[2024] KIS/BIO Group Collab

[LeahS]

Or in the MC's name.

[Nina]

BIO for JQZX prompt: Exclude the J (there are lots of Johns, Janes, Joshuas, Judys, etc. who have written books. The other letters are a lot less common in authors’ names)

[Dixie]

Another BIO for JQZX: Read a book that fits the prompt for each letter.

[°~Amy~°]

Dixie wrote: "Poll 2 #1: A book with a title that ends in A, T or Y

My personal BIO for prompts that include several options is to read a book for each one. So for this year's location ATY prompt, I read books ..."

That's a great way to stretch the prompt into multiple books!

[°~Amy~°]

My favorite author already has two of the letters, J and Z in his name. I'm going to have to push myself to find a different author or to not allow myself to use J.

Updated to here :)

[Joanna G]

Another BIO would be more than one of the letters. Jenny Xie, Uzma Jalaluddin, Xiran Jay Zhao (3!) or Gao Xingjian (Nobel Prize winner) were some I found on a quick search.

[Karin]

°~Amy~° wrote: "My favorite author already has two of the letters, J and Z in his name. I'm going to have to push myself to find a different author or to not allow myself to use J.

Updated to here :)"

J has a plethora of very common names which is the only reason I didn't upvote this one. It's so very easy to find authors with J's in their name. I personally will not allow myself to use J as a letter in and of itself because of this.

[Robin H-R]

BIO for the JQZX prompt:

Both author's first and last names start with one of the letters -
John Jakes
Joy Jordan-Lake
Jeff Johnson

[Kristina]

It's actually a lot of fun thinking of these! I prefer to lean into the BIO options when I do the challenge myself, so that's what I focused on.

Poll 3: 2. A book that is not a novel - BIO
- Written by an author who has written in more than one form of literature (e.g. a playwright who also writes poetry, a novelist who also writes novellas, etc)

Poll 5: What a Wonderful World - BIO
- A book that incorporates the actual song by Louis Armstrong in some way (e.g. the lyrics show up, the song is used in the plot, etc)
- A book with a character with the first/last name Louis and/or Armstrong
- A book that has multiple elements of the song in the cover (e.g. trees AND roses, rainbows AND blue skies, etc)

Poll 5: A book with a secondary color on the cover - BIO
- Secondary color is in the title, not the cover image

Poll 5: A book with a chilling atmosphere - BIO
- A book with chill/chilling in the title
- A book that primarily takes place in the Arctic or Antarctica
- A horror/thriller that involves ice/cold in some way (e.g. as a murder weapon, a major plot point, a setting)

Poll 5: 4. A book with a main character who is Black, Indigenous, or a Person of Color - BIO
- A book with multiple main characters who are Black, Indigenous, or a Person of Color
- A book with a nonwhite multiracial main character (e.g. a character who is Black and Indigenous).
- A book with a Black, Indigenous, or a Person of Color main character written by an author who is also Black, Indigenous, or a Person of Color.

Poll 6: A history or historical fiction book - BIO
- A historical fiction book written in a time period you know nothing about
- A microfiction book (e.g. Salt: A World History, A History of the World in 6 Glasses)
- A historical fiction book written by an author from a different time period (e.g. Ivanhoe)

[Karin]

Joanna wrote: "Another BIO would be more than one of the letters. Jenny Xie, Uzma Jalaluddin, Xiran Jay Zhao (3!) or Gao Xingjian (Nobel Prize w..."

That's what I was thinking. Plus there are surnames like Zimmerman, Ziegler, Quncy, Quinn, etc and manny the most common boys names include J--for a long time it was James and John, but there is Joseph, Joshua, Joel, Justin--Jaden is up there now because names that rhyme with Aidan have been very popular for some years now-- and many more, plus women's names (not as common, but there). I'm sure I could find quite a few in my local library stacks.

[°~Amy~°]

Kristina wrote: "It's actually a lot of fun thinking of these! I prefer to lean into the BIO options when I do the challenge myself, so that's what I focused on.

Poll 3: 2. A book that is not a novel - BIO
- Writt..."

Wow! Those are all great, thank you! I will work on getting those added asap!

[°~Amy~°]

Robin wrote: "BIO for the JQZX prompt:

Both author's first and last names start with one of the letters -
John Jakes
Joy Jordan-Lake
Jeff Johnson"

Oh, that is a good idea Robin. I hadn't considered that possibility!

[°~Amy~°]

Caught up to here! I've added the winners from Poll 7 and 8 as well!

[Robin H-R]

Poll 4 Winners:
1. Three Weeks: Three books where each one is related to land, sea, or air
Baseline: "That could be cover, topic, animal, nonfiction from each of the three categories"

BIO: Three books in a series

A perfect example is the Jules Verne "Captain Nemo" series:
In Search of the Castaways or, The Children of Captain Grant (Land)
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (Sea)
The Mysterious Island (Air)

[Robin H-R]

Poll 4 Winners:
2. Two Weeks: Two books with similar covers

BIO: Two books with almost identical covers

Here's a list I started in another group: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

BIO: Two books with similar covers by the same author, but not in the same series
Marbeck and the Double Dealer

The Ruffler's Child

[°~Amy~°]

And now I want to reread 20000 Leagues! I wonder how many other series would work for that? Steam punk pops into my mind for some reason (steam trains, airships and submarines?) I will have to do some research!

[Robin H-R]

A book with a number in the title

KIS:
~~includes compound words like someone, anyone, everyone, twofold, twosome, foursome, sixpence

BIO:
~~a number that is NOT a year

[Robin H-R]

A book set in one of the 25 most beautiful cities in the world

BIO:
~~Set in a city you have visited (I've only been to two of them so that would definitely narrow my choices)
~~Set in a city you have not visited

[Robin H-R]

Poll 8 Winners:
1. A book that is part of a series

KIS:
~~The first book in a series

BIO:
~~The last book in a series (to date)
~~A book in a series that is an off-shoot of another series. For example: Mistress of the Just Land: A Jean Brash Mystery 1 by David Ashton is an off-shoot of Ashton's James McLevy series (Which is a great series, BTW)

[Isabel]

Poll 4 - Two Weeks: Two books with similar covers

BIO suggestion: two books that use the same stock photo

Some examples of romance books with the same stock photo:
https://www.reddit.com/r/RomanceBooks...
https://www.reddit.com/r/romancelandi...
https://www.reddit.com/r/RomanceBooks...
https://www.reddit.com/r/RomanceBooks...

[Kristina]

Poll 8 - 1. A book that is part of a series - BIO:
- A book from a series that has six books or more
- A book from a series that is published in 2024 (e.g. the first book of a brand new series, or the newest book in a pre-established series)

Poll 8 - 2. A science or science fiction book BIO:
- A science fiction book with a scientist as a main character
- A science fiction book published in the "Golden Age of Science Fiction" between 1938 to 1946.
- A science fiction book without aliens, space travel, or other planets
- A science fiction book written by an author who is also a scientist
- A science book without a subtitle
- A science book written by a scientist who is no longer alive
- A science book related to a branch of science you are unfamiliar with

[Brittany]

BIO for a book set in a country bordering the Mediterranean Sea

Choose a Mediterreanean country that isn't as popular in literature

Choose one of the least populated of the Mediterranean countries

[°~Amy~°]

Thanks for all the suggestions! I fell a bit behind but should be caught up now. Let me know if I missed anything.

Poll 9 Winners have been added!

[Robin H-R]

Amy, you missed this one (#68)

A book set in one of the 25 most beautiful cities in the world

BIO:
~~Set in a city you have visited (I've only been to two of them so that would definitely narrow my choices)
~~Set in a city you have not visited

[Kristina]

I know you just updated the list, but I thought of more! 😊

Poll 9 - 1. A book connected in some way to any of the flavors of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream - BIO:
- Flavors involving place names (e.g. Dublin Mudslide) do not count
- The book must be connected to a current flavor of Ben & Jerry's ice cream (retired flavors do not count)
- A book connected to your favorite flavor of Ben & Jerry's ice cream
- One of the words in the Ben & Jerry's ice cream flavor is in the book's title

Poll 9 - 2. A book with fewer than 2024 ratings on Goodreads - BIO:
1. A book with less than 100 ratings
2. A book with ratings in the double digits
3. A book with 10 ratings or less
4. A book with less than 2024 ratings that has been published for at least 10 years

Poll 9 - 3. A book set in a country bordering the Mediterranean Sea - BIO
- A book that takes place in a city actually on the Mediterranean coast
- The characters in the book actually live in the Mediterranean country and are not visiting tourists

[°~Amy~°]

Robin wrote: "Amy, you missed this one (#68)

A book set in one of the 25 most beautiful cities in the world

BIO:
~~Set in a city you have visited (I've only been to two of them so that would definitely narrow ..."

Thank you Robin! I knew something would get overlooked between juggling multiple browser windows and dodging a baby chomping on my kneecap! lol

[°~Amy~°]

Kristina wrote: "I know you just updated the list, but I thought of more! 😊

Poll 9 - 1. A book connected in some way to any of the flavors of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream - BIO:
- Flavors involving place names (e.g. Du..."

Oh, those are all great Kristina! I'll get them added now :)

[Robin H-R]

Poll 3 Winners:

2. A book that is not a novel
BIO:
~~A memoir, biography, or autobiography
~~A "True Crime" book

Poll 5 Winners:

1. A book related to something mentioned in the lyrics of What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong
BIO:
~~A book related to the movie "Good Morning, Vietnam"

Poll 6 Winners:

2.A book with a touch of magic
BIO:
~~A book about Harry Houdini

3. A history or historical fiction book
BIO:
~~A book written by Edward Rutherfurd or James Michener (Their books are usually over 1,000 pages)
~~A book about "Jack the Ripper" (one of my favorites)
~~A book set in your hometown, county, state, province, etc.

Poll 8 Winners:

2. A science or science fiction book
KIS:
~~A book related to a movie or TV series (i.e. Star Wars, Star Trek, Dr. Who)

[°~Amy~°]

Robin wrote: "1. A book related to something mentioned in the lyrics of What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong
BIO:
~~A book related to the movie "Good Morning, Vietnam"..."

Oh wow, I had to dig WAY back in my brain to get that reference!

[Robin H-R]

Poll 7 Winner:
1. A book that fits a suggestion that didn’t make the final list

BIO
~~A book from a suggestion that was on the "bottom"

Poll 9 Winners:
3, A book set in a country bordering the Mediterranean Sea

BIO
~~A book that takes place in two or more countries

[Robin H-R]

Poll 8 Winners:

2. A science or science fiction book

BIO:
~~A book with a female scientist
~~A Si-Fi book that encompasses a second genre - For example: a si-fi western (Think of the movie "Cowboys and Aliens")

[°~Amy~°]

Updated to here, POLL 10 Winners added!

[Kristina]

Poll 9 - 2. A book with fewer than 2024 ratings on Goodreads - BIO:
1. A book with exactly 2024 ratings

Poll 10 - 1. A book that has been on your TBR for over a year - BIO:
1. A book that has been on your TBR for five or more years
2. A book that has been on your TBR for ten or more years

Poll 10 - 2. A book with a botanical cover - BIO:
1. A book with your favorite flower on the cover
2. A book with five or more different kinds of botanical plants on the cover
3. A book with a rare or unusual botanical plant on the cover (e.g. Venus Flytrap, Hammer Orchid, etc.)

[Dubhease]

The KIS for botanical cover is that as long as it has one flower, one leaf, one tree, it counts even if there are other things or people on the cover.

[Robin H-R]

Poll 9 Winners:
3, A book set in a country bordering the Mediterranean Sea

BIO:
~~A country that has hosted the Olympics


Poll 10 Winners:
1. A book that has been on your TBR for over a year

BIO:
~~The book that has been on your TBR the longest

2. A book with a botanical cover

BIO:
~~A book with a floral arrangement on the cover

[Robin H-R]

Poll 10 Winners:
2. A book with a botanical cover

BIO:
~~A book whose author has a botanical name - Fern Michaels, Daisy Godwin, Iris Murdoch

[Karin]

Robin wrote: "Poll 10 Winners:
2. A book with a botanical cover

BIO:
~~A book whose author has a botanical name - Fern Michaels, Daisy Godwin, Iris Murdoch"

Cool--there are TONS of those since many plants are used as first and last names. Here's one list of surnames relating to types of trees but you have to check them because some don't mean a tree, just that someone lives near a tree, etc. https://surnames.behindthename.com/na... in many languages, for example. But of course some, such Linden are actually trees, so even if the German name Linden meant lived near a tree it would count.

[Amy (Other Amy)]

My current thoughts:

A book connected in some way to any of the flavors of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream
BIO:
Plain flavors (e.g., chocolate chip) do not count
Use a literary connection (e.g., Appley Ever After for a fairy tale retelling, or From Russia With Buzz for a James Bond book)

A book with a botanical cover
KIS:
Count botanical words in the title or author's name.

BIO:
Use a botanical art book or a botany book
A book with only a plant or part of a plant on the cover, e.g.
*

A book involving a crime other than a murder
BIO:
Disqualify books that involve murder at all

*ISBNs for the cover examples if you want them:
9781400076505
9781400062089
9780544836594
9781903436578
9780151011056

[°~Amy~°]

Updated to here. Added Poll 11, Poll 12 and the Summer Reading Challenge winners.

[Robin H-R]

Poll 11 Winners
1. A book with a senior citizen character

BIO:
~~A book with a senior citizen character who solves a crime
~~A book with a senior citizen character who perpetrates a crime
~~A book with a senior Queen Victoria or Queen Elizabeth II as a character

Poll 12 Winners
1. A book related to Boats, Beaches, Bars, Ballads, or Jimmy Buffett

BIO:
~~A book with a parrot or a marguerita on the cover or in the title

[Kristina]

Poll 4 - 1. Three Weeks: Three books where each one is related to land, sea, or air - BIO
- Three books that relate to land, sea, or air all written by the same author

Poll 7 - 1. A book that fits a suggestion that didn’t make the final list - BIO
- A book that was polarizing or a close call that didn't make the final list

Poll 11 - 1. A book with a senior citizen character - BIO
- A book with a senior citizen as the main character
- A book with multiple senior citizen characters
- A book whose senior character is an octogenarian (80s) or nonagenarian (90s).

Poll 11 - 2. A book involving a crime other than a murder - KIS
- Minor crimes also count (e.g. jaywalking, shoplifting, etc.)
- The book has a crime involving murder as well as a non-murderous crime

Poll 11 - 2. A book involving a crime other than a murder - BIO
- The book has no murder in it at all
- The crime involved is real or based on fact
- The crime involved is not theft or fraud

Poll 12 - 1. A book related to Boats, Beaches, Bars, Ballads, or Jimmy Buffett - BIO
- A book that relates to every category on the prompt list

Poll 12 - 2. A book by an author known by their initials - BIO
- A book by an author who uses three initials in their name (e.g. J.R.R. Tolkien)
- A book by an author who has one (or more) of the four least used letters in the English alphabet as their initials (JQZX)

Poll 12 - 3. A book by an author from an African country - BIO
- A book by an author who still lives in an African county
- A book translated from an African language

Summer Reading Challenge Winner - A book by an Edgar Award-winning author - BIO
- The book that won the author an Edgar award
- A book by an author who has won an Edgar award multiple times
- A book by an author who has won an Edgar award and any other award

[Irene]

For a book with a sound-related word in the title:

KIS:
- homophones to sound-related words in the title, like The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown (symbol for cymbal) and Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins (Belle for bell).
- Including series names, like A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin.

BIO:
- book titles that are the names or lyrics of songs, like Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami
- the sound-related word has to be sound-related in the context of the title (so you wouldn't able to use The Turn of the Key or Notes from the Underground, but you WOULD be able to use Every Note Played by Lisa Genova or Dark Notes by Pam Godwin).

[Amy (Other Amy)]

Irene, those are some great thoughts on sound; I hadn't even thought about using song titles or homonyms (or not using them as the case may be). Thank you.

[Irene]

Thanks Amy! Will add more if I think of more creative ways to interpret them :)

BIO suggestion for A book by an author from an African country:
- A book by an author from an African country AND of African descent

This would exclude authors like Albert Camus, born in French Algiers (Algeria when it was occupied by France) and J.M. Coetzee who was from South Africa but was of Dutch colonial descent.

[°~Amy~°]

Whoa, where has the time gone? Caught up to here and added winners for polls 13-16!

[Robin H-R]

~Amy~ Where are you???

Poll 14 Winners:

BIOS:
3. A book with a pronoun in the title
~~Title starts or ends with a pronoun

Poll 13 Winners:

BIOS
2. A book related to “Going for the Gold”
~~A book featuring the Olympics