Read-a-Thon #2 - Team Butterfly

[Kathryn]

Looking good!! I'm about to finish Nine Perfect Strangers (about 30 pages to go) and I'm going to use it for "a book with a number in the title" for the ATY challenge.

Then I'm planning to start Kakadu Sunset by Annie Seaton, which could work for a new-to-me author, something related to nature, or the main character is called Ellie (starts with "E").

[Kathryn]

Edie wrote: "For another question do we want to segment the possible last names again. Something like:

Does the author's last name start with M-R (or we could ask about S-Z)? I think there will be more possibl..."

And yes, I agree with Edie - I think continuing to work out what her surname starts with will be helpful.

[Kathryn]

Kathryn wrote: "Looking good!! I'm about to finish Nine Perfect Strangers (about 30 pages to go) and I'm going to use it for "a book with a number in the title" for the ATY challenge.

Then I'm planning to start [..."

Wow! You're quick, Emily! Did you just put my books on the planning spreadsheet, or did I forget and do it before I posted?? I know I was intending to do it...

[Katie]

5. Does our author's last name start with a letter between M-R? NO

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

lol Kathryn I just put it up!

Ok so we are looking S-Z.

Do we want to divide that up further? We have one more question available right now.

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

Also, my husband and I just realized we bought tickets for a concert in New Orleans (about 2.5 hours away from us) and that concert is tonight... in about 3 hours! So we are hitting the road and I'll be away from my laptop until tomorrow morning, probably. Ellie can update the spreadsheet, or I'll do it in the morning.

I've made the planning tab editable by anyone, so feel free to add your books to that tab!

(Don't worry, I plan on making him drive so I can read!)

[Deborah]

Just realized that while my copy of The Bell Jar has a green spine, the cover is actually red for the cover prompt. Oops! :)

[Ellie]

Emily wrote: "Also, my husband and I just realized we bought tickets for a concert in New Orleans (about 2.5 hours away from us) and that concert is tonight... in about 3 hours! So we are hitting the road and I'..."

You are such a star at keeping up with this thread. Are you managing to read too?! I can update the spreadsheet in the morning UK time but will not be long before I head to bed.

[Kathryn]

And I just finished Nine Perfect Strangers - to be used for a book for the ATY challenge.

I'm guessing it would be most likely that our author's last name starts with S or T... Should we try to split those letters up? I was thinking we could ask if the author's last name starts with T, U, V or W?

Enjoy your concert, Emily! And you're lucky you can read in the car! It would have to be an audiobook for me, if I was reading in the car, regardless of whether I was driving or not! And we'll be in good hands with Ellie!

[Ellie]

@Kathryn I think we should keep going with the narrowing down of the letters, so I'm good with that question if there's no objections.

[Ellie]

My page count for the 8th is 298.

[Samantha]

I would be curious to know when the author died. Was it in the last 20, 50 or 100 years? Not sure what the right length would be to start with but think this could help narrow things down a bit along with the letters of name.

[Jackie]

I didn't think I would finish another book today, but I did.
The Quiche of Death

FYI, It is a new to me author.

[Brittany]

I finished the Book Readers Problems.

[Kathryn]

I'm not sure how helpful this is, but I just went through the Wikipedia entry of female authors and pulled out every American author with a year of death. I've cut and pasted the list below in the spoiler (it's a fairly long list) so that it isn't taking up too much room as people scroll through the thread.

(view spoiler)[
S
• Mari Sandoz (1896–1966), American novelist, biographer, and short story writer
• May Sarton (1912–1995), Belgian American poet, novelist, and memoirist
• Ruth Sawyer (1880–1970), American novelist and children's writer
• Jane Johnston Schoolcraft (1800–1842), American Indian writer of poetry and fiction
• Molly Elliot Seawell (1860–1916), American essayist, novelist, and short story writer
• Catharine Sedgwick (1789–1867), American novelist
• Anya Seton (1904–1990), American historical fiction novelist
• Cynthia Propper Seton (1926–1982), American novelist and essayist
• Mary Lee Settle (1918–2005), American novelist and memoirist; Blood Tie
• Anne Sexton (1928–1974), American poet; 1967 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry
• Mary Ann Shaffer (1934–2008), American writer, editor, and librarian; The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
• Ntozake Shange (1948–2018), American playwright and novelist
• Alice Sheldon (1915–1987), American novelist and short story writer
• Dorothy Sherrill (1901–1990), American writer and self-illustrator of children's books
• Kate Brownlee Sherwood (1841–1914), American poet, journalist, translator
• Carol Shields (1935–2003), American-Canadian novelist; 1995 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction; The Stone Diaries
• Gonnie Siegel (1928–2005), American feminist and business advisor
• Ruth Simpson (1926–2008), American lesbian author, founder of first lesbian community center
• Amanda Smith (1837–1915), American evangelist and autobiographer
• Betty Smith (1896–1972), American novelist; A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
• Doris Buchanan Smith (1934–2002), American children's novelist; A Taste of Blackberries
• Saundra Smokes (1954–2012), American journalist and playwright
• Susan Sontag (1933–2004), American essayist and novelist
• Anne Spencer (1882–1975), American poet
• Leonora Speyer (1872–1956), American poet and violinist; 1927 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry
• Harriet Elizabeth Prescott Spofford (1835–1921), American mystery novelist, poet, and short story writer
• Jean Stafford (1915–1979), American novelist and short story writer; 1970 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction
• Elizabeth Cady Stanton (1815–1902), American feminist journalist and essayist
• Gertrude Stein (1874–1946), American novelist, playwright, poet, librettist, and short story writer
• Jadene Felina Stevens (1947–2013), American poet
• Alzina Stevens (1849–1900), American labor leader, journalist
• Maria W. Stewart (1803–1897), American feminist lecturer and journalist
• Ruth Stone (1915–2011), American poet
• Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811–1836), American novelist; Uncle Tom's Cabin
• Meridel Le Sueur (1900–1996), American journalist and novelist
• Jacqueline Susann (1918–1974), American novelist
• May Swenson (1913–1989), American poet and playwright

T
• Gladys Taber (1899–1980), American novelist, nature writer
• Lisa Ysaye Tarleau (1885–1952), American short story author
• Susie Taylor (1848–1912), American teacher and memoir writer
• Teresia Teaiwa (1968–2017), I-Kiribati and American poet and academic
• Sara Teasdale (1884–1933), American lyrical poet
• Mary Church Terrell (1863–1954), African-American activist and journalist
• Celia Thaxter (1835–1894), American writer of poetry and stories
• Rose Hartwick Thorpe (1850–1939), American poet, writer
• Clara Augusta Jones Trask (1839–1905), American writer
• Sojourner Truth (1797–1883), American feminist; Ain't I a Woman?
• Barbara W. Tuchman (1912–1989), American author and historian; The March of Folly: From Troy to Vietnam

U
• Brenda Ueland (1891–1985), American-Norwegian writer, journalist, teacher; If You Want to Write: A Book About Art, Independence, and Spirit

V
• Janine Pommy Vega (1942–2010), American poet associated with the Beat generation
• Octavia Walton Le Vert (1811–1877), American writer

W
• Elizabeth Wagele (1939–2017), American author and cartoonist
• Margaret Walker (1915–1998), American poet and novelist
• Mildred Walker (1905–1998), American novelis
• Effie Waller Smith (1879–1960), African-American poet
• Gertrude Chandler Warner (1890–1979), American children's writer
• Susan Warner (1819–1885), American children's writer and songwriter
• Wendy Wasserstein (1950–2006), American playwright
• Hannah Weiner (1928–1997), American poet
• Jane Meade Welch (1854–1931), American journalist, lecturer
• Charlotte Fowler Wells (1814–1901), American phrenologist and publisher
• Ida B. Wells (1862–1931), African-American journalist, newspaper editor, suffragist, sociologist
• Eudora Welty (1909–2001), American novelist, short story writer, and photographer
• Viola S. Wendt (1907–1986), American poet and educator
• Dorothy West (1907–1998), American novelist and short story writer
• Jessamyn West (1902–1984), American novelist and short story writer; The Friendly Persuasion
• Edith Wharton (1862–1937), American novelist and short story writer; The Age of Innocence
• Phillis Wheatley (1753–1784), American poet
• Ellen White (1827–1915), American evangelist and prophetess
• Lilian Whiting (1847–1942), American journalist, author
• Margaret Widdemer (1884–1978), American poet and novelist
• Kate Douglas Wiggin (1856–1923), American educator, author of children's stories
• Ella Wheeler Wilcox (1850–1919), American poet
• Charlotte Wilder (1898–1980), American poet
• Laura Ingalls Wilder (1867–1957), American children's writer; Little House on the Prairie
• Kate Wilhelm (1928–2018), American novelist and short story writer
• Sherley Anne Williams (1944–1999), American poet and novelist
• Harriet E. Wilson (1825–1900), American novelist
• Hazel Hutchins Wilson (1898–1992), American author of children's books; librarian
• Margaret Wilson (1882–1973), American novelist; 1924 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction
• Sarah Winnemucca (1841–1891), American lecturer and autobiographer
• Buffalo Bird Woman (1839–1932), Native American Hidatsa writer
• Jade Snow Wong (1922–2006), American ceramic artist and autobiographer
• Nellie Wong (born 1934), Chinese-American feminist poet; Dreams in Harrison Railroad Park, The Death of Long Steam Lady
• Abba Goold Woolson (1838–1921), American writer
• Constance Fenimore Woolson (1840–1894), American novelist and short story writer
• Elizabeth Strong Worthington (1851–1916), American writer
• Mary Tappan Wright (1851–1916), American novelist and short story writer
• Audrey Wurdemann (1911–1960), American poet; won 1935 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry
• Elinor Wylie (1885–1928), American poet and novelist

Y
• Hisaye Yamamoto (1921–2011), Japanese American short story writer
• Wakako Yamauchi (1924–2018), Japanese American writer
• Anzia Yezierska (1883–1970), Polish American novelist and short story writer
• Marguerite Young (1908–1995), American novelist, poet, biographer and academic; Miss MacIntosh, My Darling

Z
• Marya Zaturenska (1902–1982), American poet; won 1938 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry
(hide spoiler)]

I'm not sure how famous the author we're guessing will be, and how famous someone is would depend on who is judging their "fame"! As an Aussie, there are only just over half a dozen authors on this list I've heard of!

Narrowing down the first initial, and year of death would be helpful. I was surprised by how many "W"s there are!

For an Australian perspective, and at risk of seeming uneducated (at least in American literature!), the authors I consider well-known are:
Mary Ann Shaffer (1934–2008), The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society;
Betty Smith (1896–1972), A Tree Grows in Brooklyn;
Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811–1836), Uncle Tom's Cabin;
Eudora Welty;
Edith Wharton (1862–1937), The Age of Innocence;
Kate Douglas Wiggin (1856–1923);
Laura Ingalls Wilder (1867–1957), Little House on the Prairie

[Johanne]

I read 241 pages today, didn't finish anything.

I just did the Book Readers Problems

Heading off to bed and a couple more chapters.

Happy reading everyone!

[Samantha]

Kathryn wrote: "I'm not sure how helpful this is, but I just went through the Wikipedia entry of female authors and pulled out every American author with a year of death. I've cut and pasted the list below in the ..."

I think I must have been looking at the same list which is what made me think the year of death would be helpful :)

[Samantha]

I finished The Girls of Slender Means. This is a the ATY challenge book, a New-to-Me author, and one of the main character's name begins with J.

This was 50 more pages read. I also listened to 41 pages of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.

I will read some more a later before I go to sleep and will update on those pages tomorrow.

[Jackie]

Going to bed soon.
June 8th total - 325 pages

I'm really surprised. I'm a slow and easily distracted reader. I even took time to do yard work today.

[Dina]

I just finished The Woman in the Water; it can be counted toward the ATY challenge and with a main character whose name starts with an E.

Page total: 128.

[Bec]

June 8th I read 185 pages.

[Jill]

I finished All the Names They Used for God which can count towards an author who is new to you.
I read 334 pages today, 6/8.

[Shelley]

Reader problems is completed.

6/8 Read 255 pages.

[Nancy]

6/8 pages read - 121

[Kathy]

6/8 - 88 pages

[Kelly]

Checking in!

Read 104 pages today 6/8. Not as much as I would have liked. I will be able to finish my book tomorrow, but I will wait to see what needs to be filled after it is all updated since this team is on fire! I am thinking yellow cover at this point.

I have also completed the Reader Problems game.

Hope everyone has a good night/ morning!

[Bec]

I’ve just finished The Ice Twins. Counts as new to me author and ATY challenge book.

[Bec]

Just realised The Ice Twins could also count for the nature bucket if the others are filled.

[Kathryn]

Ellie will probably be awake soon, but I was just scanning through the posts and doing a quick count, and I think we're about 300 pages off finishing bucket 4...! We've finished the tasks, by my count.

[Sarah]

I did the Book reader problems and read 55 pages for June 8th. Not as much as I had hoped to read.

[Deborah]

I read 333 pages for 6/8.

I finished Her Body and Other Parties which is both a new to me author and a book for ATY if it is needed in either category.

[Ellie]

Our next question is:
Does our author's last name start with T, U, V or W?

[Ellie]

Good morning everyone, we're really close to finishing bucket 4, we just need 348 more pages.

We've also earned another question by completing the games.

[Kathryn]

Ellie wrote: "...we just need 348 more pages..."

Oh really! I thought we'd have been at the page numbers for bucket 4 by now!!

The next game is up here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Christy]

I read another 111 pages today, and finished The Fifth Season.

[Kathryn]

Ellie wrote: "Good morning everyone, we're really close to finishing bucket 4, we just need 348 more pages.

We've also earned another question by completing the games."

Ellie wrote: "Good morning everyone, we're really close to finishing bucket 4, we just need 348 more pages.

We've also earned another question by completing the games."

Ellie, it looks like Johanne's count from msg 166 and Bec's from msg 171 have been missed? Unless I'm missing something?

[Ellie]

That's weird, I blame the app, but I'll add them in now and I think we'll be at 7500.

[Ellie]

Bucket 4 is done!

Please shout if you think anything else is missing.

[Kathryn]

Ellie wrote: "That's weird, I blame the app, but I'll add them in now and I think we'll be at 7500."

The app is definitely a bit odd - drops out words at times - not helpful!

I forgot to say that I've done the book title antonyms and synonyms game - does it matter that there are still some titles I'm trying to nut out?

[Bec]

I've done the game Book Title Synonyms & Antonyms - still working on a couple....I really want to check out the spoilers to see what they are but don't want to cheat :P

[Kathryn]

Bec wrote: "I've done the game Book Title Synonyms & Antonyms - still working on a couple....I really want to check out the spoilers to see what they are but don't want to cheat :P"

I think you can look at the spoilers, Bec - I'm just reluctant because once I do, I then can't say I worked it out myself!! But one of each of the antonyms and synonyms has me stumped!

[Bec]

Kathryn wrote: "I think you can look at the spoilers, Bec - I'm just reluctant because once I do, I then can't say I worked it out myself!! But one of each of the antonyms and synonyms has me stumped! "

I'm the same - one for each. I don't think I'll get them but will leave it a day or so before checking out the spoilers.

[Kathryn]

Bec wrote: "Kathryn wrote: "I think you can look at the spoilers, Bec - I'm just reluctant because once I do, I then can't say I worked it out myself!! But one of each of the antonyms and synonyms has me stump..."

We're stumped on the same synonym, but you're stuck on antonym 1 and I'm stuck on no. 6.

[Johanne]

I did the antonym/synonym game.
That´s good fun.
I can´t figure out synonym 3, otherwise I think I have them :)

[Brittany]

I finished The Magnolia Story audiobook while I was flying (I can’t read text while flying) and it equaled out to 90 more pages. I haven’t read anything for a book related to a movie/tv show you enjoy so I’ll use that book there and we can use it for an AtY book seeing as The Tempest is going to take me a while longer. I haven’t read Shakespeare since a college English class probably 7-8 years ago and I overestimated how well I would do with it.

[Katie]

Does our author's last name start with T, U, V or W? NO

[Kath]

For 6/8 I read 137 pages

[Kathryn]

So our author's last name starts with an S, X, Y or Z. And we've got 2 more questions to ask.

I like Samantha's idea of picking a time frame (50 years?) and asking if the author died within that time.

For another question, I was just thinking we could ask if she was known as a novelist (or a poet - there were a few poets in that Wikipedia list).

[Deena]

I finished Swing. Unfortunately too late for bucket 3 but it can work for bucket 5 because the main character is named Noah. Also I've read 200 pages yesterday and am currently at 340 for today.

[Tracy]

Im going to throw out a guess for the questions (view spoiler)[ Anita Shreve (hide spoiler)]