Comments on: A challenge for the New Year

By: Margaret

Margaret — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 19:35:35 +0000

As if I really needed more challenges. *laugh* I jumped on board for this one because it seems so difficult, yet fun. I made one of my goals for the year to read outside the box and this seems a perfect way of keeping me accountable.

By: Margaret

Margaret — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 19:35:00 +0000

By: Karen C

Karen C — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 13:42:44 +0000

Ten books in Ten categories? I wouldn’t be able to do that, either, but one book in 10? I love it! Here goes: 1) Literary criticism 2) American history, 18th century; 3) Graphic novel, fiction; 4) White Male Suburban lit (Updike? Cheever?); 5) Popular thriller (Child? Connelly?) 6) Science (ugh); 7) Ummm, I’m running out of steam, here. Can I steal a few categories from Ann?

Ann, if you need a recommendation for cozy mystery, I can give you a huge list. Do you mean cozy cozy, like Agatha Christie (which is hard to enjoy if you’re older than 13)?

By: Karen C

Karen C — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 13:42:00 +0000

Ann, if you need a recommendation for cozy mystery, I can give you a huge list. Do you mean cozy cozy, like Agatha Christie (which is hard to enjoy if you’re older than 13)?

By: Tanya

Tanya — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 17:00:43 +0000

I use challenges to help manage my backlog of books, but given that, I still managed to over-commit this year and am having to dial back a bit (otherwise I would sign on.) That said, if BOTNS hosts any mini-Challenges like the Beowulf on the Beach Classics Challenge or the DystopYA Reading Challenge, I’m sure to sign on!

By: Tanya

Tanya — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 17:00:00 +0000

By: Ann Kingman

Ann Kingman — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 15:21:50 +0000

Not really ‘genres’, but more “categories.” I think they are important in my world because so much of my work reading is from traditional corporate publishers. There is a lot happening in the independent press world that we don’t hear too much about because of their lower marketing and ad budgets. One of my favorite books of last year, The Unit, came from an indie press (Other Press), and I want to explore more.

As for self-published … I’ll confess, I have a bias against self-published books because so many that I’ve seen have been in need of editing or have had a cover treatment that put me off. I don’t think it’s fair for me to continue to have those biases until I’ve actually read one or two. I’m sure that there are good books out there that are self-published. I’m determined to find at least one.

The beauty of challenges like this is that you can tweak it to your own needs. Perhaps I shouldn’t have used the term ‘genre’.

By: Ann Kingman

Ann Kingman — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 15:21:00 +0000

The beauty of challenges like this is that you can tweak it to your own needs. Perhaps I shouldn’t have used the term ‘genre’.

By: Literature Crazy

Literature Crazy — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 15:13:11 +0000

Are “indie press” and “self-published” genres? Seem like a bit of a stretch…

By: Literature Crazy

Literature Crazy — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 15:13:00 +0000

Are “indie press” and “self-published” genres? Seem like a bit of a stretch…