The first challenge is really cool! It's being hosted by Annie and it's the What's in a Name? Challenge! This one runs all the way from January til December and you pick 1 book from each of the 6 following categories:
1. A Book with a color in it's title: The Blue Girl by Charles de Lint
2. A Book with an animal in it's title: Four and Twenty Blackbirds by Cherie Priest
3. A Book with a first name in it's title: Martin Dressler by Steven Millhauser
4. A Book with a place in it's tile: Baltimore by Mike Mignola (kinda cheating here as Baltimore is actually the name of a character :p)
5. A Book with a weather event in it's title: Storm Front by Jim Butcher
6. A Book with a plant in it's title: Black Orchid by Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean
The second challenge is Joy's Young Adult Challenge! This one is to read 12 young adult books in 12 months! Sign me up!
1. The Thief of Always by Clive Barker
2. Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
3. Tamsin by Peter Beagle
4. Tithe by Holly Black
5. The Blue Girl by Charles de Lint
6. The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke
7. Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
8. Freaks by Annette Curtis Klause
9. The Candy Shop War by Brandon Mull
10. Fablehaven: Grip of the Shadow Plague by Brandon Mull
11. Here, There Be Dragons by James A. Owen
12. Marked by PC and Kristin Cast
More exciting challenge news! Bellezza has plans to host a Japanese reading challenge which I'm really excite
d and in preparation has a month of NaBloPoMo (national blog posting month) posts all about Japanese literature for us. So stay tuned to her blog for more news on that.Today was my first day of NaNoWriMo and I got 2,039 words written. I did most of this while at work :p So, basically I'm making myself a paid author. Today was fun...it started out sort of stressful, but once I got into my own story it started taking me away and I can see that this will be a fun...but very stressful month! Only 48,000 words to go....oh Jesus....
17 comments:
LOL LOL.. I am laughing so hard I can hardly write a comment! "oh jesus!" LOL! Aren'tcha glad that Word gives you a word count?!!! LOL
Oh man, I am reading a YA book right now and although it's not "exciting", nor is it a big "mystery" or overly Adventurous...but it's an extrodinary interesting book..for whatever it has I am devouring this book! I feel like I am being told a story.. and i am intently listening lol..
I did learn one thing about joining Carls challenge.. I feel obligated and feel like I'm in a race to do it...and you know I'm a slow reader!! Though I will do his fantasy one when he does that, I know that one challenge at a time is more than enough for me lol
but I sure like reading all the reviews!!..and then writing many down on my wish list! hahahaha
Wow...want to hear something weird? Annie got 2,029 words written today! I can't believe you all wrote almost exactly the same amount. I'd say that's a great start for both of you!
Love both your challenge lists! And I'd be willing to bet your reviews will lead to yet more things added to my wishlist! I absolutely adored Inkheart!
I like your lists for the challenges. I might borrow some of the books on your YA challenge list for my list! Is the Fablehaven book on your YA list the third one?
--Annie
Good for you, Chris--that is a whole lotta' words! Keep it up!
LOL! I love it. You'll do fine, you know. Over 2000 words while working? Pretty awesome. I've got 2089, but I've tossed in a scene to go later in the book (not sure how that will work out) and the Nano site is completely bogged, so I can't update. That is so weird - the out-of-order scene, I mean. I never go out of order, but it just seemed important.
Keep up the good work on your Nano! And, good luck on the challenges. My current challenge is just to read off my own shelves. I'm tired of feeling like I have to read within certain guidelines, so I'm on an official Challenge Holiday. There should be mountains nearby, if it's a holiday, though.
Okay, Mr. Sign-Me-Up-For-Every-Challenge-I-Hear-About, will you still have TIME for a Japanese Challenge? I think I better make it small, when I finally announce it, like: Read one book in the next four years.
Just kidding.
You do such a great job of keeping us all posted on what's going on in the reading blog world. And, I want to read whatever wonderful piece you're writing. Will you post it sometime?
Deslily, Glad I could give ya a laugh ;) I figured this post would! LOL! Thank God for the word count feature!
You know, young adult literature is one of my new favorite "genres" if you want to call it that. They're all like that! You get told a story with YA lit, and there are no pretenses...it's just fun!
One challenge at a time is enough for me too! I just can't seem to get that message through to my thick skulled head! I think I bit off more than I could chew this time. I believe I'm in about 10 challenges right now :/
Debi, That's really freakin weird, lol! I had stopped at 1,688 and then had a craving to write more later in the day so went back for a few more paragraphs! This is fun so far...ask me if I'll be saying that next week this time :p Hope Annie's having fun too! I can't wait to read Inkheart...I've heard so many great things about it! I'm sure I'll have plenty of adds to my wishlist from you too ;)
Annie, Yep, the Fablehaven book is the third one which doesn't come out until April 2008. Have you read any of that series yet? It's one of favorites as far as YA lit goes! It was recommended by Orson Scott Card and I fell in love with it!
Jenclair, Thanks :) I'll try! I'm trying to get in a few extra words a day now, because I know come November 20th I'll be pretty sick of writing! We'll see how it goes!
Bookfool, I'm in love with NaNo already :) I've been checking your stats all day :p And I love your new pic! The site is so slow! I hope they can increase their bandwidth eventually. I can relate to the out of order scene. I have these scenes jumping in my head that I should really get down, because I just know I'm going to lose them! Great idea!
There are mountains nearby, Nancy..mountains of books ;)
Hey, did you see both of our names in the acknowledgments of Colleen's new book?! Carl and Booklogged and Kailana too! How cool!
Bellezza, Of course I'll make time for your challenge! I really can't tell you how excited I am about that one. This one may even get Megan to join! I have a feeling I'll have quite a big list for your challenge :p
I don't know about all that, lol...I'm one of those people that is SO his own worst critic, so it will definitely be a gutsy move if I post any of my book. I have very low self esteem when it comes to anything creative that I do, lol. We'll see...
Great job, Chris! I'm jealous of both you and Nancy!
Let me know if you post an excerpt over at the NaNo site.
cjh
Boy, you just keep feeding the addiction, don't you?? Actually, I'm alread trying to figure out what I'm going to read for the YA challenge. I have a few from your list on mine actually. I loved The Thief of Always. One of my favorite Clive Ownes books.
Congrats on the writing. If I had more time (or maybe just signed up for less challenges!) I might have tried it this year. I think I'll be holding out for next year instead! Good luck with the other 48,000!
Oh Chris - 2000 words on the first day? Great start!
I only managed 300 words last night - while playing Scrabble on Facebook. ;p
Now, if my boss would stay out of my way, I should be able to write somemore at work. ;p
I am totally stealing of idea of Black Orchid for the plant category in Annie's challenge! I think I will probably join the YA challenge too. It lasts a whole year so there's no pressure, really, and it will allow me to include plenty of books I've been meaning to read.
2039 words on the first day! Way to go, Chris!
Welcome to the YA Challenge! There are so many books that I've never heard of that my head is beginning to spin! Glad you're joining us and I look forward to your reviews. :)
Yay for joining the YA challenge, I am really looking forward to it. I will have a think about the name one. Like you I am going to try and clear some of my TBR shelf next year as it is really mounting up... So far all the books I have picked for challenges are books I have already. I hope you enjoy The Blue Girl, I read it this year and loved it.
Happy writing!
I'm sooo looking forward to being able to take par tin the reading challenges after Easter! I've had to accept that there's no point in me even signing up to NaNoWriMo this year, though I've managed to persuade a couple of my students that it would be really good for them. Next year...
CJ, I see you jumped into the game with a pretty good start yourself! I'm having a blast with NaNo already! Glad you pushed me to stay in the game ;)
Steph, Addiction is right! Hopefully this one will clean up my bookshelf a little bit. I love the Thief of Always too. I read it when it first came out and haven't read it since, so I'm looking forward to revisiting it. You should definitely do NaNo next year! It's fun so far.
D-O, Yeah, facebook can be quite addicting :p No worries though, plenty of time to catch up! I love your title by the way! I'm lucky at work...I have my own little office space with a closed door and everything, so I can get away with it :p
Nymeth, I was looking at my bookshelf and I got so excited when I saw Black Orchid, lol. It's perfect! Steal away! It'll be fun to read that one together. I'm happy about the YA challenge too. I have so many YA books on my shelf...it'll be nice to get 12 of them read! You should do NaNo next year, I think you'd love it!
Joy, Thanks :) Thanks for hosting this one! You come up with the best challenges! There really are so many YA books out there. I get lost sometimes going through the children's and YA section of the bookstore. And they're all such great stories! Can't wait to read everyone's reviews.
Rhinoa, You're one of the reasons I picked The Blue Girl! I'm really looking forward to that one. Love your list too for this challenge. It should be a fun one. There's just something about YA lit that's so much fun to read. They're a guaranteed great story!
Stormfilled, I can't wait to have you as part of the reading challenges! It's sad that you don't have time for them :( But I totally understand. Working at a school now, I see what teachers have to put up with all day and sheesh! You're miracle workers! That's awesome that you've talked kids into joining NaNo! I think more people should do that!
Ok, so i HAD to sign up for the Name challenge after reading about it here. THANKS! :)
as for your YA list, i hope you like the Barker book. i first read it several years ago and loved it. Have you read any of his Abarat series? so far they are good as well
Melanie, I've read The Thief of Always before, but it was AGES ago...I think I was about 12 at the time! So it'll be nice to reread it. I remember loving it as a kid. I read half of the first book of Abarat and couldn't get into it, but I've heard so many great reviews of it. Maybe I'll try it again...we'll see. Have fun with the challenge, doesn't it sound great?!
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