Ask Sandi

[Emily]

No problem! We ended up needing an abundance of A's anyway.

[Vicki]

Sandi wrote: "Sorry, Vicki, I'm gonna say no to that one. Susan, yes, approved."

Okay, thanks.

[Sally906]

Half asleep and on my ap so can’t scroll back and see if someone has already asked you

If on a required list a book in a series is mentioned and you’ve read it can you substitute another book in that series?

In the list books about loss #68 is ‘Virgin river Christmas’ - which I’ve read - it is #4 in the series. I haven’t read number 3 Whispering Rock - can I substitute that and still fulfil that task?

[Sandi]

Sorry, while I would normally allow for substitutions on a listopia list, for this challenge no substitutions allowed.

[Sally906]

No worries. Thank you

[Miriam]

Hey Sandi,

I noticed on the B4 Spellouts the formula in Z44 and Z45 is wrong (4th word down in Warburton).
Z44 is pulling the raw sum from line 45
Z45 has a REF! instead of X45

[Sandi]

Fixed

[Susan A]

Sandi -- is there a rule for books that are tagged childrens or middle school?

[Sandi]

From Standard Book Guidelines . . . .


☛ Min. 25,000 words for poetry books, travel books/guides, children's books, and
partly illustrated novels

[Susan A]

Thank you.

For Round 5 tasks:

03 multiplier: A book with a light source on the cover

Do the following work:

natural light
sun, moon, stars, fire, lightning, lava/magma, fireflies,

sunlight, but not the sun


artificial light
lamp, TV (on),
a night scene with a bldg with lit windows, but you can't actually see a lamp


car headlights or brake lights, lamp, flashlight etc - a source, but they are not on


****************************************

A book with CASTLE found in the text

Do we have to post a quote or a page number/location?

If the page number/location is required, for audiobooks, is the time acceptable?

**************************************
.03 multiplier: A book featuring a dancer

Is a scene in which someone dances acceptable, or are you looking for a dancer as a profession, or a serious hobby?

*******************************************************

.03 multiplier: A book set in Asia

any amount of time, at least 50 %, or 100?

[Sandi]

. . . . lol

Any light source okay. All of those are fine
In the how it fits, should have a phrase containing CASTLE, any location reference is fine.
You got me on the dancer one. Not looking for someone who goes out for a night of dancing. Not a casual dancer, but not necessarily someone who does it for a profession. just use your best judgement.
Any percentage of taking place in Asia is okay.

[Emily]

Sandi, just a heads up, on B5, the turf selections in the drop down menu are still from the LA turf wars.

[Susan A]

A book with CASTLE found in the text

Is castles ok?

[Sandi]

Sure

[Sandi]

Emily wrote: "Sandi, just a heads up, on B5, the turf selections in the drop down menu are still from the LA turf wars."

Thanks -- Since this was a reoccurring thing from last round, I realized I probably had it unchanged throughout the rest of this challenge. , I apparently stopped some where along the way and all the future rounds hadn't been changed.

[Susan A]

I'm back and sorry for more questions.

Regarding Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe and The Sea-Wold by Jack London, both on the Shipwrecks lists:

When you type in Robinson Crusoe, many books show up. (As opposed to one book with many editions) Of those books that show up, more than one lists Daniel Defoe as the author.

Can I choose any of the books by Daniel Defoe, with the title Robinson Crusoe and use that book's default edition?

Same thing with The Sea-Wolf and I would think most classic books.

Thank you

[Sandi]

Different editions should all be combined so that there is only one result for an author when searched for. Earlier I updated the edition that had Daniel Defoe's name spelled incorrectly, but Goodreads timed out on me when I tried to combine it with the other editions of the book. I just now tried the combine with Sea Wolf and there are many that are not combined and I'm hesitant to combine them without looking at each individual record which frankly I don't have time for.

During my page number verification, I don't have enough time to search multiple editions that come up in a search. I will pick the top one as the default.

For those mentioned above. . .
Robinson Crusoe 320 pp
The Sea Wolf 425 pp

[Suzy]

Would this count as a light source
stars as light source
burning symbol as light source
tech embedded in arm
small soptlights in the bottom of the cover below the zeplins

[Sandi]

Sure, Suzy.

[Cinthia]

Hi Sandi, there's an audiobook that I finished today, but when I tried checking amazon, it doesn't allow me to search inside the book. Google shows that in chapter 7 there is the word castle, and I can even read the whole page in there and quote the passage, but for some reason it doesn't have page numbers. Can I still use it? I've requested the physical copy from my library but can't guarantee it will arrive on time.

[Sandi]

sure.

[Suzy]

Sandi wrote: "Sure, Suzy."

THANKS! so many questions and your always quick to answer :)

[Cecily]

Hey Sandi,

I listened to the audiobook Hideaway Oct 08, but I was travelling on a plane at the time and when I was adding it I was able to find it in google books with the word "Castle" but it doesn't have the page numbers listed. Amazon doesn't have the search feature available for this book but I know it happens about 3/4 the way through the book but I do not have an exact location. Can I still use it for "castle" or do I have to move it?

[Sandi]

you can use it for the castle task.

[Cecily]

Sandi wrote: "you can use it for the castle task."

okay, thank you so much!

[Joanne]

Does a hyphenated word count for compound words?
Looking at My Favorite Half-Night Stand

[Sandi]

No, unfortunately not.

[Susan A]

I've been looking up compound words on google. I learned that they are classified as:
closed compound words (bedroom),
open compound words (ice cream)
hyphenated compound words (one-night, mother-in-law).

Based on your answer above, are we sticking with closed compound words only?


I did not know there are different types of compound words. I have no idea how people learn English as a second language.

[Sandi]

yep, one word made of two separate words. . . apparently closed compound.

[Emily]

Sandi, the formula on the B6 tab of the spreadsheet is messed up... it looks like there is a space ahead of Cocklebiddy and Broken Hill within the formula (IF(E40=" Broken Hill",G40*H40,""). That space is preventing the numbers from picking up because there isn't a space in the dropdown menu for the turf names.

Just wanted to let you know!

[Sandi]

okay, will fix tonight when I get home from work.

[Critterbee❇]

I think the same thing is happening for the Cocklebiddy points, there is a space before Cocklebiddy in the formula, and no points are showing in column J.

=IF(D17="", "",IF(E17=" Cocklebiddy",G17*H17,""))

[Thereadingbell]

ok we have all the points showing even though we have not read the books can we get that fixed so we can see where we are at.

[Critterbee❇]

At this second, it looks like we have about 420.9 in Cocklebiddy, not bad for so early on.

without adding the spell outs (which may be shifted)
***and about 102.78 in Hobart

[Joanne]

Marythios (AkaSusanne ) wrote: "ok we have all the points showing even though we have not read the books can we get that fixed so we can see where we are at."

I did that so we could see where we were at when all claimed books are complete.

[Thereadingbell]

Joanne wrote: "Marythios (AkaSusanne ) wrote: "ok we have all the points showing even though we have not read the books can we get that fixed so we can see where we are at."

I did that so we could see where we w..."

It is confusing can you fix that please

[Critterbee❇]

Hey Sandi,
I read a book today that is Children's, and 128 pages, but I cannot find the word count (checked the link to accelerated books and amazon and netgalley). It is 128 pages, but I am not sure whether I can use it or not.
Madam C.J. Walker Builds a Business by Rebel Girls
It is a biography, not a graphic novel or picture book.
Is there a way to count words on a kindle? Thanks!

[Sandi]

unfortunately, I don't think you are going to get a word count for a book that hasn't officially been published yet.

[Sandi]

at 128 pp I'm going to say, go ahead and count it.

[Critterbee❇]

Thank you, Sandi.

I found the following way to get a quick estimate of the word count, and I think that the book falls a bit short, so I won't use it.

Pick a typical, full-text page of your book at random. Count the number of words in the top line of text, and then count the number of lines on the page. Multiply those two numbers. Then, multiply that number by the total number of pages in the book.

[Sandi]

I don't know if the first line should be the only basis. I actually remember estimating for written reports in my earlier school years. You should probably count the words in the first several lines of text and then divide that by the number of lines, for example the first 3 lines. And then use that average if it's different from what you already used.

Thanks though for making the final determination on whether you can use it or not since I don't have a copy in my hands. ;-)

[✿~Danielle~✿]

Thank you Sandi for the extra on the new round tasks for the easy copy/paste :)

[Sandi]

YQW!!

[Susan A]

Sandi -

Are there any special rules for plays?

I was considering reading Tartuffe for classics task.

[Sandi]

Sandi wrote: "From Standard Book Guidelines . . . .


☛ Min. 25,000 words for poetry books, travel books/guides, children's books, and
partly illustrated novels"

[Sandi]

I'm not sure how you may determine the word count. If it seems long enough to you, use it.

[Thereadingbell]

Sandi,
If i am listening to audiobook and when I record it did you not say we need to use the ebook or first edition and what you mean by first edition is by publication date. I am asking cause sometimes hardcover is first one when you open up and you did say we cannot use that am I correct or wrong on this. That the only time we can use that is if we actually read that version but listening is different. The way I have done it is usually I use ebook and if no page number for ebook I usually use paperback because of publication date it is first to be published unless it is a kindle book which kindle published and no paperback was made it was made strictly for kindle and audio book.

[Susan A]

Sandi wrote: "Sandi wrote: "From Standard Book Guidelines . . . .


☛ Min. 25,000 words for poetry books, travel books/guides, children's books, and
partly illustrated novels""

I'm sorry. I don't understand this response. Are you pointing out that plays are not on the list that requires a word count or
are you saying that a play falls under the same rule as "poetry books, travel books/guides, children's books, and
partly illustrated novels"

Sorry. I didn't see your second response. Word count applies to plays. I'll take it off my list.

[[deleted user]]

I can't believe this is coming up so late in the challenge, but there seems to be some SERIOUS misunderstandings on our general chat thread about what edition to use for the "default" page number. I think for the most part, the bulk of the team has been doing it as you intended, but information is flying all over the place and people are getting more confused. If you have time, would you read through the responses and share what's correct? Thank you!

[Sandi]

Susan, I see I'm actually wrong about that. I could have sworn it was part of that clause of the Standard Book Requirements. As I see plays are not even mentioned, I've no issue with you using the book