September Monthly Challenge: Discussion and Suggestion Thread

[Yz the Whyz, Moderator]

This is the thread where we ask questions, discuss, and make suggestions for the challenge.

Here are the categories:

1. September: Read a book which title starts with “S”

2. Birthday: Read a book from a September B-day celebrant.

3. Geography: Read a book whose author, character or setting is from Canada

4. Editors and Writers Month: Read a book where a character is in the writing field (author, writer, journalist, publisher, editor, etc)

5. Read a book written by a GR author. (This has been requested several times so I thought I’ll bring this category back) When done, send a brief pm of appreciation to the writer.

6. Labor Day: Read a book where a character is a blue-collar worker.

7. National Hispanic Heritage Month: Read a book that focuses on the Hispanic culture, written by a Hispanic author, that has a Hispanic main character or set either in Spain or South America.

8. World Animal Remembrance Month: Cover Search- Read a book with an animal on its cover.

9. Explore a Genre: Historical Fiction (not limited to Historical Romance) Read a book that takes place in some notable period of history

10. Read a book from our Group’s Bookshelf or if you joined the Pick-it-for-Me Challenge, your recommended book.

[Shannon]

I'm going to have to opt-out of this one this month, but it makes me sad! More of my books fit into the Paranormal Romance challenge and I'm only going to have time for one challenge because school starts on 9/9. Between two classes I have to read 7 books, and I've got a third class that hasn't released their book list yet so who knows how many that will add on.

Sigh ... I'm almost done though ...

[Michelle]

1. S Book- The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields

2. Birthday- Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris(Colleen)

3. Geography Canada- Star Light, Star Bright by Naomi Horton

4. Editor/Writer- The Mark by Jason Pinter

5. GR Author- Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

6. Labor Day- Club Dead by Charlaine Harris

7. National Hispanic Heritage Month- Delia's Gift by V.C. Andrews

8. World Animal Remembrance- Fools Rush In by Kristan Higgins

9. Historical Fiction- The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent

10. Group bookshelf- The Host by Stephenie Meyer

[Kasia]

Our September B-Day girls:

7 - Jael
8 - Toni
10 - Brenda
10 - colleen
11 - Jessi
13 - Melinda
17 - Stephanie (private profile, must be friends to view shelves)
18 - Sherrill
22 - B
24 - Annie
28 - Laura


I've missed Brenda before - how horrible of me - hence the edit. Now, do I have everybody or am I still missing someone?

Happy Birthday guys!!! (Though I know it's still a few day too early)

[Emily]

I've got a question ( I know. Go figure, right? hehe) But for the 4 category, would a character who is a book translator fit? I'm figuring that would go with the etc, but I just wanna double check. :^)

[Kasia]

Yeah a book translator would work, sure.

[DarkHeart "Vehngeance"]

Shannon wrote: "I'm going to have to opt-out of this one this month, but it makes me sad! More of my books fit into the Paranormal Romance challenge and I'm only going to have time for one challenge because school..."

I can sympathize, Shannon. I'm finishing up the penultimate class of my master's program and can't wait to be finished. I took August off from challenges to focus.

[Yz the Whyz, Moderator]

Don't worry, Shannon. Life happens. I, myself, will be slowing down on my reading this month.

[Lori]

How about a book store owner for #4. Will that work?

[Yz the Whyz, Moderator]

Bookstore owner works for me, Lori.

[Shanna]

For #7 is Mexico considered South America?

[Yz the Whyz, Moderator]

Mexico is part of North America...but it definitely has a Hispanic culture.

[Mel W]

I found this site handy whilst looking for books to fit the Geography - Canada category:

http://www.canadianauthors.net/

[Mel W]

Can someone give me some suggestions for the Hispanic/Spanish category please?

[Kasia]

Maybe this list will help you some: http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/18...

[Melissa]

Thanks, Kasia! It sure helped me!

[Julianna]

Here are two sites for finding Canadian romance authors: http://www.canadianromanceauthors.com...
http://www.torontoromancewriters.com/...

[Wendy]

Hi Yz, Does Cry No More by Linda Howard fit the bill for category 7?

[Yz the Whyz, Moderator]

LibraryLass,

It looks like it is set in Mexico, so it'll works for me.

[Wendy]

Cheers for that Yz, I dont know if I will finish next month (haven't this month!) but it's nice to give them a go. Go you, for all the great ideas!

[[deleted user]]

Hispanic paranormal authors: Caridad Pineiro and Marta Acosta

[Mel W]

Kasia wrote: "Maybe this list will help you some: http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/18..."

Thanks, Kasia - now to see if my local Borders has any of them!

[Mel W]

Jan wrote: "Hispanic paranormal authors: Caridad Pineiro and Marta Acosta"

Thanks, Jan!

[Mel W]

Okay, so I didn't have much luck finding some of the Hispanic authors suggested. I DID come across a couple of Isabel Allende books yesterday but neither grabbed my interest. One was the last book in a series and I don't like reading series out of order, and the other was real-life about the author's sister.

However, mention of Cry No More by Linda Howard being set in Mexico by LibraryLass had me searching in that direction. The Borders I went to didn't have that specific title but they did have Heart of Fire which is set in the Amazon, Rio Negro River, and although I'm probably stretching it, the river does run through both Colombia and Venezuela and they're both Hispanic culture countries, right?

:)

[Yz the Whyz, Moderator]

Hey, it's set in South America, so that should work, Mel.

[Mel W]

Awesome, thanks, Yz!

[Shannon]

Would a character that's Portuguese count? I don't know if I'm splitting hairs here but I'm having a hard time finding a book for this category.

But here's what I found on Wikipedia:

The U.S. Office of Management and Budget currently defines "Hispanic or Latino" as "a person of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race".[14:] This definition excludes people of Portuguese origins, such as Portuguese Americans or Brazilian Americans. However, they are included in some government agencies' definitions. For example, the U.S. Department of Transportation defines Hispanic to include, "persons of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Dominican, Central or South American, or others Spanish or Portuguese culture or origin, regardless of race."[15:] This definition has been adopted by the Small Business Administration as well as many federal, state, and municipal agencies for the purposes of awarding government contracts to minority owned businesses. Still, other government agencies adopt definitions that exclude people from Spain, since there is a distinct ethnic difference (indigenous American or European American). Some others include people from Brazil, but not Spain or Portugal.

I guess it could go either way, huh? Let me know if it's alright.

[Kasia]

It's alright, go for it Shannon ;)

[Wendy]

My reserve for Black hills by Nora Roberts has finally come in. As I'm trying to fit books into challenge categories, am wondering if this would fit in the blue collar category? Hero is a rancher, I believe.??

[Kasia]

Rancher does manual labor, right? So I think it would work. (Unless we're talking about one of that old money magnates... If that's the case and he has other people doing the dirty work for him, well, then he's no longer blue collar.)

[Wendy]

No he's definitely a 'hands-on' rancher, so yay another category I can fit!

[Amber]

1. “S”

2. Birthday:

4. Editors and Writers Month:
Lost Souls - Lisa Jackson 9/8/09

5. GR author.

6. blue-collar worker.

7. Hispanic

8. animal on its cover.

9. Historical Fiction

10. Group’s Bookshelf

[ஐ Katya (Book Queen)ஐ]

I take it "Historical Fiction" must be a fiction book to count. I just finished a cookbook, Grandma's Wartime Kitchen - World War II and the Way We Cooked, but it isn't fiction although it is historical.

[Yz the Whyz, Moderator]

Hmm....Briansgirl...that's a tough call for me.

I did use the term fiction, so I will have to stick with that description. On the other hand, it is obviously a historical.

I'll let you decide.

[ஐ Katya (Book Queen)ஐ]

It's been hard for me to come up with stuff to read lately as I havn't read fiction since my brother's death until yesterday. I just finished my first fictional short story of 34 pages. The cookbook does have alot of writing in it, other than just recipes, telling all about the war years and how people managed. I know I'm pushing it if I use it. I'll list it for now but if I get to the book I was thinking of, that definetly fits. A friend of mine wrote her second authorized Bonanza novel. Mystic Fire A Bonanza / Civil War Novel I'm just gently working my way back into reading fiction.

[Wendy]

Hi guys, I have just started Thirteenth Child and am wondering if it could fit into the historical category? It is an alternative history of the wild west?

[Mel W]

I reckon it would be okay, LibraryLass.

[Wendy]

Cheers Mel, it has an animal on the front too so I might just play safe and use it for that category. =)