Sunday, April 10, 2011

Dewey 24 Hour Read-a-thon, Part 3

Hour 20 Update:
- 8.5 hours of reading/4 hours blogging & challenges.
- I finished 2 books during this read-a-thon:
  The Foretelling by Alice Hoffman
  The Boxcar Children (#1) by Gertrude Chandler Warner.


I think I'm hitting that wall...bedtime is nearing.  I will add a final post soon, possibly after napping.  Keep going strong everyone.  I always enjoy this read-a-thon! :)

Hour 18 Update:
I'm still up at Hour 18!  It's nearly 2am (approaching hour 19) and I'm getting a little loopy. It's really hard to focus on reading.

- Reading 2nd book: The Boxcar Children (#1) by Gertrude Chandler Warner.
- 7 hours of reading for 248 pages...hmm, guess I'm still a bit distracted.  I wanted to be further, but I'm having fun anyway.
- I LOVE the Classic Paranormal Mashup mini-challenge. The mashup book title I came up with is Ethan Frome Hell. And with this mini-challenge, I hit my goal of participating in 5.

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Dewey 24 Hour Read-a-thon, Part 2

Despite many distractions (errands, Mom visiting, and cooking dinner), I'm still reading.  OK, it's Hour 13 and I'm nowhere never my goals...but I've got all night.  Keep on going everyone! 

Hour 13 Update:
Hours Spent Reading: 3
Books Read: 1
   The Foretelling by Alice Hoffman (library hardback large print edition)
Pages Read: 141 pages
Mini-Challenges Completed:4
   1 - Intro
   2 - Where in the world are you reading?
  12- Mid-Event Survey
  13- Book Habits

Hour 12 Update:
Mid-Event Survey:
1. What are you reading right now? The Foretelling by Alice Hoffman
2. How many books have you read so far? Finishing up my first one.
3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon? Hmm, I want to read The Boxcar Children next. :)
4. Did you have to make any special arrangements to free up your whole day? I intended to, but had to also run errands and make dinner.
5. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those?  Way too many interruptions to count. I dealt with them, but I'll bunch back in the second half.
6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far? I haven't updated my posts as much as I thought I would.  Sorry, I'll check in more often.
7. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?  Not yet...maybe later.
8. What would you do differently, as a Reader or a Cheerleader, if you were to do this again next year?  I would try really hard to focus more on just reading today. Couldn't devote as much time as I thought I would.
9. Are you getting tired yet? Nope, I'm ready for more!
10. Do you have any tips for other Readers or Cheerleaders, something you think is working well for you that others may not have discovered? Nothing revolutionary, but commenting and texting friends help keep you connected.

Dewey 24 Hour Read-a-thon, Part 1


Welcome to my Dewey 24 Hour Read-a-thon, Pt.1 post!  This is my third time participating and I'm going to consolidate some of my posts this time around. Check back frequently to see how I'm doing. :)

Hour 1 Update: 
1) Where are you reading from today?
My apartment in the western suburbs of Philadelphia, PA.
2) Three random facts about me…
      1 - No pets...I have terrible allergies.
      2 - My favorite drink (besides wine) is a Starbucks Caffè Mocha.
      3 - I love scrapbooking, even though it never seems like I have time to do it anymore.
3) How many books do you have in your TBR pile for the next 24 hours? 
I have 8 books next to my couch and I would like to read at least 3 in the next 24 hours.
4) Do you have any goals for the read-a-thon (i.e. number of books, number of pages, number of hours, or number of comments on blogs)? 
My goals: Read for at least 10 hours (not including blogging, cheering, etc.), complete 3 books, and participate in at least 5 challenges (1 down, 4 to go!).
5) If you’re a veteran read-a-thoner, any advice for people doing this for the first time?
Pick short books you really want to read. Check in on other readers throughout the day and especially nearing the end.  When the 18-20 hour marks come around, it's rough...we're in it together, so show you're support. I write down the time period I read on a 3 x 5 index card to keep track.  Finally, have fun! You might not be able to read for 24 hours straight with all the updating, blogging, cheering, eating, and dealing with family/weekend stuff to distract you.  It's OK, just enjoy the ride! 

Hour 2 Update: 
I read 50 pages of The Foretelling by Alice Hoffman in 1 hour. It's awesome!  I have 4 Alice Hoffman books in my pile. Let's see if today turns into a Hoffman read-a-thon.
Check out the Hour 2 mini-challenge at I Heart Monster.  This was a fun one!
Where In The World Are You Reading?

Friday, April 8, 2011

Countdown to Dewey!

Dewey's 24 hour read-a-thon begins in under 10 hours!  I've had a really bad week, so I will try my best to relax and enjoy losing myself in a good story.  My goals this time around...hmmm....I'll shoot for 10 hours of reading, three books, and at least 5 challenges. 

Not sure which ones I'll read, but here's the pile of books next to me:

A bunch of Alice Hoffman books including:
 - The Foretelling
 - Green Angel (re-read)
 - Green Witch
 - The Ice Queen
The Boxcar Children (#1) by Gertrude Chandler Warner
Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh by Robert C. O'Brien
Stonewords: A Ghost Story by Pam Conrad

See you in the morning.