Pass The Parcel Round 16 - Q&A / announcements

[Jane (PS), Moderator]

Week 9

Option 1:
3. Not sure about you, but those couches sounds dirty!

* Read a book with a 'dirty' colour on the cover - eg black, brown, tan.

Option 2:
Key date - 30 October 2020
A book on your team mates 'read' list AND rated at least 3 stars and read on or after the key date.

Option 3:
Pass
This can only be used once each 5 weeks. Only one team mate can use this option each week.

[Laura]

Hi Jane,
Will work for dirty cover?
2nd question...if above book works and I read one chapter before the call can I go back and reread that chapter and the book will count?

[Eugenia]

Hi! Does the dirty color have to be the predominant one on the cover or can just a little bit of it be on it?

[M]

Hi Jane,

I just received a arc this afternoon that might work for the task this week. Does it have to be MP romance (or anything) to qualify for the task? Or does it just need a dirty color on the cover? I know on other challenges the books do. I checked the Q&A thread and didn't see, but I might have missed it lol.

[Mary-Megan]

Is this dirty enough? If not I have another option in mind.

[Laks]

Jane.. will these covers qualify? or

[Amanda]

Will this one work? Provoked Tineye says its mostly grey (which also might work for dirty), but I see mostly brown

[Jane (PS), Moderator]

Laura wrote: "Hi Jane,
Will work for dirty cover?
2nd question...if above book works and I read one chapter before the call can I go back and reread that chapter and the book wil..."

The grey works for dirty.

Yes - you can restart and reread Chapter 1.

[Jane (PS), Moderator]

Eugenia wrote: "Hi! Does the dirty color have to be the predominant one on the cover or can just a little bit of it be on it?"

Needs to be predominant - not just a bit.

[Jane (PS), Moderator]

M wrote: "Hi Jane,

I just received a arc this afternoon that might work for the task this week. Does it have to be MP romance (or anything) to qualify for the task? Or does it just need a dirty color on th..."

This challenge is OK with other genres but not non-fiction.

So this one just needs a dirty cover in fiction - predominantly in dirty colours. So at least 50%.

Given your cover HAS dirt on the cover AND is called Dirt Queen, I will accept this one.

[Jane (PS), Moderator]

Mary-Megan wrote: "Is this dirty enough? If not I have another option in mind. "

Tineye says yes - well over 70% (couldn't be bothered to properly add it up).

[Jane (PS), Moderator]

Laks wrote: "Jane.. will these covers qualify? or "

Hi Laks - happy with both despite the first one saying it is blue. I think it looks black - so I'm giving it to you anyway.

[Jane (PS), Moderator]

Amanda wrote: "Will this one work? Provoked Tineye says its mostly grey (which also might work for dirty), but I see mostly brown"

All good :)

[Jane (PS), Moderator]

Sorry for the delay. I'm pretty tight for time for the next few days, so I apologise in advance if you have to hang around for some answers.

[Laks]

Jane (PS) wrote: "Laks wrote: "Jane.. will these covers qualify? or "

Hi Laks - happy with both despite the first one saying it is blue. I th..."
No problem Jane. Thank you

[Laura]

Jane (PS) wrote: "Laura wrote: "Hi Jane,
Will work for dirty cover?
2nd question...if above book works and I read one chapter before the call can I go back and reread that chapter an..."

Thanks Jane!

[M]

Jane (PS) wrote: "M wrote: "Hi Jane,

I just received a arc this afternoon that might work for the task this week. Does it have to be MP romance (or anything) to qualify for the task? Or does it just need a dirty c..."

Yay! Thanks, Jane 😊

[Amanda]

Jane, we have a small problem in team 7. We had a teammate forget to do a selection post one week but did a completion post. How should we handle this?

[Eugenia]

Is this dirty?

[Jane (PS), Moderator]

Amanda wrote: "Jane, we have a small problem in team 7. We had a teammate forget to do a selection post one week but did a completion post. How should we handle this?"

Will come over there very soon :)

[Jane (PS), Moderator]

Eugenia wrote: "Is this dirty? "

Yep - that works :)

[Hazel]

Hi Jane would this cover work for dirty?

[Jane (PS), Moderator]

Hazel wrote: "Hi Jane would this cover work for dirty? "

Yep :)

[Laura]

Jane, teammate, Maddie is moving this week and won't have internet. Can I post her selection and completion posts for her?

[Jane (PS), Moderator]

Laura wrote: "Jane, teammate, Maddie is moving this week and won't have internet. Can I post her selection and completion posts for her?"

You can post her selection post as I assume she can advise in advance. How will you know when she is finished if she has no internet?

[Laura]

Jane (PS) wrote: "Laura wrote: "Jane, teammate, Maddie is moving this week and won't have internet. Can I post her selection and completion posts for her?"

You can post her selection post as I assume she can advise..."

She has a little bit of data but doesn't want to use it on her all groups since she doesn't know how long she will be without.

[Jane (PS), Moderator]

Laura wrote: "Jane (PS) wrote: "Laura wrote: "Jane, teammate, Maddie is moving this week and won't have internet. Can I post her selection and completion posts for her?"

You can post her selection post as I ass..."

Ok - you are clear to post the Completion as well - or she can just post when she is back online, assuming Maddie isn't behind on her books. I plan to do a big update in a couple of days, once all my community work is over :)

[April]

Jane will this work for dirty?

[Laura]

Jane (PS) wrote: "Laura wrote: "Jane (PS) wrote: "Laura wrote: "Jane, teammate, Maddie is moving this week and won't have internet. Can I post her selection and completion posts for her?"

You can post her selection..."

Great, thank you!

[Jane (PS), Moderator]

April wrote: "Jane will this work for dirty?

"

Yep - good to use :)

[bamaace83]

Oops, wrong thread!

[Louise]

Team 1 have had a player post a completion for week 7 and selection for week 8 during the week 9 call. She hasn’t yet posted a week 9 selection.

[Jane (PS), Moderator]

Thanks Louise! I’m really behind due to ark commitments but will catch up tonight...

[Jane (PS), Moderator]

*RL, not ark!

[Jane (PS), Moderator]

The next 12 hours - or until I call the next week's theme - is the last chance for any players to pull out. No one can pull out in week 10 or 11 - voluntarily or otherwise.

If you are struggling to catch up or don't think you have the time to commit to reading a book each week for the next two weeks, now is the time to pull out. Otherwise your team CANNOT win if you can't get caught up in time.

[Jane (PS), Moderator]

Week 10

Option 1:
11. One of Couchsurfing's values is to 'stay curious'.

* Read a book that is not currently on your bookshelves.
State the date that you added the book to your shelves IN YOUR SELECTION POST.
The DATE that you add the book to your bookshelf must be in the week that this task is announced.

Option 2:
Key date - 6 November 2020
A book on your team mates 'read' list AND rated at least 3 stars and read on or after the key date.

Option 3:
Pass
This can only be used once each 5 weeks. Only one team mate can use this option each week.

[Sally906]

Jane (PS) wrote: "Week 10

Option 1:
11. One of Couchsurfing's values is to 'stay curious'.

* Read a book that is not currently on your bookshelves.
State the date that you added the book to your shelves IN YOUR SE..."

Just checking - any book I download from now is covered - just about to cruise through Amazon freebies

[Jane (PS), Moderator]

Sally906 wrote: "Jane (PS) wrote: "Week 10

Option 1:
11. One of Couchsurfing's values is to 'stay curious'.

* Read a book that is not currently on your bookshelves.
State the date that you added the book to your ..."

Yes - from the date of this announcement onwards, and not already on any of your book shelves :)

[Sally906]

Jane (PS) wrote: "So long as it isn't already on your GR book shelves! ..."

Nope - but will be in the next few minutes as downloading it now - a nice little mail order bride book. And there are orphans as well! Should be a good read 😀👍

[Jane (PS), Moderator]

Sally906 wrote: "Jane (PS) wrote: "So long as it isn't already on your GR book shelves! ..."

Nope - but will be in the next few minutes as downloading it now - a nice little mail order bride book. And there are or..."

👌 Perfect - enjoy!

[LaurLa]

This week is a problem for those of us who tend to mark all of a series as To Read even if we're nowhere close in the series :-(

[~KarenH~, Moderator]

Hey Jane! Looking ahead to the final task...for #1, a book with furniture on the cover, does it need to be indoor furniture? What about a park bench, or patio/beach chairs?

[Jane (PS), Moderator]

~KarenH~ wrote: "Hey Jane! Looking ahead to the final task...for #1, a book with furniture on the cover, does it need to be indoor furniture? What about a park bench, or patio/beach chairs?"

I'll accept both of those. Indoor or outdoor is fine.

[~KarenH~, Moderator]

Thanks, Jane!

[Jane (PS), Moderator]

These are the remaining themes left for the randomiser. I have clarified (as best I can for now) what will be required for these remaining themes, should they pop up for the final call.

1. Couchsurfing is a global app that connects travellers with couches in new locations

* Read a book with furniture on the cover.
Furniture can be indoor or outdoor - use the following parameters:
1. the movable articles, as beds, tables, chairs, desks or cabinets, required for use or ornament in a house, office, or the like.
2. equipment for streets and other public areas, such as lighting standards, signs, benches, or litter bins.


6. Couchsurfing is a global community of 12-14 million people in more than 200,000 cities who share their life, their world, their journey. There are 550,000 events across the world to meet up with members.

* That's a lot of numbers! Read a book with at least three zeros in its page numbers, average rating, total ratings and publication date combined.
This may alter during the week that you read the book (in the case of ratings), so please take a screenshot or have it verified by your Captain, another team member or me - whoever is available.
You may use any edition of the book, but please make sure the link goes through to the correct edition that is to be verified.


7. The concept was created when Casey Fenton found a cheap flight to Iceland but didn't have anywhere to stay. Being an enterprising fellow, instead of settling for a pricey hotel Fenton hacked into the University of Iceland’s student database and e-mailed 1,500 students asking for a place to stay. Almost 100 people replied.

* Read a book on one of the following lists (sadly, the hacker lists aren't long enough ;):
Gay Romance with Bookish, Nerdy, Geeky Characters
I love your quirks - Best Romance Heroines that are odd in a good way
Romance novels with STEM heroines
Nerdgasms
Jazzy Creature Feature - Nerds, Geeks, Geniuses, Hackers, Klutzes

Your book MUST be selected from one of these lists - please note the list in your selection post, preferably linked.


8. The app was created by Casey Fenton, Daniel Hoffer, Sebastian Le Tuan and Leonardo Bassani da Silveira - encouraging a mingling of cultures.

* Read a book with interracial/interspecies MCs.
Qualification may be found in precis, main page, tag/shelf or list.
Please do not summarise your book to tell why it fits - it must be apparent when someone without that book checks the precis/blurb, shelves or list.
Aliens and shifters work, but must be paired with an alien or shifter from a different 'species'. E.g. human with alien; shifter wolf with a bear.
Please note the different race/species in the selection post.


13. Surf your own shelves.

* On your preferred TBR shelf, look at the beige bar at the bottom of the page - on the sort function, click on 'random' and then read one of the first 3 books that now appear at the top of your shelf.
- You may use any of your TBR shelves so long as there are at least 15 books on that shelf.
- If the page count for any of the three books does not qualify for the challenge (that is, is less than 100 pages), you may select the next book that has appeared randomly on the list.
- You must use a list that does not contain books that you have already read IF you do not want to read them again. You cannot substitute for the next book on the list, as allowed with the page count. If 3 books are at the top of your list that you have already read, you must select one of them.
- Please note again - there must be at least 15 books on your TBR shelf.

[Sally906]

Jane (PS) wrote: "These are the remaining themes left for the randomiser. I have clarified (as best I can for now) what will be required for these remaining themes, should they pop up for the final call.

1. Couchsu..."

Woo hoo - I have a book ready to go for each theme!

[Jane (PS), Moderator]

The call is between 3pm and 6pm US EST. That is between 5am and 8am AU EST (for me). Given we are approaching winter, I'll struggle to be up at 5am, so it will likely be closer to 6am (4pm US EST) but I'll try to do it as early as possible :)

[Jane (PS), Moderator]

Week 11

Option 1
13. Surf your own shelves.

* On your preferred TBR shelf, look at the beige bar at the bottom of the page - on the sort function, click on 'random' and then read one of the first 3 books that now appear at the top of your shelf.
You may use any of your TBR shelves so long as there are at least 15 books on that shelf. If the page count for any of the three books does not qualify for the challenge (that is, is less than 100 pages), you may select the next book that has appeared randomly on the list. You must use a list that does not contain books that you have already read IF you do not want to read them again. You cannot substitute for the next book on the list, as allowed with the page count. If 3 books are at the top of your list that you have already read, you must select one of them.
Please note again - there must be at least 15 books on your TBR shelf.

Option 2
Key date: 13 November 2020

If you use this option, this week you must select your book from the team shelves immediately below your team in this list. The last team picks from the first team.

10 Couch Potatoes
7 The Lounging Lovelies
3 Couch Cruisers
8 Relax, Ride and Read
5 Have Books, Will Travel
4 My Couch or Yours
2 Surfing the Stacks
6 Our Couch Pulls Out, But We Don't
11 CouchSurfers Wipeout
1 Bargain Basement Backpackers
9 Six Slouching Surfers

Eg. Team 10 picks from team 7's members bookshelves. Team 9 picks from team 10's members bookshelves.

DO NOT PICK from a team member who has left the team during the game. Picks must come from current members.


Option 3
Not available this week

[Jane (PS), Moderator]

Remember to check each other posts as I will not be letting teams know if there is an issue with them and you can't win until all the posts are correct :)

Good luck!

[MountainKat, Moderator]

Jane, how are we to post the qualification for Option 1 for this theme? Just curious so I can check my team's posts, I'm using Option 2. 😊