    April 10, 2010 at 7:34 pm

    I like books
    I really do.
    Books with stories
    And pictures, too. (Author unknown)

    Hope you’re enjoying everyone you meet and everywhere you go in your reading today.

    Looks like you have a couple of great people to read with today!

  19. Sullivan McPig says
    April 10, 2010 at 6:56 pm

    I’m in love with ‘It’s beginning to look a lot like Zombies’!!
    Good luck with the Read-a-Thon
    .-= Sullivan McPig´s last blog ..Fairytale Friday – Bluebeard =-.

  20. The Girl (Diary of an Eccentric) says
    April 10, 2010 at 5:34 pm

    Gimme a B! Gimme an O! Gimme an O! Gimme a K! Gimme an S!

    What’s that spell? BOOKS!

    What are you gonna do? READ!

    GO Auntie, GO!!

    GO Mom, GO!!
    .-= The Girl (Diary of an Eccentric)´s last blog ..Read-a-Thon Hour 9: Update =-.

  21. Anna says
    April 10, 2010 at 5:31 pm

    Yeah, that orange chicken wasn’t very good. But at least we’re enjoying good books and good friends.
    .-= Anna´s last blog ..Read-a-Thon Hour 9: Update =-.

  22. Vishy says
    April 10, 2010 at 4:36 pm

    Glad to know that you are having a wonderful read-a-thon! Hope you continue to have an awesome read-a-thon! The mango slices look delicious!

  23. softdrink says
    April 10, 2010 at 4:16 pm

    I’m back with another cheer for all of you…

    Readathon! Readathon! Rah rah rah!
    Readathon! Readathon! Rah rah rah!
    Readers got the books
    I’ve got a cheer
    You get to read all day
    I know you’ll persevere
    YAY!

  24. sprite says
    April 10, 2010 at 3:34 pm

    Thanks for stopping by! And good luck with your own challenge!
    .-= sprite´s last blog ..into the stacks: savvy =-.

  25. Beth F says
    April 10, 2010 at 1:07 pm

    Sun or rain or snow
    Both sides of the equator
    All are lost in books

    Haiku #12 (inspired by Dawn @ She Is Too Fond of Books)
    .-= Beth F´s last blog ..Weekend Cooking: Brownies from the Rich and Famous =-.

  26. Nise' says
    April 10, 2010 at 12:36 pm

    Hope all are enjoying their reads. The mangos look good, not sure about sticky rice though! Happy reading.
    .-= Nise’´s last blog ..RAT – Feed Me More Seymour Challenge =-.

  27. Kailana says
    April 10, 2010 at 12:36 pm

    I keep seeing The Lotus Eaters around and people enjoying it. Going to have to check it out! Happy reading!
    .-= Kailana´s last blog ..The Read-a-thon is here! =-.

  28. Bonnie says
    April 10, 2010 at 11:13 am

    Happy Reading and how great that you have company with Anna and The Girl!
    .-= Bonnie´s last blog ..Review: The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin =-.

  29. Anna says
    April 10, 2010 at 11:12 am

    You’re doing great so far! I wonder why The Girl didn’t bring her purple backpack “where magical things happen”? LOL
    .-= Anna´s last blog ..Read-a-Thon Hour 1: Let’s Start Reading! =-.

  30. bermudaonion (Kathy) says
    April 10, 2010 at 10:56 am

    I hope you have a great time and take The Girl’s advice and turn on your reading eyes!

  31. April says
    April 10, 2010 at 10:24 am

    What a fun way to update!! I highly admire everyone who is doing this!! Good luck and have fun!
    .-= April ´s last blog ..Huge Giveaway!!!! My Little Red Book by Rachel Kauder-Nalebuff =-.

  32. Serena says
    April 10, 2010 at 10:21 am

    Thanks everyone.

  33. softdrink says
    April 10, 2010 at 10:03 am

    Traditional read-a-thon blessing:

    May the bookshelf be there to greet you.
    May all the books appeal.
    May the fridge be full of tasty snacks;
    the words fall soft upon your eyes and until the read-a-thon ends,
    may you always hold a book in the palm of your hand.

    Good luck today!

  34. kaye says
    April 10, 2010 at 9:22 am

    Go Serena! Have a really fun time today with Anna and The Girl who had some wonderful advice, “turn on your reading eyes”. I loved it. I’ll be looking forward to your review of The Lotus Eaters.

  35. Felicia says
    April 10, 2010 at 8:46 am

    Good Luck! Go Team Woodsworth! What a great selection you have there—Happy Reading!