2020 JLA vs JSA Discussion Thread

[Johanne]

I'm only 1½ books from finishing my regular heroes. 5 books for the portals, 2 of which I'm in the middle of, and 2 books for this months villain, both I've started on. I'm also aiming to finish some series, and I have a couple of buddy reads in another group. I hope whatever Wayland has up his sleeve aligns with those ... I have a pile of all those books in my living room, so I'm all set to read my heart out.

[Audrey, Queen of the Potato People]

Kind of, yeah. If there's another bonus thrown it, I think I will be crushed under the books.

[Audrey, Queen of the Potato People]

I still need a book for a mystical city. I have a possibility, but I won't know until I read it whether it fits.

[Melanie]

I have a plan - ish. I'm mostly down to the challenges that correspond with books I'm not entirely psyched about

[Sandy]

I only seem to plan the monthly challenges / special bonuses with an end date in order to get them in on time. This means in December I am a reading fiend! Maybe I should rethink that.

[Johanne]

@Sandy, I only made my plan last week ;D Had to do something in order to have a chance to finish the challenge. I also skipped most monthly reads and villains during the year. Couldn't do all that planning.

[Amy]

Yep, definitely looking for short books to finish roster here. The book I'm reading at the mo is taking an age (NaNoWriMo not exactly helping either). At least a quiet Christmas will help me catch up.

[Lel]

Wayland wrote: "Who, me? *looks innocent. Glances at the remaining bonus yet to announce*

Dammit Wayland! How am I meant to complete this challenge 100% and remain married??? :)

[Sandy]

Ok Lel - you have to get your mate to compete here too. I would have thought that would be obvious. :-)

We can always welcome another on JLA!

[Wayland, Ernest Scribbler]

Lel wrote: "

Dammit Wayland! How am I meant to complete this challenge 100% and remain married??? :)"

Sorry, marriage counseling is extra. :P

I will say (and give a shout out to) that my wife proofs all this stuff, looks for error, repeats, and "Hey, did you mean..."? in addition to proofing my novels and short stories.

I recommend taking him to dinner and paying close attention to his Amazon wish list. ;)

[Johanne]

Or let him have an equally consuming hobby, in an equally niche group? *ahem* Springsteen collectors group, I'm looking at you. Or rather, my husband is. Do you realise how time consuming looking at record inner labels and talking differences in colour and serial numbers etc can be?

[Lel]

Johannna, he does online sim racing and has a set up that just astounds me, he needs no encouragement in that department. The Springsteen group sounds em thrilling. :)

[Lel]

Wayland I will take that on board and the second the restaurants are open again in the UK we will be standing outside waiting to get in.
Thank you also to Mrs Wayland. X

[Vinca]

Yes, please do pass on thanks to Mrs Wayland, we appreciate her efforts!

My husband likes to sit and code in the evening, or watch YouTube videos of other people coding.... We often keep each other company and do our own thing after we've had dinner ☺️

[Hayley]

Some interesting hobbies people have! For my husband its steam trains. We have a whole bedroom that's just his model railway setup. I would say it keeps him quiet but lately he's started doing his own sound effects. I'll be sitting downstairs reading and hear a loud woowooo from upstairs. I think the lockdown must be getting to him!

I appreciate all the effort that's put into running this challenge for us. Starting to look forward to next year's one now!

[Vinca]

Hayley wrote: "Some interesting hobbies people have! For my husband its steam trains. We have a whole bedroom that's just his model railway setup. I would say it keeps him quiet but lately he's started doing his ..."

Showing my nerdy side here, but I think that sounds amazing!

[Wayland, Ernest Scribbler]

Glad to hear it, Hayley. I've finished the rough draft of next year's, and my long-suffering proofer has it now.

She says thanks for the appreciation to all who sent it her way, by the way.

Next year will be a return to a familiar theme, but with a twist.

[Johanne]

Sounds good! And send my thanks to your personal proofreader. Thanks to proofreaders and authors who use them, in general.

[Audrey, Queen of the Potato People]

My husband builds models and paints miniatures.
I make greeting cards and cakes, and I get a little money from editing books and teaching music.

On our road trip last last summer (2019) we saw a lot of train museums (as we followed the transcontinental railroad more or less) and one had a model train set up that someone had donated. It covered three scale miles.

[Wayland, Ernest Scribbler]

Johanne wrote: "Sounds good! And send my thanks to your personal proofreader. Thanks to proofreaders and authors who use them, in general."

I publish professionally. I can't imagine not using a proofreader, beta readers, and an editor.

[Johanne]

Me neither. I'm not an author, but I review children's and YA books professionally for the Danish library catalogue and public library acquisition purposes; and I can tell you, it is absolutely noticeable when these parts of the writing proces are not taken seriously.

[Johanne]

... I only gave you that entire part time job description, because it means I receive a share of everything that is published for children in this country, and some of it suffers from lack of proper editing and proofreading. And beta-reading would probably also solve a lot of issues.

[Sandy]

Hey Wayland - would you consider a cat to be a being? For white skinned being on the cover.

[Wayland, Ernest Scribbler]

Sandy wrote: "Hey Wayland - would you consider a cat to be a being? For white skinned being on the cover."

being yes, but when do you see their skin?

[Vinca]

On the offchance that I get this far, does anyone have a recommendation for the second task of Minister Blizzard? I think I've got vague ideas for the others.

Radical Environmentalist- read a book with any kind political radical as a major character, with an environmentalist or environmental themes as part of the story, or with some kind of protest on the cover.

[Johanne]

Some climate fiction would do nicely for environmental themes. Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer fx and it is short (and weird but good). Haven't read it but heard good things about The History of Bees by Maja Lunde. Sorry no links on app.

[Audrey, Queen of the Potato People]

Wayland wrote: "Sandy wrote: "Hey Wayland - would you consider a cat to be a being? For white skinned being on the cover."

being yes, but when do you see their skin?"

Shave the cat!

You could also look for nonfiction on environmentalism or protests.

[Audrey, Queen of the Potato People]

The first Mistborn trilogy has political radicals.

[Sandy]

Wayland wrote: "Sandy wrote: "Hey Wayland - would you consider a cat to be a being? For white skinned being on the cover."

being yes, but when do you see their skin?"

Then I guess a Yeti is out too huh? I'm not going to shave a Yeti!

I'll keep looking (*sigh)

[Audrey, Queen of the Potato People]

Maybe a ghost story? Ghosts tend to look white.

[Johanne]

Shaving a yeti does seem like a lot of work ... ;)

[Vinca]

Audrey wrote: "The first Mistborn trilogy has political radicals."

You know, I've still not read that, though I've had a copy for ages. It might be a bit big to finish with the others by the end of the year but maybe I'll start it anyway! Otherwise I figure it'll probably be a non-fiction.

[Wayland, Ernest Scribbler]

Johanne wrote: "Shaving a yeti does seem like a lot of work ... ;)"

It would be... abombinable.

[Vinca]

Wayland wrote: "Johanne wrote: "Shaving a yeti does seem like a lot of work ... ;)"

It would be... abombinable."

*Groan* Very good, I needed that chuckle today!

[Sandy]

Lol

Ok gang - I am still looking for the white skinned creature or a personification of a trait - what does that mean since I can't seem to find a white skinned being. Any ideas folks? And they closed my libraries again gosh darn it. I am so tired of this s$$$$.

[Sandy]

Hey Wayland - is the vamp on Blood Of A Nation white skinned enough? He looks that way to me...

Just so you know I already bought the book so it won't impact that decision in any way.

[Audrey, Queen of the Potato People]

How about god-like being instead? That may be easier to find, unless white people count.

[Wayland, Ernest Scribbler]

Sandy wrote: "Hey Wayland - is the vamp on Blood Of A Nation white skinned enough? He looks that way to me...

Just so you know I already bought the book so it won't impact that decision in any ..."

Huh. Never even thought of that. He's kinda more normal colored inside, but, as Jim Butcher has remaked in regards to the ongoing war of Harry's hat, authors often don't get a say about cover art.

Um. I guess use your discretion?

[Sandy]

I did not know that about the cover art. Hmmm - most fantasy has a good like being - right - now I just have to find one I can finish in time that isn't a tome!

[Melanie]

If you're not opposed to YA, you could read something like The Lightning Thief. It's a light, fast read.

[Wayland, Ernest Scribbler]

Sandy wrote: "I did not know that about the cover art. Hmmm - most fantasy has a good like being - right - now I just have to find one I can finish in time that isn't a tome!"

Yeah, Butcher has gone on at length, in the books and in person, about how Harry Dresden hates hats, and yet, every cover, he's wearing one.

[Sandy]

Well true but everytime I visualize him - he is wearing a hat - it just looks so much better than a cowl or hoodie thing.

That is a good idea Melanie - I read that one but the next in series - I could do.

[Audrey, Queen of the Potato People]

Any Rick Riordan would work and a lot of Discworld, like Small Gods.

[Johanne]

Wayland: For Prometheus, Ghost Zone, are we talking limbo the dance, or limbo the suspended in-between state?
Not that I think I'm going defeat him with all the other reading, but one might try.
And I'm sad we can't count comics, because I have this one in my soon to be read stack:

[Wayland, Ernest Scribbler]

Johanne wrote: "Wayland: For Prometheus, Ghost Zone, are we talking limbo the dance, or limbo the suspended in-between state?
Not that I think I'm going defeat him with all the other reading, but one might try.
An..."

Ya know what? If you can a book with limbo the dance as a significant factor, go for it.

[Johanne]

Wayland wrote: "Johanne wrote: "Wayland: For Prometheus, Ghost Zone, are we talking limbo the dance, or limbo the suspended in-between state?
Not that I think I'm going defeat him with all the other reading, but o..."

Thanks, but I think the dance limbo is a lot harder to find, that's why I asked :D

[Sandy]

Wayland wrote: "Johanne wrote: "Wayland: For Prometheus, Ghost Zone, are we talking limbo the dance, or limbo the suspended in-between state?
Not that I think I'm going defeat him with all the other reading, but o..."

Boy that sounds so much like a challenge lol

[Audrey, Queen of the Potato People]

Wayland, for "a place that moves," does this count? It's a place that has corridors that move around when people walk through it.

[Sandy]

Hey Wayland,

In the book The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue - the "dark" pulls Addie into a kind of limbo to move from place to place - does that work for Ghost Zone - "where any kind of Limbo is part of the story," ?

[Sandy]

People must be reading furiously to finish up - it is very quiet out here...