Mauvelous

[Carrie]

What time zone is the readathon starting in?

[Moderators of NBRC, Challenger-in-Chief]

Remember these links...


◈ Duration: May 1st PDT 8:00 AM (BST 4PM) to May 12th PDT 8:00 AM (BST 4 PM)

*start time in all time zones: Click Here (Shows start in your time zone.)
*countdown: Click Here

[Carrie]

Thanks :)

[JoLene]

Hello Marvelous Mavens!!
Let's get excited about the Readathon.
We have the highest goal of all the teams so let's show them how it's done!!

I have created a Read-a-thon topic in the Mauvelous folder on the sister site: Mauvelous Readathon

All important info (rules summary, goals and starting points) are posted there in one spot.

Please create a post for tracking your own reading. You can use the following as a template.

You can still post any questions or general comments in this thread --- I will be monitoring both.

[Moderators of NBRC, Challenger-in-Chief]

Great template, JoLene!!

[Thilde]

JoLene wrote: "Hey folks, i need to get starting page counts. Can you let me know if you are planning to add any books read today by posting something here so I know to adjust it :-D

Mucho thanks!! (I'm in the..."

Hi JoLene.
I didn't see your message until just now.
I have just marked Living Dead in Dallas as read. That is 262 pages, that will not count in the read-a-thon. Should I write these pages as exceptions in the status update in the other thread?

[JoLene]

I'll adjust your numbers. No need for the exception.

[JoLene]

Readathon rule clarification:
If you finished a book that was started outside the Readathon, it will count towards your goal.

[Valerie]

I also just marked a book as read that I finished last night. It was Unwind, and is 335 pages.

[JoLene]

Ok, I can make the adjustments to the starting tally as soon as it show up on GR.

[Hina]

We are up to 79 books read!!

[Hina]

Okay...question...kind of related to read-a-thon and for my general knowledge. Literally all my books are kindle editions and most of them do not have page numbers listed on them with the whole not using amazon to add information to books. So if those are the edition I mark read and they don't show page numbers, does the stats button pick up the page numbers from the other edition, or just counts 0 since there are no page numbers listed...I am wondering if I should be more careful to keep track of my books...

[Carrie]

I have a question, what if we start a book but we don't want to finish it, can we still count the the pages read?

[JoLene]

Hina, I'm not sure, but it should be easy enough to test it. Just mark one of them as read and then check it in the morning. It does seem to take a while for GR to adjust the stats.

Carrie, you only get to count the pages for books read so no, if you don't finish, you are not supposed to count it.

[JoLene]

I just picked up a book that I had on hold at the library ---- I opened it up and it is missing the first 4 pages. Now do I adjust my Readathon numbers ;-)

[JoLene]

OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES

There are two optional ways to participate in the RaT. Please note --- there are no extra points awarded so please do not feel you need to participate.

Mini-challenges: The mods are posting the mini-challenges that teams have created here: Mini-challenges
You will post your answers in the Read-a-thon thread.

The other are mini-games which Barbara pointed out. These are more like puzzles. Mini-games and you will post in the same thread.

[Moderators of NBRC, Challenger-in-Chief]

Hina wrote: "...So if those are the edition I mark read and they don't show page numbers, does the stats button pick up the page numbers from the other edition..."

I believe they do NOT, Hina, since different editions of hardcover and paperback to not refer to one another. Sorry. If you like, you can post it in Page Numbers, Just About Page Numbers and I will try to find a legitimate souse. Otherwise, you will have to track it yourself.

[JoLene]

In case any of you are still looking for a mauve cover, the Kindle Deal of the Day would fit the bill. The book is Hawks Prize by Elaine Barbieri. It's .99 --- http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005...

[Hina]

Moderators of Nothing but Reading Challenges wrote: "Hina wrote: "...So if those are the edition I mark read and they don't show page numbers, does the stats button pick up the page numbers from the other edition..."

I believe they do NOT, Hina, sin..."


I thought so, this has been my first challenge to track page numbers that has to be verified and I see the drastic change from two years ago when we stopped using amazon as a source. Thanks to both for letting me know!! I will track it myself as well instead of counting on the stats button.

[JoLene]

Hina wrote: "Moderators of Nothing but Reading Challenges wrote: "Hina wrote: "...So if those are the edition I mark read and they don't show page numbers, does the stats button pick up the page numbers from th..."

Turns out that there are some time delays with the stats button so tracking individual books is the way to go anyway :-D

[Moderators of NBRC, Challenger-in-Chief]

Hina wrote: "Thanks to both for letting me know!!"

YW!

[Moderators of NBRC, Challenger-in-Chief]

Deadline for changing goals or join the Read-a-Thon ends in 15 hours

[JoLene]

Great job everyone --- we tied for 1st and got 2 extra books added to our total!

[Moderators of NBRC, Challenger-in-Chief]

Please be advised that the link to the Teams Sunday Update Summary has changed.

I also did an update.

[JoLene]

Thanks!

Our RaT efforts paid off-- we are now in 4th place. I will probably read 3-4 books this week as I'm visiting mp my mom and there's not a whole lot to do here :-).

Happy Reading!

[Hina]

Yay!! That's very good news. I have been reading books that fall below the page count, but I should be switching back to books that count. But I just wanted to catch up with my other books.

[JoLene]

Hey everyone, I wanted to check and see if you guys want any mini-challenges to pass the time. I know that some are doing a lot of different challenges, so may not need something else to track, but others may want something.

Any feedback.....

[Barbara ★]

Sorry but I have a set list of books that I have to read each month so I can't commit to any mini-challenges. However, if what I'm reading fits whatever is chosen, I would certainly post.

[Hina]

JoLene, I wouldn't mind doing a couple of mini challenges if you have any ideas, I won't mind participating.

[Moderators of NBRC, Challenger-in-Chief]

June & July Challenge posted here.

[Hina]

Oh man...already another challenge. Excited and worried.

[Moderators of NBRC, Challenger-in-Chief]

Well, I was going to give you seven days to strategize; however, I wanted to give you plenty of time.

[Hina]

I can't believe June is just around the corner. Yes I need all the time I can get. Lol

[Barbara ★]

OMG these Seven Percent Solution challenges are intense and confusing.

It seems as if one person does NOT have to do all 7 books for each task. Reader 1 can read 2 books, reader 2, 5 books or any combination totalling 7 books for each task. If that is the case I'm pretty sure I can contribute to #1, #2, #3.

#4 - I don't think I can help with this one as I'd have difficulty adding more books to my current reading list.

I can definitely do the following:
#5 - I'm sure I can contribute 7 books to help spell out Tower teams reading challenge. I might also be able to do more.
#6 - I can spell out "ANY ROSE" for 7 books.
#7 - I can read 7 books by authors who have 7 letters in their name

I read enough that I can do any spell it out so can fill in letters if need be.

Let me know how you want to proceed.

[Moderators of NBRC, Challenger-in-Chief]

Whoa. Barbara★. You can almost do the whole challenge yourself. ☺

[Moderators of NBRC, Challenger-in-Chief]

SOME CHANGES:

If only one Team completes this task, we will award them seven (7) additional books/points. If it is split, as it was for May, we will award each Team reaching the goal four (4) additional books/points. Any Team that completes at least three (3) of the following categories, for a total of 21 books, will receive a one (1) book advantage.

[JoLene]

Proposal: this seems like something that we could do without going overboard.
I know some of us have pretty rigid reading schedules based on other challenges and/or group reads. I can create a google spreadsheet with the different categories.
If you have a way of telling me your planned reads, I can slot them into the spreadsheet and we can then see where we may be missing books. If you have flexibility and we know we are missing something, than we can try to fill the gaps.

The easiest way is to tell me your planned reads is either have a post with your planned reads or to create a bookshelf.

I'll get this all set up in our "sister" group thread tomorrow.

[Barbara ★]

Moderators of Nothing but Reading Challenges wrote: "Whoa. Barbara★. You can almost do the whole challenge yourself. ☺"

You're so funny! I was just listing which items I could do so the Captain/Co-Captain and make plans.

[Barbara ★]

JoLene wrote: "Proposal: this seems like something that we could do without going overboard.
I know some of us have pretty rigid reading schedules based on other challenges and/or group reads. I can create a goo..."

I agree JoLene. We're a pretty prolific group so 49 books in 7 weeks should be a piece of cake.

Are you or Hina friends will all team members? If so, can you message everyone to see who wants to be involved? It doesn't seem like many of our group keeps up with Team Mauvelous.

That way I can make a better list of what I can do. I can do any of what I stated above but it would be nice to give other members a chance to participate and pick and choose what they want to do as well.

Here's a list of what I'm planning to read in
June: http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/7...
July: http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/7...

As you can see, I have plenty of options.

[Barbara ★]

JoLene
Check out Black Leather Jackets set up for this new Challenge. It would certainly make it easy to track if everyone had 7 posts in sequence.
http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1...

[JoLene]

OK -- I have created a folder in the sister NBRC group. I'm still getting things set-up over there but here is a link: 7% Solution challenge

I have sent a message to all members except Barbara and Hina who already saw the message from the mods. Barbara, you don't need re-post your list.

I'll work on a spreadsheet that everyone can access as I think that will be the easiest since many books can count for multiple items. (I'm a bit slow because I'm on vacation again --- this time visiting family).

[Hina]

Okay everyone...I don't know what's going on but I didn't get any update notification from GR since I posted here last.

JoLene, would you let me know what categories doesn't have enough coverage. I am still in the process of putting together my reading list for November so I can add in different books if we are running low on categories that are not being covered. But my original plan is to at least do one or two out of every category, except the buddy read. Since I haven't done one, should we do something for ourselves? Where will I find the book of the month?

Uggh, too much planning and too many challenges.

[Moderators of NBRC, Challenger-in-Chief]

SOME CHANGES and an EXAMPLE:

The letters “N.B.R.C.” have been added to Category #5.

md, from Cerulean (AKA “Hobbit Blue”) provided this example, which I tweaked a bit to include an example of a series name and to include the newly added letters.

You're not allowed to reuse a letter and since “N.B.R.C.   T.O.W.E.R.   T.E.A.M.S.   R.E.A.D.I.N.G.   C.H.A.L.L.E.N.G.E.” only has two letter 'T's in it that's all your allowed to have. We couldn’t read 7 books that qualified for the letter 'T,' we'd have to pick another letter.

For example:

B - The Bridgertons #4 - Romancing Mister Bridgerton

T - The Da Vinci Code
O - The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje
W - Where'd You Go, Bernadette

T - Tom's Midnight Garden
E - Everything is Illuminated
M - Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

We've completed challenge #5 because we've read 7 books (and used 7 letters).

If we wanted to do this challenge again instead of doing one of the others (say #4) we can do so; but, we can only choose from the letters we haven't used already.

In this example it would be: “N.R.C   E.R.   A.S.   R.E.A.D.I.N.G.   C.H.A.L.L.E.N.G.E.”

We're allowed to do it a 3rd time, but we would only be able to choose from the letters that are remaining.

The letter 'E' appears 5 times so that would mean there could be 5 books that qualify for that letter and the remaining 2 books would have to be another letter.

[jingles]

I'm in and have posted my June reading list in the other group, as well as responded to Jolene's email.

I'm going to go back through now and re-read the challenge and instructions, and compare it to what I have lined up for reading.

The only thing that really worries me is the buddy read thingy, as I've never done that before. I'm not opposed to it though, and would certainly participate if someone sets it up.

Also, I feel I must apologize for my often-times late response. I don't have a computer at home right now, so the only time I can check in is at work. I try to stay on top of things, but sometimes I'm not able to. It will probably be several months before I have a computer at home again.

:(

[Hina]

I am going to look at category 1 and see what I can apply there.

[jingles]

I just checked out category one and found only 2 books that I can currently apply to category #1.

I can move A Rake's Vow from my current May shelf to June. I'll never get all my books read for May anyway. This book is also from Chris's shelf on the Moonstone Team.

I also have Head Over Heels that is on Susan's shelf from the Atomic Tangerine Team.

There is one other book I found, but I'm on the fence about reading it, so don't really want to commit.

That being said, I did find several books on my TBR that I could schedule in for June or July if need be.

[Hina]

I have 7 books for the first category which I can read for all of if no one is interested or take majority of it to be done.

[JoLene]

I haven't really planned any of my reads yet ---
I think some folks are going to resurrect a buddy read for A Discovery of Witches which has been on the TBR for while.

Just list the books and I can compile --- I am visiting family right now and so I'm trying to limit computer time. I'll be travelling back on Sun and can definitely pull something together on the plane :-D

[Moderators of NBRC, Challenger-in-Chief]

~ For August the Mods are Taking the Month Off

...and Letting You Do the All the Work ~

Team Captains, Co-Captains and Team Members may create and submit their own challenge for Book Advantage Points.

It may be one of your previous mini-challenges, or one in the works.

The challenge must last two weeks, you decide when in August.

Each Team will do their own challenge that they created.

Please submit your ideas, detailing your goals and time period by July 26th for review.

We will look them all over before deciding upon the number of Book Advantage Points to be given. We may then ask you to tweak your challenge a bit to make it equal in ease or difficulty, depending on what the other Teams are doing.

HINT: Think light, easy, breezy, and FUN!

~ Frequently Asked Questions -

Q1. "We're feeling really lazy. May we just copy another Team's idea?"

A1. Definitely. Just give credit where credit is due.

Q2. "Should we use the cupcakes in some way?"

A2. While there will be cupcakes offered to win during your Teams' challenge period, we will save using them for future months.

[JoLene]

OK, Mauvelous Mavens,
I have created a thread in our sister group for putting in challenge ideas: Challenge ideas go here

BTW, I am in charge of challenges in the Historical Fictionista group so I do make up a lot of challenges. If you have ideas, but don't know how to turn it into a challenge, let me know.