Cadet-Pewter-Blue-7% Challenge

[Mary X]

~ Seven Percent Solution ~
For seven weeks in June and July, the challenge we put forward to all the Teams is 7%! 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.

There are 12 months in a year. Since the main goal is to reach is 1350, and you want to stay on track, that means you need to read 112.5 books a month. We’ll round down to 112, because seven divides so nicely into it. We’ll give you a little leeway and set the goal as a little less than half your Team’s books - at 49 - plus give you an extra couple weeks. Works out to be a book a day. ☺

It is NOT mandatory that all Team Members participate. You may do this challenge as a Team, or have only one member do it. Yes, one member may do one book or some or all seven books from one category. For example, one member may read, for Category #2 Color of the Team Ranked Ahead, three books and leave the remaining four for their other Team Members.

In addition, if a Team Member says they are NOT going to participate due to time constraints or lack of interest, but a watchful Captain or Co-Captain notices that one of their books applies towards a challenge category, said Captain/Co-Captain may use the book.

GOAL: Your Team’s mission is to read 49 books. That would be seven books from a choice of seven categories. Yes, you may read 14 books from one category that you adore (essentially doing it twice), and ignore another completely. However, you may NOT read two books from one category and five from another to equal seven. Nor, if you are doing a category twice, read 10 from one and four from another.

DURATION: June 1 - July 19, 2013. You have seven weeks to complete this challenge. This would only include any book finished in that time period.

1. “Behind Enemy Lines”: Go “Behind Enemy Lines” and have some of your members read books that are from the enemies’ bookshelves. Yes, more than one person may read the same book. Please state the Team and person from whose shelf you are stealing.

2. Color Ahead: Read books with a cover that has a predominant color of the Team ranked ahead of you in the last Sunday Update of May or June. If your Team is ranked first, then use the color of the Team ranked last.

3. Color Behind: Read books with a cover that has a predominant color of the Team ranked just behind you in the last Sunday Update of May or June. If your Team is ranked last, then use the color of the Team ranked first.

4. Book of the Month or “Buddy Read”: Read books that is a NBRC BOM or “buddy read” AND participate in the posting Discussion Questions. (Please check with Mod running the discussion about the day’s DQs for which you want to volunteer.) Yes, you may ask to have a “buddy read” set-up for a particular book. It must be posted in the regular NBRC group, under the alphabetical authors’ listings, and includes the regular NBRC members not involved in the Tower Teams Reading Challenge. You may all read the same book, or pick and choose which ones you want to read, or from those already designated.

5. Spell-It-Out: Read books whose title, author’s (first or last), or series name would spell “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.” You may ignore the indefinite and definite articles (a, an, and, the), if that helps. Special Note: You can ONLY use a letter as many times as it occurs. For example, you may have two people read a book with a title, author or series name that starts with “T,” but you may NOT have three people doing so. Yes, you only have to do seven books. Unless you choose to do it twice, or even thrice, in which case you still MAY NOT repeat the letters, unless they are repeated in the spelling.

6. From May’s R-a-T Mini Challenges: Read books with a predominantly green color; or have a flower on the cover; or are set in a favorite holiday destination; or have a moon on the cover; or have a iconic landmark or monument on the cover; or would spell out “A.N.Y. R.O.S.E.” (same rules apply as for #5). Yes, you may count one book that has a flower, one that has a landmark, and one that helps spell “any rose” to reach a combined total of seven (7) books.

7. Seven: Read books with seven letters in the title. Read books that have seven words in the title. You may include the series name, or not, and you may ignore the indefinite and definite articles (a, an, and, the), whichever is to your benefit. Or read books that are the seventh book in a series. Or are written by an author with seven letters in their first, last, or combined names - and initials, if that helps. Or you may read books, that total seven words with the title, series name, and author combined. (Example: Summer Knight, The Dresden Files, by Jim Butcher.) Or if the title has the word “seven” in the title. Or read a book that was originally published in the seventh month (July). Or you may spell out “S.E.V.E.N. U.P.” using the same spell-it-out criteria mentioned above.

REPEATING: Please note that Category #5 is the only category you may repeat three times, and ignore two other categories. All others, you may repeat twice, and choose to ignore one other category.

POSTING: Captain and Co-Captains, please only post in this thread when a category is finished . Please Note: Once you have posted a category as finished, that is it. NO SWAPPING AROUND BOOKS, ONCE A CATEGORY IS POSTED.

Captains and Co-Captains, you may start a thread over in the "sister group," or have your discussion in the regular NBRC group thread.

[Mary X]

1: Behind Enemy Lines

Possibles: (#)=other challenges book can fit [.] cover colors
Mary:
The Great Gatsby-F.S. Fitzgerald from Faith/Radical Red (6)[b,p,o,y,g)
[book:A Hidden Fire|12755792]-Faith/Radical Red (6,7)
The Secret Life of Bees- Steven/Mango Tango (6) [o,y,p]
The Thirteenth Tale-Steven Mango/Tango
Ghost Moon-Steven/Mango Tango (also moon cover)(6) [g]

LK:
Laura's Big Break-Skandia, Team B'dazzled Blue (6)
Summer Knight-Skandia, Team B'dazzled Blue (6)


Jackie:
Summer Knight-











2: Color Ahead

[Mary X]

3: Color Behind





4: Book of the Month or Buddy Read

Lisa Kay:
The Diviners
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry(7)
A Discovery of Witches (5)

Jex:
The Diviners
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry(7)
World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War
The Passage

Mod account
The Diviners
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry(7)
World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War
The Passage
A Discovery of Witches (5)

[Mary X]

5: Spell It Out (can use up to 21 books for this)

21 of 21 spots filled.

I will use books from players not actively participating in the 7% challenge to fill in letters if I can't fit their books in anywhere else.


I'm reserving the right to move books around if I see a better way of doing it to get us closer to completing a task.

Mary will do fill in for letters as needed.

Not filling in any books until they are read for this one:


N:
B:
R:
C:Jackie

T: Jackie
O: Lisa-Kay
W: Lisa-Kay
E: Lisa-Kay
R.

T: Jackie
E: Jackie
A:
M: Imke
S: Jackie

R
E: Melissa (could also be used for G)
A: Melissa (could also be used for I or M)
D: Jackie
I: Lisa Kay
N
G: Lisa Kay

C:
H:
A: Melissa
L: Jackie or Melissa
L: Imke or Melissa (Melissa's could also be used for M)
E: Imke
N
G:
E: Imke

[Mary X]

6: RAT Mini-Challenges



Mary: Ghost Moon(1)
Lisa Kay:
Mercy
In Pursuit of Miss Eliza Cynster

Jex: Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend

#7: Seven

Jex:Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend

[Lisa Kay]

7% Challenge

FYI, I'll be reading 27 books in this period, and I think all of them will fit somewhere. I'm flexible; just let me know.

Cat#1 - 4 books, possibly 5 - or more. I stopped looking after awhile.

Cat#2 - 2 books, possible 3

Cat#3 - got it cover with at least 1 book, all Teams

Cat#4 - got it cover with at least 1 book, all Teams

Cat#5 - I think I'm fine here; I have the hard ones "O" "W" "E" "G" "I"

Cat#6 - one book, at least, not counting the Spell-it-Out, of which I have more. I do have a book with a moon on it; however, I was going to use that for the "buddy read." I also have flowers and green cover covered. If you go with spelling "S.E.V.E.N.   U.P" - I have the "U" covered.

Cat#7 - 5 books, for sure, maybe more.

[Jackie]

I've been looking at the categories and comparing to the books I've got coming up. This is what I've found so far.

Cat#1 - 1, but probably could find more
Cat#5 - 7 - Letters T, T, S, E, D, C, L
Cat#6 - 4 from the Spell-it-out
Cat#7 - 6 at least

Didn't look at Cat#2 & 3 because of not knowing colors.

[Mary X]

Here's my personal update thread:

#1: Behind Enemy Lines: I can do a few of these if needed:
found multiple books I have on Faith from Radical Red, Steven from Mango Tango

#2: No to BOM
Maybe to a Buddy Read.

#3: Color Ahead: probably can do 1

#4: Color behind: probably can do 1

#5: Spell it out: Will probably just fill in with/what's needed.

#6-books I could come up with:
Moon on cover (Ghost Moon by Heather Graham)
Flower on cover
Vacation Spot
Green Cover
Letter or two from spell out
Landmark? Might have Eiffel Tower & White House or Washington Monument-have to check.

#7: can probably do at least one of any criteria:

[Mary X]

Please if you want to do the spell it out challenge but can't do anything with the letters left-post what letters you can do. I know I can do different letters if needed and others might be able to switch as well.

[ilovebakedgoods (Teresa)]

Okay, I'm having brain blocks right now, so please bear with me. Can any of the following books qualify for the left-over letters in the spell-it-out, and if so, which ones? And do I have to read a certain number of books for that category?

Titles:
Dream Lake, by Lisa Kleypas (Friday Harbor series)
The Templar Legacy, by Steve Berry (it is the Cotton Malone series)
Second Sight, by Amanda Quick (The Arcane Society Series)

I'm shady on which parts of titles need to be used for those remaining letters so I'll start with those books and look over my reading plan after I get feedback.

Thanks!

[ilovebakedgoods (Teresa)]

Note: One thing I'm really confused by is where it states that you can't "read two books from one category and five from another to equal seven." I mean... if I just end up reading 1 for the spell it out, how do I figure out how many more I can contribute? I'm sooooooooo confused. If someone does not participate, they can still have their books counted by a captain, yet... what if their accidental books total up to 7 but are in a mix of categories??

I start questioning those little details and that's it, poof...mind blown.

And I'm participating in a Buddy Read of Dracula with two other teams.. so that's one book for me in Buddy Reads/boM. Am I breaking rules by just contributing that one book and then one (or maybe 2 or 3) in the Spell-it-out? Please, I don't get the difference between "accidental reads that qualify" vs "you can not choose 2 from one and 5 from another", but... can I choose 1 from 7? LOL! Ka-pow.

Talk to me like I'm a four-year-old, LOL!

[Mary X]

That's my problem too.

I think how it works is that between the team a category has to be completed for it to count. Each person can read bits and pieces of each category. But only the ones that get completed count for points. So 1 person can do all of one category if they want and the team gets credit for it. Or multiple team members can read to complete a category to finish it and have it count. But any categories that don't get completed either by 1 person or by team effort than it doesn't count.

Some of the categories can be dropped altogether and another duplicated. But there's restrictions on that. If there's a category that not enough want to do we do have the option of duplicating another or I think maybe even 2 if needed.

This post of Imke helped me finally get it, pretty much:
Imke'sawesomeexplanationpage=2#comment_74646754

[ilovebakedgoods (Teresa)]

Okay, so... if I'm understanding what you're saying, Mary - by "you can't read 2 from one and 5 from another", it means that as a TEAM we can't just choose 2 from one and 5 from another and say "hey, that's 7"? But, as an INDIVIDUAL, I could read 2 from one, 3 from another and 2 from yet another, AS LONG AS other team member(s) is/are matching those same 3 categories to equal a total of 7 books per category? See, all this time I thought that meant *I* could not read 2 from one and 5 from another, not *we, the team* couldn't! so, I was thinking I (we as individuals) *had* to read all 7 books in one category, despite whatever FAQ out there might say otherwise. My brain just went all wonky when I read the challenge info and then I couldn't recover, LOL!

If I haven't understood..then nevermind, I'm not going to get this tonight, LOL! I'll read Imke's post again, too. I did earlier but yeah, brain...

[Lisa Kay]

ilovebakedgoods (Teresa) wrote: "...it means that as a TEAM we can't just choose 2 from one and 5 from another and say "hey, that's 7"

You are correct, Teresa. Yay! You got it. ☺

[ilovebakedgoods (Teresa)]

By Jove, it's a miracle! (When I was little, I thought the saying was, "By George!" LOL)

Breakthrough!

I really just read it as "you can't do that, Teresa", not 'your team can't, etc' lol... oye! Well, that's one hurdle over. I'm still a little confused about something, but I don't remember what just now, haha. too busy doing a happy dance for getting that one right, lol.

[Lisa Kay]

[Mary X]

Yeah I should have said team. Imke explained it much better.

Oh and I can probably do at least 15 books during that 7 weeks for this. Maybe a few more.

[Imke]

For # 5 I can read for the M, L, E and E.
For # 7 I have 2 books that are the 7th book in a series.
For #4 I am planning to do one of the June book of the month.
For #2 and #3 I have at least 1 book for each color (I think).
For #6 I think I have books that can fill the criteria except a book with a flower on the cover.

[Mary X]

I'm totaly confused again about the rule change for #5.

Can we or can we not (as a team) count 1 book for each letter to spell out the original words for 21 of our 49 books? Like I have listed above in filling out a player name by each letter so each letter only gets read once? (yes I know there are 26 letters in the spell out)

[Moderators of NBRC]

You have it straight now, Mary: HDLS. Right? Some people were confused by the total of 26 letters.

[Mary X]

I just thought they were extras to make it easier to get 21.

But now with Challenge removed people have to resubmit what letters they can read.

[Moderators of NBRC]

NO! C.H.A.L.L.A.N.G.E is NOT removed.

[Mary X]

Well now that messes me up because the H & G I was going to read for other challenges. Maybe I can fit them into another category or letter.

Sigh. Well the 2 of my books that I moved work for 2 letters each so I will just move them if needed.

[Mary X]

Right now I have 21 books claimed for #5 of the challenge which is the max we can count for that one.

But, if that's the only challenge someone else feels that they can do please post what letters you can do. I'm sure someone can move their books to something else. I know I could. Plus you never know when real life will keep someone from reading what they had planned.

[ilovebakedgoods (Teresa)]

So... remaining letters for #5 are: RANCHANG

I'm going to ask again: Do any of these titles/series names/authors count for those? I think I have the C and at least one A and an H?

Titles:
Dream Lake, by Lisa Kleypas (Friday Harbor series)
The Templar Legacy, by Steve Berry (it is the Cotton Malone series)
Second Sight, by Amanda Quick (The Arcane Society Series)

[Mary X]

You can use Second Sight for A either the Amanda or Arcane works for it.

You can use The Templar Legacy for C for Cotton Malone. Those are the only 2 on that list that work for those letters.

But if you really want to read one of those for this challenge, I know i would give up a letter for you and switch to another one. Someone else might too.

Right now I have enough letters filled but that doesn't mean they'll all get read. Someone may get behind, drop out or just have real life get in the way.

[Mary X]

I love Lisa Kleypas. If you don't need to read the Friday Harbor books in order, I would do a Buddy Read with you on that. If I can get it from my library.

[Mary X]

I have decided to hold myself back from picking out too many categories and I will kind of fit books in to where they are need to make blocks of 7. The only category I can't really do is the BOM option because I'm not really interested in reading any of them at this time.

[Mary X]

I think I could probably do 7 books for Category 7 all by myself.

[Lisa Kay]

Should I reserve a spot and post the books I think I'm going to get to in June, Mary: HDLS?

Some are 99% sure, some are 80%, some are 50%. I'll figure out how to indicated that later.

This is what I got. Though, I'm still working onit.

Cat#1 - Skandia, Team B'dazzled Blue Laura's Big Break, by Janet Elizabeth Henderson (Kindle) - won't read until July


Cat#1 - Cathy Galloway, Team B'dazzled Blue Summer Knight, by Jim Butcher The Dresden Files #4 {if not used for #7} (ODA & PB)


Cat#4 - The Diviners, by Libba Bray (Library-HC & Libary-CDs)
 

Cat#4 & Cat#7 (green) - Waiting to see if I get it from the library:
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, by Rachel Joyce Start Date June ???


Cat#4 or #5 - MAYBE "D" "A"
A Discovery of Witches, by Deborah Harkness All Souls Trilogy #1 - Start Date June 10th? "re-read" (CDs to Kindle/Kindle)


Cat#5 - "W." or "B."
When He Was WickedJulia Quinn, by Julia Quinn Bridgertons #6 - June 16th



Cat#5 - Heart of Obsidian, by Nalini Singh Psy-Changeling #? in two groups 1st RLftCI June 4th; WYA = June 10th?


Cat#6 - green
Mercy, by Julie Garwood (audible.com wishlist) - if it doesn't get BOM for June, then I'll read it in July.


In Pursuit of Miss Eliza Cynster, by Stephanie Laurens (need to determine media) - June 27


Cat#2 or #3 - ??? (Unsure if I have copy)
Still voting on Garwood
Guardian Angel, by Julie Garwood (Crown's Spies #2)
by Julie Garwood

Still voting on W&MRL

[Mary X]

I think that's a good idea. For people to list what they are hoping/planning/wanting to read for this and what categories the books fit into. Then I can do some prep posts and see where we have holes and mark them off and submit as they are read and categories are completed.

[Lisa Kay]

Will do, Mrs. Dresden. ☺

[ilovebakedgoods (Teresa)]

Would the Lisa Kleypas Friday Harbor book not count for H?

I'm not really sure if you need to read the series in order. Each book is about someone who was mentioned or introduced in some way in a prior book and there are little details that will be "spoiled" if you read them out of order but i"m not sure if it's a necessity.

I'll work on a list of books later. I have had the worst headache today, even called in sick at work because of it. Goodnight!

[Lisa Kay]

I don't think it is vital you read it in order, Teresa. Nice, but not crucial. Can't used the "H." Sorry.

[Lisa Kay]

Stated on my stuff in Post #30 above.

[Lisa Kay]

Sweet Dreams, Teresa!

[Jex]

I'm not gonna lie, 95% of the books I read are BOM/BR books, so I'll help there!

On my list for June if I can manage it:


All of these are BOMs/BRs, but you can place in other categories if it helps the group more.

[Moderators of NBRC]

Reading these in June (all BOMS/BRs):


May end up with more....I feel like this account kind of cheats for the BR category since every BR that someone creates the mod account "reads"
~ Jex

[Moderators of NBRC]

Sorry if this was answered elsewhere, but if 2 team members read the same book does that book count twice?

~ oops wrong account -Jex

[Jex]

I forgot my audiobook!

5. M or D
6. Predominantly Green
7. Title + Author name

Really it looks like I can make it fit in almost any category. Just depends on the team colors we end up with. Behind Enemy Lines is just a matter of searching until we find someone that has read what we have.

[Moderators of NBRC]

Moderators of Nothing but Reading Challenges wrote: "Sorry if this was answered elsewhere, but if 2 team members read the same book does that book count twice?

~ oops wrong account -Jex"

LOL! Yes, if the same book is read by two different members, it counts twice.

~LK

[Mary X]

Yes you can use the same book read by different members to fill in different categories too.

So yeah my team has been busy. I'm going to do some prep work as to what books work where and who is planning to read them. I hope I can keep them all straight. Organization is not one of my better skills.

[Mary X]

Teresa you can only use the first word of the title or series for the spell outs. (you can drop words like A, The, Of etc..,). You can use either the firt or last name for the author.

[Mary X]

For the spell out, if I see a book read that doesn't fit anywhere else but it can work for a spell out letter, I might move it there even if someone else said they can probably do that letter.

Conversely, if someone says a book they read is for the spell out but I see that it works better somewhere else, then it'll be moved. Once a task is submitted as being done, those books cannot be moved again. But until they are submitted for a completed task, they can move all over.

My plan is to move books if I see that I can get a task completed and give us one less to worry about.

[Mary X]

I think I will remove my name from some spell out letters and leave them open for someone else. Then fill in somewhere if needed on that.

[Jackie]

I'm going to list books that I'm planning on reading over the time frame of the challenge. Please feel free to place them anywhere needed.

This first one does qualify for Category #1 from Team B'dazzled Blue.


These can go anywhere:

[Mary X]

So disorganized me actually made a spreadsheet. Not sure if I set it up the best way or if it will actually help me or not.

[Lisa Kay]

Might not be needed. We'll see.

[Mary X]

So should I not count the Mod books for the BOM option but work them in somewhere else?

We might not even need that category.

[Lisa Kay]

**shrugs** You do what you want, Mrs. Dresden. I say, "Let's play it by ear."