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[2023] Keep it Simple (KIS) or Bring it on (BIO) Group Collab List
°~Amy~° wrote: "I had a bit more time this morning than I thought I would have. Each prompt now has a BASELINE. Theoretically, our suggestions for KIS will be ideas that stretch the baseline to include more option..."Including the baseline is a great idea, Emily!
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(facepalm) Thank you for the correction, Emily. AMY! Great idea on including the baseline. Want to give credit where credit is due.
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I'm impressed, I wonder if you are a writer or editor by trade! I'm sure your work will definitely help some of our members who want to be sure they understand the exact intent of the prompt. (As you know, I rarely worry about that myself!)
Thanks for finding this info in the original threads/proposals, because members may not want to take the time to go back and look for them. All this can be added to the individual threads when we set them up after all the prompts are chosen.
A book set in a location that begins with A, T, or YBIO: Use a setting that is located in a place that starts with A, T, or Y: As in Tanzania, Africa, or Yorkville, Tennessee.
Dalex wrote: It’s just so obvious. It requires zero creative thinking. It’s the first thing most people think of when they hear the word “pride.” If you google “pride” about 99% of the results are related to lgbtq. There are billions of books to choose from because lgbtq books are a hot trend in publishing right now.I don’t see how it can possibly be challenging for anyone.
I don't deliberately read LGBTQ books, so it is a challenge for me to find something else related to "pride".
Robin P wrote: "I'm impressed, I wonder if you are a writer or editor by trade!..."Oh definitely not Robin! I do hope it helps though!
Our next 5 prompts are up for discussion: 10. A Book that is Dark
Baseline: "Genre-such as dark noir, dark fantasy, true crime, horror; Topics- war, slavery, plague/disease; Cover-black, mid night blue, night time"
11. A Book that is Light
Baseline: "Genre- up lit, beach reads, humor...; Theme- family, friends; Cover- bright colors, daytime; Physical- short not a door stop"
12. A title that contains a word often found in a recipe
Baseline: examples could be Add, Fold, Mix, Stir, Blend, Chop, Crush, Measure, Pour, Bake, Heat, Melt or ingredients such as Flour, Sugar, Water, Milk, Eggs, measurements such as Cup, Teaspoon, Half, Spices/seasoning (Salt, Thyme, Bay, etc)
13. A book set in a UNESCO City of Literature
Baseline: "List of 42 Unesco Cities found here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_of..."
14. A book with ONE of the five "W" questions in the title
Baseline: "who, what, where, when OR why"
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Robin P wrote: "For the UNESCO city of literature, a KIS could be something set in that country but not in that exact city."This is what I love about this list. I thought UNESCO was one that absolutely could not have a KIS or BIO because it just IS what it is, but here you all are proving me wrong! I guess there is ALWAYS a way to stretch a prompt if you just think outside the box a little! Thanks Robin!
Robin P wrote: "For the UNESCO city of literature, a KIS could be something set in that country but not in that exact city."Because Quebec City is the Canadian city on the list, I have seen books on the listopia that have confused Quebec (the province) with Quebec (the city). I'm not sure if this was supposed to be KIS or just people not realizing the difference. (In French they don't even use the word for city and you know what people are talking about by the prepositions they use.)
I suppose a KIS could be to use the province of Quebec.
KIS for light and dark is to find those words in titles.
A Book that is DarkBIO: The title and cover are both predominately dark (e.g. this edition of How High We Go in the Dark)
A Book that is Light
BIO: The title and cover are both predominately light (e.g. The Luminaries)
BIO The plot/theme involves light or a light source in a significant way.
A title that contains a word often found in a recipe
BIO: Must be an unusual or harder to find word in a recipe (e.g. "grate" not "water")
BIO: Title contains a word from a recipe in the book (bonus BIO if it is a work of fiction with a recipe)
A book set in a UNESCO City of Literature
KIS: The book mentions one of the cities, but does not actually have any action there.
BIO: The plot occurs entirely within one of the cities.
A book with ONE of the five "W" questions in the title
BIO: The title must be in question form.
I have a personal quest for the dark/light books that I don't know will make sense to anyone else, but I'm going to try to express it here. My personal BIO for these is that the books I want to read for each of these has to contain or suggest the opposite. (So, I want my dark book to have some connection to light, and my light book to have some connection to dark.)For example, I am looking at The Luminous Dead for my dark book, because the title has both light and dark, and the theme and setting are dark, and I'm interested to know what is luminous about that situation. I am thinking about using She Who Became the Sun for my light book, because of the darkness and deception in the theme.
This is probably a really odd way to see this prompt, but it's what sets my heart aflame as a reader. Just dropping it here in case anyone else finds it interesting.
Dubhease wrote: "Robin P wrote: "For the UNESCO city of literature, a KIS could be something set in that country but not in that exact city."Because Quebec City is the Canadian city on the list, I have seen books..."
I suspect that a lot of people will be using that KIS option without even realizing it. Geography is hard! lol
I think UNESCO city almost has KIS/BIO options within it just depending on which city you pick. It’s likely easier to find books (written in or translated into English) set in Seattle or Dublin than Ljubljana or Vilnius. That said, a BIO option could be that the author is from the city or that the book was translated from that city/country’s official language. That’s the direction I’m hoping to go, but a lot will depend on what translations are available.For dark/light my BIO option is to connect the books in some way (since it’s a multi-week prompt). I’m not really sure what that looks like, so far I’ve been googling “dark retellings of classic books/fairy tales” and “lighthearted books about [insert topic here]”
14. A book with ONE of the five "W" questions in the titleKIS: Include variations and other W questions, eg: which, whichever, whatever, whoever, whom, whose.
KIS: Include homonyms eg: hoo, Y, Wye, wot, watt, witch, were(wolf), ware.
Abbie wrote: "I think UNESCO city almost has KIS/BIO options within it just depending on which city you pick. It’s likely easier to find books (written in or translated into English) set in Seattle or Dublin tha..."I agree. BIO could be read a dark and light book from same genre or having a similar theme.
Personally, I am planning on reading two nature related books for the same. For dark, I will pick a heavy topic and light something fun.
For dark/light do books with a similar theme but done in opposite ways . Such as:domestic thriller vs rom com
dark academia vs campus lit
satire vs comedy
Or opposing genres, like:
Nordic noir vs cozy mystery
adventure vs chick lit
historical gothic vs historical romance
grimdark vs hopepunk
cli-fi vs solarpunk
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I think a KIS that several people are using for RECIPE is to use ANY word in the recipe, even non-cooking related words (green, add, about, until, etc)A Bio for KIS might be to use a favorite family or personal recipe and choose a word from there.
All the ideas have been added up to here! I'm really impressed with how this list is looking so far! I hope to get the next batch listed for tomorrow. Stay tuned!
°~Amy~° wrote: "I think a KIS that several people are using for RECIPE is to use ANY word in the recipe, even non-cooking related words (green, add, about, until, etc)..."That’s not really a KIS imo. It’s what the prompt says - a word found in a recipe. The prompt doesn’t say that word has to be a cooking term or a food item.
Wow. I just realized that I completely skipped over the second multiweek prompt that got it. I'll be adding that to our list tomorrow!
BIO: The word from the recipe needs to be the name of a food(Like dalex, I took any word in the recipe as the baseline meaning of this prompt rather than a KIS option, as long as it's a word commonly found in recipes)
BIO: The word from the recipe needs to be used in a cooking-related context in the title (so not "season" in "The Fifth Season")
For "A book set in a UNESCO City of Literature"
BIO: Literature should be important to the plot as well
BIO: The book needs to be set entirely in the UNESCO City of Literature rather than partially
KIS: The book only needs to have one scene take place in the UNESCO City of Literature
And this one might be too goofy, but:
KIS: Read a book that is literally light (in weight)
dalex wrote: "°~Amy~° wrote: "I think a KIS that several people are using for RECIPE is to use ANY word in the recipe, even non-cooking related words (green, add, about, until, etc)..."That’s not really a KIS ..."
I don't believe that was the original intent of the prompt, I think it is a way to stretch the prompt which is what KIS is for. Even if it is an overlap with the baseline, it doesn't hurt anything to put it there for people who may have thought it HAS to be a food or measurement.
The next batch of prompts up for discussion (with the additional prompt that I forgot earlier!)15. A character that might be called a Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, or Spy
Baseline: “tinker would be someone who travels for a living, or someone who 'tinkers around', perhaps a mechanic or hobbyist. Tailor - anyone working in the fashion industry, or involved with concerns around fast fashion. Soldier and Spy are pretty self-explanatory but fairly wide, and Spy could include anyone involved with surveillance”
16. An author's debut book
Baseline: “the first book an author has every published, as well as an author's first book in a new genre (an adult fiction author publishing their first YA book, or a nonfiction author publishing fiction for the first time, for example)”
17. A book that involves a murder
Baseline: Fiction or non-fiction book that involves a murder either as the main focus of the book or as a minor part of the story
18. A book related to science
Baseline: fiction or non-fiction including topics such as: nature, biology, environment, genetics, oceans, medical topics, mental illness, chemistry, physics, psychology, neuroscience, climate change, evolution, extinction, health sciences, space, astronomy, etc.
19. A book with a school subject in the title
Baseline: “Examples of School Subjects: Math, Science, Chemistry, Physics, English, Spanish, French, History, Geography”
20. 3 Weeks: Three books, each of which is set in a different century
Baseline: Self-explanatory?
Murder: BIO, must be focus of the story, must be a real murder, KIS: inlcude attempt or planned murder of threat of even if it doesn't happen
BIO: tinker, taylor,soldier,spy must have all four
Thomas wrote: "BIO: tinker, taylor,soldier,spy must have all four"Wow, That sounds like it would be incredibly hard. Maybe a historical fiction set during war time? That idea has my brain thinking!
°~Amy~° wrote: "Thomas wrote: "BIO: tinker, taylor,soldier,spy must have all four"Wow, That sounds like it would be incredibly hard. Maybe a historical fiction set during war time? That idea has my brain thinking!"
A soldier who serves as a vehicle mechanic (they tinker with engines) and is a double agent (spy) with a hobby of doing embroidery (tailor). Hahaha. Does this book exist?
Three books, each of which is set in a different centuryBIO - All three books have a similar theme (wars, murder mysteries, family sagas, etc)
A children's book (MG), a YA book and a NA/Adult book
KIS - read three books that are set in very different time periods (not necessarily different centuries) (eg. A historical fiction, a contemporary romance and a science fiction set on a space station/ship)
dalex wrote: "°~Amy~° wrote: "Thomas wrote: "BIO: tinker, taylor,soldier,spy must have all four"Wow, That sounds like it would be incredibly hard. Maybe a historical fiction set during war time? That idea has ..."
Not sure, but I want to read it if it does! I was thinking more of a soldier who returns home to their parents who are tailors, and his mechanic sibling and they all spy on the neighbor that they think is sabotaging the town Christmas play (if the soldier and the neighbor end up falling in love, I just accidently wrote a Hallmark movie script).....but anyway, your idea is way better!
°~Amy~° wrote: "...(if the soldier and the neighbor end up falling in love, I just accidently wrote a Hallmark movie script)..."Bahahaha!!!
°~Amy~° wrote: "Thomas wrote: "BIO: tinker, taylor,soldier,spy must have all four"Wow, That sounds like it would be incredibly hard. Maybe a historical fiction set during war time? That idea has my brain thinking!"
Leigh Bardugo's Grishaverse might. Well the whole series does but I can't think which would be the best single book to capture them all.
A BIO might be to read Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.
A BIO for debut could be reading a debut that has won an award.
A character that might be called a Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, or SpyKIS: Tinkering, tailoring, soldiering, or spying are simply mentioned in the text or performed in the plot
An author's debut book
KIS: Read an author's earliest book on your TBR
BIO: Read a 2022 debut that gets longlisted for a major prize in 2023
(Still noodling the others over.)
dalex wrote: "A soldier who serves as a vehicle mechanic (they tinker with engines) and is a double agent (spy) with a hobby of doing embroidery (tailor). Hahaha. Does this book exist? ..."I'm thinking that The Alice Network might come very close.
The book Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy: Four Women Undercover in the Civil War might fulfill all four! Well, not sure about tinker and tailor but does it get points for having a title that clearly references the original? LOL.I just thought of this as a BIO for the book that is dark and light, but I know it might be way too hard: Read two books in a duology (or two books in the same series)
Example:
BIO for "Three books, each of which is set in a different century" could be to read 3 books, each of which is set in a different millennium.
All caught up to here! I am off to compile our next list of prompts and baselines. I'll be back shortly to post them!
Today's topics up for discussion are:21. A book that has been translated from another language
Baseline: No explanation given
KIS
BIO
read a translated book NOT from continental Europe
22. A book posted in one of the ATY Best Book of the Month threads in 2022 or 2023
Baseline: No explanation given
KIS
BIO
23. A book by an author from continental Europe
Baseline: “The idea is to read a book that is written by a European author who is not from the UK or Ireland.”
KIS
BIO
24.. A book that fits a suggestion that didn’t make the list this year
Baseline: No explanation given
KIS
BIO
25.A book with 4 or more colors on the cover
Baseline: No explanation given
KIS
BIO
Several of this batch are pretty straight-forward, but are also ones that group members are struggling with the most. It will be a challenge to come up with ways to make KIS/BIOs for these!
22. A book posted in one of the ATY Best Book of the Month threads in 2022 or 2023Baseline: No explanation given
KIS: a book already in your TBR
BIO: a book you first heard about in the Best Book of the Month threads or listopias
25.A book with 4 or more colors on the coverKIS: Can count different shades of the same color - light blue, navy blue, royal blue, pale pink, hot pink, sherbet orange, pumpkin orange, burnt orange, lime green, grass green, pine green, olive green, and so on.
BIO: Must be 4 distinct colors.
23. A book by an author from continental Europe
KIS: The author was born in or lived in continental Europe at some point, but doesn't necessarily live there now.
23. A book by an author from continental EuropeBIO - A translated book from continental Europe.
Harini wrote: "23. A book by an author from continental EuropeBIO - A translated book from continental Europe."
That is how I am going to approach the Cont Europe challenge :)
All caught up to here. Also added:Translated from another language
BIO - read a translated book NOT from cont. Europe (I saw that idea on one of the boards in response to questions about the overlap between the two prompts
Continental Europe
KIS - include all regions of Europe (less research)
4 or more colors on the cover
BIO - Must contain the three primary colors (red, yellow, bule) and one secondary color (Orange, Green, Violet)
BIO- Black and White do not count as colors
ladymurmur wrote: "KIS: The author was born in or lived in continental Europe at some point, but doesn't necessarily live there now..."Great KIS idea. I was thinking also of an author currently living in cont Europe who wasn't actually born there, to open up to the immigrant populations. I'll add that as a KIS.
21. A book that has been translated from another languageBIO: A book translated from a language you've never read a translation from
(This is more aimed at those of us who read a lot of works in translation.)
BIO: A book longlisted or awarded for excellence in translation (see link for examples)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Categor...
(Oh wow I have made a terrible error in researching this one - my TBR did NOT need me to know about that Wikipedia link!!!)
Around the Year in 52 Books
Books mentioned in this topic
Grilled and Seasoned With Murder (other topics)The Fifth Season (other topics)
The Hour of the Star (other topics)
The Decameron (other topics)
A Million Little Pieces (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Maureen Johnson (other topics)Candice Carty-Williams (other topics)
Imogen Robertson (other topics)
Hanna Jameson (other topics)
Adam Johnson (other topics)
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KIS: Count articles (A, The) in place names.
BIO: The whole story must take place in the specific location used for the challenge
A Book With A Full Name in the Title
KIS: Nicknames are full names.
BIO: There are no other words in the title, just the full name.
BIO: The named person is also pictured on the cover (e.g. Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk).
A Book with Sun, Moon or Stars on the cover
KIS: Titles on the cover include the word sun, moon, or star.
KIS: Other heavenly bodies (planets, comets, asteroids, etc.) also count. (They are seen as stars by premodern astronomers, so not a huge stretch.)
BIO: There is a specific star, moon, or constellation on the cover (e.g. Europa or Phobos, Sirius or Polaris, Orion or Cassiopia)
BIO: The sun, moon, or star on the cover is significant to the story