Challenge #9: Task List and Q&A

[Jackie]

Challenge length: February 1, 2012 until March 31, 2012

Participants may join at any time during the challenge. All points must be reported by 11:59pm PST on March 31, 2012 to be counted.

Tasks can be completed in any order and it is not required to complete all regular tasks before doing the bonus tasks.

RULES:
1) Books must be Historical Fiction if specified as HF. If no specification is made, the book can be ANY genre.

2) Books must be at least 200 pages long. Eligibility for this is determined by the most popular edition on Goodreads. If the most popular edition is 197 pages, it will not count, even if the edition read is 215 pages.

3) The first book used for the challenge should be started on or after February 1st.

4) Re-reads and audiobooks are accepted unless specified otherwise in the task. (Audiobook page counts will be determined by the most popular edition on Goodreads.)

SCORING:
5) Task categories are assigned a point value, and points are awarded when all parts of the task are completed. Partial points will NOT be awarded for partially completed tasks.

6) Bonus points will be awarded based on the length of each book read, as follows:
200 to 300 pages = 2 bonus points
301 to 500 pages = 4 bonus points
501 to 750 pages = 6 bonus points
751 to 1,000 pages = 8 bonus points
1,000+ = 10 bonus points

Bonus points will be awarded PER BOOK READ. Task points are awarded ONE TIME once the task is complete.

7) Page length used to determine task bonus points is determined by THE MOST POPULAR EDITION OF THE BOOK ON GOODREADS -- NOT the edition you actually read. This is an attempt to make the scoring more fair across the board, as there can be very large page variations between editions. To determine the most popular edition on Goodreads, simply do a title/author search - the first result that matches your book is the most popular edition on GR.

8) As this challenge contains both HF and other genre books, you will receive 1 additional bonus point for every HF book read, whether the task requires HF or not. Please be sure to list that the book is HF to make sure that the additional points are counted.

WE WILL NOT AWARD HF POINTS IF IT IS NOT REPORTED UNLESS WE ARE POSITIVE THE BOOK IS HF. In other words, we aren't going to research the book for you. It is your responsibility to report your scores accurately; we will merely verify and record them.

9) HAVE FUN!!!

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Challenge #9 Tasks


5 points
5.1 – Let’s Learn Some History! Read a microhistory of something (For example: Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky)
5.2 – Touch Down! In honor of the upcoming Super Bowl read a book that either features football or has New England as a location
5.3 - Super Powers! Read a book with a character who has an enhanced sense


10 points
10.1 – Oh Romeo! Oh Romeo! In honor of St. Valentine’s Day read a book with a character that has the same name as your current significant other. If you are single choose one of your old boyfriends/girlfriends.
10.2 – What’s in a Name? Read a book by an author that has the same first or last name as you do
10.3 – Oh Mr. President! Read a book by or about a US president or presidential candidate or a fictional or futuristic president.


15 points
15.1 – Keeping It Real! Read a HF book that has a real historical figure as a character or takes place around a historical event
15.2 – Hail Caesar! Not! Read a HF book that features either Caesar or betrayal
15.3 – Looking for Me Pot o’ Gold! Read a HF book with a green or gold cover


20 points
20.1 – Free At Last! In honor of African American History Month read a HF book that features slavery
20.2 – Make Them Proud! Read a HF book you'd be proud to tell your High School English Teacher (or parent, pastor, etc) you're reading
20.3 – Make Love Not War! Read a HF about war told from the point of view of a non-combatant


50 points
50.1 - Happy Birthday To Me! In honor of my birthday (March 1st) I’m giving everyone a free pass to read any HF book they want as long as it’s over 310 pages
50.2 – Be Proud to show your age! Read a book published in the year of your birth

100 points
100 – Best of the Best! Read 3 books from Goodreads Choice Awards (yes, nominees count)

[Jackie]

If anyone wants to volunteer to be scorekeeper please let me know! :)

[Jayme(theghostreader)]

When it says read a book, that means it can be any genre right?

[Jackie]

Yup, I made the HF ones specific.

[Shay]

Best selling books the week/year you were born:
http://www.biblioz.com/best_sellers.php

[Shay]

How much of the color needs to be in the cover?
15.3 – Looking for Me Pot o’ Gold! Read a HF book with a green or gold cover

[Becky, Moddess]

Shay wrote: "How much of the color needs to be in the cover?
15.3 – Looking for Me Pot o’ Gold! Read a HF book with a green or gold cover"

At least 50%.

[Margaret]

Would The Coffee Trader qualify for 5.1?

[Jackie]

Margaret, no it wouldn't. It looks like it's just regular HF.

[Jackie]

Here's a list of some microhistories: http://www.squidoo.com/biothings

[Jackie]

Here is another list of microhistories. Sorry GR is not letting me edit posts this morning.

[Shay]

5.3 - Super Powers! Read a book with a character who has an enhanced sense

Maybe it's too early, but I really don't understand this one. Can you give a few examples?

[Jackie]

Or delete apparently. *sigh*

Here is the correct link

[JC]

it's all kinds of messed up!! I can't look at full descriptions of books, or do anything beyond post or look at threads. So I'm posting here because the "email me when people comment" link isn't working. sheesh!

[Jackie]

I know! It's really annoying. I'll answer questions when it gets fixed because I can't link or edit or delete. I don't want to give half-ass answers :/

[Shay]

100 – Best of the Best! Read 3 books from Goodreads Choice Awards (yes, nominees count)

Does it have to be from the HF category?

Does it have to be the 2011 winners/nominees?

[Margaret]

Jackie wrote: "Or delete apparently. *sigh*

Here is the correct link"

Well here I thought this was going to be a tough one, I got 3 of those books in my TBR pile, now which one to read...

[Holly]

Same 1st or last name. The closest I can come is
Passing Strange: A Gilded Age Tale of Love and Deception Across the Color Line
Sandweiss vs. Weiss. OK or no?

[Shay]

Is this gold enough?

[Shay]

Holly wrote: "Same 1st or last name. The closest I can come is
Passing Strange: A Gilded Age Tale of Love and Deception Across the Color Line
Sandweiss vs. Weiss. OK or no?"

I'm probably going to have to skip this task. Can't find any books I want to read, first or last name.

[JC]

Shay wrote: "100 – Best of the Best! Read 3 books from Goodreads Choice Awards (yes, nominees count)

Does it have to be from the HF category?

Does it have to be the 2011 winners/nominees?"

good question - the link on the task list takes me to the HF winner/nominee page. Can we choose books from any genre for this one, or just the page the link takes us to?

[Jackie]

I just linked it to the HF page to encourage people to choose from there, but any GR 2011 winner/nominee will work.

[Jackie]

Holly wrote: "Same 1st or last name. The closest I can come is
Passing Strange: A Gilded Age Tale of Love and Deception Across the Color Line
Sandweiss vs. Weiss. OK or no?"

If you genuinely can't find something with Holly or Weiss that interests you then yes I will allow it.

[Jackie]

Shay wrote: "Is this gold enough?
"

Definitely gold enough :)

[Nancy from NJ]

Do the three books Best of the Best have to be HF or can they be for any genre?

[Jackie]

Nancy wrote: "Do the three books Best of the Best have to be HF or can they be for any genre?"

Any genre will do.

[Cheryl A]

Great challenge, Jackie!! As much as I like the mini-challenge, I really like getting the task list and finding books to fit.

[April]

For task 5.3 - character who has an enhanced sense, can this person be inhanced because as vampire, werewolf, etc?

I was hoping Twice Bitten would work? (Add book/author is not working today)

[April]

For task 10.3 - president by or about

Will Blood Oath work? Cade is a vampire that works directly for the president and has protected presidents since Johnson the 17th president.

[Jackie]

April wrote: "For task 5.3 - character who has an enhanced sense, can this person be inhanced because as vampire, werewolf, etc?

I was hoping Twice Bitten would work? (Add book/author is not working today)"



I'm not sure if Twice Bitten would work since I haven't read the series, but say if a vamp or shapeshifter has mind reading powers or can invade a character's dream or something of that nature then yes it can count.

One book I can think of off the top of my head that is HF is Perfume: The Story of a Murderer. Basically any character with an enhanced sense of vision, smell or mental abilities can count for the task.

[Jackie]

April wrote: "For task 10.3 - president by or about

Will Blood Oath work? Cade is a vampire that works directly for the president and has protected presidents since Johnson the 17th president."

Yup, that would work :)

[Holly P]

For 10.1 are we just going with first names or can we use any part of their full name? Hubby's name is Christopher which I'm not finding a lot of but I have a book that will fit if we can use middle names.

[Jackie]

Holly P wrote: "For 10.1 are we just going with first names or can we use any part of their full name? Hubby's name is Christopher which I'm not finding a lot of but I have a book that will fit if we can use midd..."


Middle names are fine.

[April]

for 10.1 husband's name is Christopher, but book has a Cristof, which is just a language change.

Will this work?

[April]

Is Queen Hereafter: A Novel of Margaret of Scotland green enough?

[JoLene, Mistress of the Challenge]

Can you use a book for multiple tasks?
Also, I didn't change my name when I got married, but can I use my husband's last name for the name challenge. I have a fairly unusual first and last name and couldn't find any books under either that I would like to read.

[Jackie]

JoLene, you can only use one book per task. Using your hubby's last name is fine for the challenge.

[Nancy from NJ]

The original cover of Green Darkness by Anya Seton, which I plan on rereading is all green. But subsequent editions have other colors along with the green. Since I am reading the original edition which is among my keepers, can I use this book for the green cover?

[Jackie]

Nancy wrote: "The original cover of Green Darkness by Anya Seton, which I plan on rereading is all green. But subsequent editions have other colors along with the green. Since I am reading the original edition ..."

You sure can.

[Jackie]

For the name task- would it help some of you if I added middle name to it?

[Nancy from NJ]

Jackie wrote: "Nancy wrote: "The original cover of Green Darkness by Anya Seton, which I plan on rereading is all green. But subsequent editions have other colors along with the green. Since I am reading the ori..."

Thanks Jackie. I loved this book over 40 years ago - wonder how I will enjoy it now.

[Jackie]

Let me know. I have a few of Seton's books on my to read list, but I haven't read anything of her's yet.

[Nancy from NJ]

I also read other books by Anya Seton and the one I really loved was Katherine, which naturally is HF.

[Shay]

Jackie wrote: "Nancy wrote: "The original cover of Green Darkness by Anya Seton, which I plan on rereading is all green. But subsequent editions have other colors along with the green. Since I am reading the ori..."

But for all other tasks we have to use the default edition (the most popular edition on GR), right?

[Jackie]

Shay wrote: "But for all other tasks we have to use the default edition (the most popular edition on GR), right? "

Correct. The most popular edition rule was made up to make the page counts fair for everyone.

[Shay]

50.2 – Be Proud to show your age! Read a book published in the year of your birth

Originally published, right? (Not a subsequent paperback publication.)

20.1 – Free At Last! In honor of African American History Month read a HF book that features slavery

Is this limited to slavery in the US? What about slavery in Rome/Greece, etc.?

[Becky, Moddess]

Holly P wrote: "For 10.1 are we just going with first names or can we use any part of their full name? Hubby's name is Christopher which I'm not finding a lot of but I have a book that will fit if we can use midd..."

The Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time's main character is named Christopher.

Just putting that out there. :)

[Becky, Moddess]

April wrote: "for 10.1 husband's name is Christopher, but book has a Cristof, which is just a language change.

Will this work?"

I would say that would be OK, but I'll let Jackie make the final ruling. Jackie?

[Jayme(theghostreader)]

Nancy wrote: "I also read other books by Anya Seton and the one I really loved was Katherine, which naturally is HF."

I loved Katherine

[Becky, Moddess]

April wrote: "Is Queen Hereafter: A Novel of Margaret of Scotland green enough?"

Yep. That would be fine.