SP 20 Blackjack Questions

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Ah, I get it. Yes, for a book under 100 pages, you must use the Ace of Diamonds. In the rules, you'll note that the only exception to the 100 page rule is the Ace of Diamonds.

[Ed]

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Ah, I get it. Yes, for a book under 100 pages, you must use the Ace of Diamonds. In the rules, you'll note that the only exception to the 100 page rule is the Ace of Diamonds."

ok...I thought that was probably the case. thanks.

[Sarah (Bright & Bookish)]

For Ace of Hearts does January count as a 1, as it would appear if the date was written as numerals? For example if the book was published January 5, 2019 (05/01/2019) does that count for the ace of hearts? Or does it have to have two 1s in the day and year only?

[Kathleen (itpdx)]

Ace of spades—first in a series. I seem to remember something about there have to be at least three books to qualify as a series. Is that correct?

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Sarah wrote: "For Ace of Hearts does January count as a 1, as it would appear if the date was written as numerals? For example if the book was published January 5, 2019 (05/01/2019) does that count for the ace o..."

Welcome back, Sarah! We look at only a year of publication, so the month won't enter into this. Years such as 2011, 1951, 1881 are years that will work for the Ace of Hearts.

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Kathleen (itpdx) wrote: "Ace of spades—first in a series. I seem to remember something about there have to be at least three books to qualify as a series. Is that correct?"

Yes, a series in RwS is at least 3 books.

[Rosemary]

Could I please lock in MPG Thriller for this one, as it's the bottom of the list:

The Untouchable by John Banville

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Rosemary wrote: "Could I please lock in MPG Thriller for this one, as it's the bottom of the list:

The Untouchable by John Banville"

You got it!

[Anika]

For the four of diamonds, can the pronoun be found in the subtitle?

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Anika wrote: "For the four of diamonds, can the pronoun be found in the subtitle?"

Yes, darn it! I thought I found all the places it would be OK, but I guess not. Just be sure your subtitle appears on the MPE.

[Bryony]

Does this requirement “read 10 books by 10 different authors” mean that all books must be by a single author, or would a short story collection that includes multiple authors be okay? Assuming none of the other 9 books were by one of the authors included in the short story collection of course.

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Bryony wrote: "Does this requirement “read 10 books by 10 different authors” mean that all books must be by a single author, or would a short story collection that includes multiple authors be okay? Assuming none..."

You would read 10 books, and no author would be the same as another. With rare exceptions, we look only at the editor of an anthology. The editor would one of the ten different authors of the 10 Blackjack books.

[Bryony]

Thank you! I just picked up a newly published collection of stories and was looking for a place to fit it in so I’m glad it will count for this.

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Remember to find at least one more card that makes you a "hand" of at least 17.

[Bryony]

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Remember to find at least one more card that makes you a "hand" of at least 17."

Thank you! It will also count for Ace of Diamonds so I think that adds up to the right number for a hand.

[Denise]

Could I lock in One Renegade Cell: The Quest For The Origin Of Cancer for Science and Science>Biology? Thanks.

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Denise wrote: "Could I lock in One Renegade Cell: The Quest For The Origin Of Cancer for Science and Science>Biology? Thanks."

Yes!

[Coralie]

Would Improper Stories get oldies points?

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Coralie wrote: "Would Improper Stories get oldies points?"

Yes, I have set the original publication date to 1919 as the best date I could find for included stories.

[Coralie]

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Coralie wrote: "Would Improper Stories get oldies points?"

Yes, I have set the original publication date to 1919 as the best date I could find for included stories."

Thank you Elizabeth, that opens up lots more alternatives!

[Anika]

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Anika wrote: "For the MPG science, will "Psychology" work or are you looking more at the physical sciences?"

I would prefer to give a definitely answer for a specific book, so the answer now is "probably"

I'm trying to find a place for the book that I had originally hoped to use for 20.7 but it wasn't approved, Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know about the People We Don't Know...since it was considered too technical to be narrative non-fiction, I'm hoping that the "Psychology" and "Sociology" designations on the main GR page are enough to make it count for 5 of clubs, main page genre: any science?

[Owlette]

Jumping in: I asked about science genre for Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know about the People We Don't Know in post 33 here and Elizabeth approved it in post 34.

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Thanks, Owlette. I thought I had answered a similar question, couldn't find it and went off to do other things.

Yes, Anika, you can use that here for the Science genre card.

[Anika]

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Thanks, Owlette. I thought I had answered a similar question, couldn't find it and went off to do other things.

Yes, Anika, you can use that here for the Science genre card."

Thanks, you two :-) I should have read the thread more closely!

[Denise]

Could I lock in The Whole Story and Other Stories for LGBT MPG? Thanks.

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Denise wrote: "Could I lock in The Whole Story and Other Stories for LGBT MPG? Thanks."

Got it!

[Ed]

Would Neon Surf: And Other Stories of Love & Remembrance qualify for S-10 (short stories or essays)....even though the Main page doesn't yet show any genres?

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Ed wrote: "Would Neon Surf: And Other Stories of Love & Remembrance qualify for S-10 (short stories or essays)....even though the Main page doesn't yet show any genres?"

Yes. The genre page wouldn't affect whether or not it is composed of short stories/essays.

[Ed]

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Ed wrote: "Would Neon Surf: And Other Stories of Love & Remembrance qualify for S-10 (short stories or essays)....even though the Main page doesn't yet show any genres?"

Yes. The g..."

ok...thanks

[Denise]

If we repeat Blackjack, are the authors we used in previous rounds disqualified?

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Denise wrote: "If we repeat Blackjack, are the authors we used in previous rounds disqualified?"

Nope. Repeats give you a fresh start with everything - cards and authors all.

[Denise]

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Denise wrote: "If we repeat Blackjack, are the authors we used in previous rounds disqualified?"

Nope. Repeats give you a fresh start with everything - cards and authors all."

Great, thank you!

[Kathleen (itpdx)]

In the Valleys of the Noble Beyond: In Search of the Sasquatch by John Zada
I have this book down in my plans for 10 of spades (essays or short stories) because I thought I had read somewhere it described as interconnected essays but now I can’t find that reference. What do you think?

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Kathleen (itpdx) wrote: "In the Valleys of the Noble Beyond: In Search of the Sasquatch by John Zada
I have this book down in my plans for 10 of spades (essays or short stories) because I..."

Yes, we will accept it that for that card, although it's a bit of a stretch. If you had spares, it would also work for 20.7 Annie Dillard.

[Ed]

Would The Parachute Drop qualify for the 8 of Hearts? It is set in a fictional African country which is clearly supposed to be Burkina Faso.
Also would it qualify for the Ace of Diamonds? There is another book listed for the author on GR...but it looks like it is the French language version of the above.

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Ed wrote: "Would The Parachute Drop qualify for the 8 of Hearts? It is set in a fictional African country which is clearly supposed to be Burkina Faso.
Also would it qualify for the Ace of Dia..."

Yes to 8 of Hearts. I think maybe you meant Ace of Clubs, One Hit Wonders, and if so, yes. (I combined the French and English editions.)

[Ed]

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Ed wrote: "Would The Parachute Drop qualify for the 8 of Hearts? It is set in a fictional African country which is clearly supposed to be Burkina Faso.
Also would it qualify for the..."

Great...thanks.

[Denise]

The Black House for Mystery MPG please? Thank you.

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Denise wrote: "The Black House for Mystery MPG please? Thank you."

Got it!

[Valerie]

Does L'Amour count as a six letter name?

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Valerie wrote: "Does L'Amour count as a six letter name?"

:-) Yes!

[Valerie]

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Valerie wrote: "Does L'Amour count as a six letter name?"

:-) Yes!"

Ok, good!

[Denise]

For 8 Clubs, "title plus subtitle has 8 words": if there is no subtitle, does an 8-word title work? (Just making sure a subtitle is not required.) Thanks.

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Denise wrote: "For 8 Clubs, "title plus subtitle has 8 words": if there is no subtitle, does an 8-word title work? (Just making sure a subtitle is not required.) Thanks."

Yes. It doesn't *have* to have a subtitle, just if it did you'd count it.

[Denise]

Does the usual rule that pseudonyms are treated as separate authors apply? I would like to use both Ruth Rendell and Barbara Vine in the same round. Thanks.

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Denise wrote: "Does the usual rule that pseudonyms are treated as separate authors apply? I would like to use both Ruth Rendell and Barbara Vine in the same round. Thanks."

Yes, using them both in the same round would not be a duplication.

[Bryony]

Would a book that is a collaboration between two authors, one male and one female, qualify for the 5 point bonus for books by female authors?

The book I’m planning to read is Tales from Shakespeare by Charles Lamb and Mary Lamb. Of the 20 stories included in the book, 14 were written by Mary and 6 by Charles.

Thank you!

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Bryony wrote: "Would a book that is a collaboration between two authors, one male and one female, qualify for the 5 point bonus for books by female authors?

The book I’m planning to read is [book:Tales from Sha..."

No for that title. Charles is listed first and would be the author we'd carry the title under.

[Bryony]

Okay, thanks Elizabeth!

[Bryony]

Please could I lock in LGBT genre for To Be Taught, If Fortunate. It’s near the bottom of the list and I don’t want it to disappear before I finish the book. Thank you.