[2026] Poll 17 Voting

[Misty]

I didn't have the time to participate in the pre-voting thread, so maybe I'm wrong, but this feels like a lot of repeats for prompts that were voted down prior.

[Jillian]

Emily wrote: "I don't mind making that edit now!"

If you can that would be appreciated.

[Tracy]

Misty - 5 Close Calls from previous rounds were included. And at least one more was resubmitted with a bit of rewording.

[Pamela, Arciform Mod]

NancyJ wrote: "Pamela wrote: "Robin P wrote: "I would bet almost anything that astronauts won't win - too narrow. - although personally I'd be fine with it. Same for sci-fi from last 20 years. some people just re..."

It's also the "since 2020"-- one might be able to flex a sci fi prompt but 5 years of publishing doesn't offer much space to do so

[NancyJ]

Pamela wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Pamela wrote: "Robin P wrote: "I would bet almost anything that astronauts won't win - too narrow. - although personally I'd be fine with it. Same for sci-fi from last 20 years. some..."

Pamela, aren’t you the mod who lives in Salem and reads a lot of books with witches? If so, here’s some good news. The prompt isn’t just sci-fi, it also includes fantasy!!

9. A science fiction or fantasy book published after 2020

One could argue it’s too broad, but the time limit adds a little more challenge. Fantasy is very easy to flex.

[Pamela, Arciform Mod]

NancyJ wrote: "Pamela wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Pamela wrote: "Robin P wrote: "I would bet almost anything that astronauts won't win - too narrow. - although personally I'd be fine with it. Same for sci-fi from last..."

Yeah- but I read witchy romance books- don't consider them fantasy.

[NancyJ]

My #1 choice is the ATY best book of the month lists. I’d give all my votes to it if I could. There were many new books posted in the last few weeks. Please take a look at the 2025 list to see the great variety.

#2 is Women crossing barriers and doing freakin amazing things. I love stories about women who made history, and real life and fictional women who fought to do jobs that only men were allowed to do. Early doctors, scientists, leaders, business owners, inventors, adventurers. Inspiring stories like A Woman of no importance about Virginia Hall.

#3 I love environmental and climate fiction, and nature nonfiction.

I could easily give 9 upvotes this week, but I’m going to force myself to make some downvotes:
10. A book whose title does not contain the first letter of your name. Too easy. It would take away from more interesting prompts.
1. Occupations. Most books with modern occupations would easily fit into other prompts. Plus I would second guess myself too much re which jobs truly fit.
14. Astronauts. I like astronauts but I could easily fit them into other prompts.

I like most of the prompts in between, and I could live with any of them. We haven’t had a disability prompt in a while, so that might sway me.

[Dixie]

Misty wrote: "I didn't have the time to participate in the pre-voting thread, so maybe I'm wrong, but this feels like a lot of repeats for prompts that were voted down prior."

I don't think of the suggestions that don't make it as having been voted down, unless they are bottomed. We only get 1-4 prompts out of 15 suggestions every time, which means a lot of good suggestions can't make it through. The fact that half of our "close calls" did make it through on subsequent attempts tells us that they had a lot of fans. It seems like almost every round, at least one person says they wished they had more votes to give. I don't think I've ever been able to upvote everything I would like to have as a prompt. So I like the fact that they get another chance.

[Deborah]

Dixie wrote: "Misty wrote: "I didn't have the time to participate in the pre-voting thread, so maybe I'm wrong, but this feels like a lot of repeats for prompts that were voted down prior."

I don't think of the..."

Didn't we have an entire poll last year that was all close calls? I don't remember how many of them made it to the final list.

[LeahS]

I think we always do.