[2021] Poll 2 Voting

[Johanne]

I had more or less decided not to do the challenge next year, so I didn't vote in round 1. But looking at these suggestions, I'm thinking I may change my mind :)

[Jackie, Solstitial Mod]

Johanne wrote: "I had more or less decided not to do the challenge next year, so I didn't vote in round 1. But looking at these suggestions, I'm thinking I may change my mind :)"

Join us...join us...join us...

[Johanne]

I voted :D

[Roxana]

I think I accidentally only used 7 votes instead of all 8, oops. Oh well! I downvoted the initials prompt, because I've had it a few times in different challenges and I am officially out of RS authors other than R.L. Stine, and I refuse to read Goosebumps just for a challenge, lol.

[Alicia]

I don't mind the initials prompt, but if it gets picked I'll need help from all of you! I don't have a single book on my TBR with the initials AL.

[Serendipity]

4 up and 4 down for me. Feels like I haven't done that a lot . I went with Natural World (if I'm not reading I'm probably out birding so its a great fit for me), UN International Years (I like unique prompts and sustainable development and eliminating child labour appeal especially), second chances (its one I haven't seen before and I can see it offers lots of options) and brain candy (I've just started War and Peace, a little brain candy to balance it out sounds good).

I down voted days or months, sam initials (done both recently and neither were favourites), 2 degrees of separation (felt a bit convoluted to me), American Pie ( I like the originality of this year's prompt but don't necessarily want a variation so soon, plus the domestic assault charges and his reaction have left me with a bad taste).

There were a couple of others I'd be happy to see make it through - negatives, mental health, retelling of a classic. Actually most of the remaining 11.

[Mairéad]

If the initials challenge goes through I will be failing that prompt - my initials are M.V. I've never heard of anyone, outside my family, with those initials.

[Johanne]

M.V. are not unusual initials in Danish. Maybe looking at authors with different origin will help if it gets in?

[Entropia]

My initials are M.K., I thought it should be fairly easy, but I found only one book on my tbr ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Johanne]

I'm not a fan of that prompt either, I was just trying to think of ways :)

[Marie]

Alicia wrote: "I don't mind the initials prompt, but if it gets picked I'll need help from all of you! I don't have a single book on my TBR with the initials AL."

I read Ann Leckie's Ancillary Justice this year and would definitely recommend it. Took a little while to get into, but it was well worth the effort.

[Sarah]

The only author I can think of off the top of my head with my initials is Stephanie Meyer and I don't want to put myself through Twilight again! Hopefully I'll find something on my TBR that I've forgotten about if it gets through

[Robin P, Orbicular Mod]

Initials are hard, Mine are RP which are pretty normal but out of the 3467 books I have on my "Read" or "To Read", I come up with only 3 authors, Richard Powers (The Overstory), Rosamunde Pilcher (who I've read a lot of) and Robin Paige, whose cozy mysteries I intend to read, so I guess I would go with that. But I think it would be limiting for anyone with less common initials.

[Rachel]

I voted for a book whose title contains a negative and a book that deals with second chances, since those were the two that immediately jumped out at me. I also picked mental health and the retelling since I have many of those that I'm looking forward to reading anyway.

I also voted for the 2 degrees of separation. i wasn't super excited about it in the beginning since the majority of authors mentioned were people I'd never heard of or didn't care to read. The more people got added to the list, the more I started to see options that were more exciting for me -- especially because I had a short conversation with Courtney Summers on Twitter!

My bottom votes were for natural world, American Pie, and the book published before I was born. I'm sure I could find something for them if needed, but they were the ones I was least excited for and wouldn't really want to see on the list.

[Kayleigh]

I have no Authors on my TBR list with my initials either, but I thought it might be kind of fun trying to find one. I'd love to try and find one with all my initials.

If anyone's interested https://www.fantasticfiction.com/a/ seems to be a handy website for this prompt.

[Nadine in NY]

Kayleigh wrote: "I have no Authors on my TBR list with my initials either, but I thought it might be kind of fun trying to find one. I'd love to try and find one with all my initials.

If anyone's interested https:..."


that site is super helpful!! Thanks!

[Hannah]

I’d like to do next year’s challenge only using books on my TBR and my TBR currently has ZERO authors with my initials! I didn’t think HP would be so uncommon, but I can’t think of anyone. Other than that snag, I really like this set of prompts and I’m looking forward to seeing what gets in - I’m especially hoping for the second chances prompt.

[Ann]

My initials are A S S so it should be easy. I know a lot of authors who act like one. Will that count.

[Jackie, Solstitial Mod]

Ann wrote: "My initials are A S S so it should be easy. I know a lot of authors who act like one. Will that count."

LOL!

[Tracy]

Ann wrote: "My initials are A S S so it should be easy. I know a lot of authors who act like one. Will that count."

Haha Ann

[Lizzy]

My initials are EE unless I use my middle initial, which would add an M -- but I did find Washington Black by Esi Edugyan on my TBR. So I am good to go if this one is voted in.

[Rachel]

Something I thought of yesterday -- could it also be 2 degrees of separation for an author you've interacted with personally (so you are one degree away yourself, if I'm understanding this right) interacted with another author?

For example, I've had a Twitter conversation with Courtney Summers, and I've seen her have Twitter conversations with other authors, like Maurene Goo, for example. So does that mean Maurene Goo is 2 degrees away from me? It could be another way to open up options.

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

I would say yes, Rachel, but it wouldn't go on the thread that was created because the rest of the group would be 3 degrees away from Maurene Goo (for example).

[Conny]

Rachel, yes, absolutely! As Emily said, however, that is individual for everyone because it would be three degrees for those who have not met Courtney Summers (in your example). The prompt really allows for a vast range of options ;)
Similarly, I could also use a book by Jojo Moyes because my best friend has met her. But since my best friend is not in the group, it's only two degrees for me and not for you.

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

Today is the last day to get your vote in!

[Rachel]

Emily wrote: "I would say yes, Rachel, but it wouldn't go on the thread that was created because the rest of the group would be 3 degrees away from Maurene Goo (for example)."

That's fair. I wasn't intending to add them to the thread since it wouldn't make sense for everyone. Just thinking ahead of how to approach it if this prompt wins (and I hope it does!) and I realized there was this whole other angle to it.

[Irene]

Oh man, I'm hoping the initials one doesn't pass because of personal reasons - I can't find a single author with the same initials as me due to having a rare last name.

If it does pass, I think there should be a secondary option for those who absolutely can't find authors with the same initials (at least with books easily available/accessible), like just matching the initial of either our first or last names.

Edit: Looked at the wikipedia and fantastic fiction links people posted, and no luck there too. Also checked bookbrowse.com and the Goodreads list of authors starting with the letter of my last name :(

[Amanda]

Now I’m curious - what are your initials??

[Irene]

Amanda wrote: "Now I’m curious - what are your initials??"

It didn't pass thankfully, so it doesn't matter anymore, hooray! :)