24 Hour Read-a-Thon: Movie Madness Mini Challenge

Posted on April 10, 2011 by J. D. Montague

This challenge is officially closed. Thank you to everyone who participated; it was fun seeing which movies should be made into books and vice versa. I’ll be selecting a winner shortly and will post it in an update.

I heart books and movies and sometimes I’ll see this beautiful movie that seems like it would be more properly expressed in words on a page and sometimes I’ll read a book that seems like it would be perfectly translated to the big screen.

For this challenge share which movie you’d love to see translated into a book and who the author would be. Then explain why—what makes that movie book-worthy? Then, share which book you think would be perfect for the silver screen and who the director would be (hint: find a movie that you love which would have a similar style to the book-movie you envision and check out the movie’s director on IMDB). And why would people flock to the theatres to see that movie?

At the end of the challenge, I’ll randomly select someone to choose 2 books from the list below or a book from The Book Depository up to $12.97USD. Yes, this contest is open internationally if selecting from the prizes below, otherwise anywhere The Book Depository ships. However, to participate, you must be at least 13 years old. (It’s a privacy law thing.)

To enter, you can blog about your movie madness, but please make sure to comment below with a link to your post, or you can just leave your answer in the comments. Thanks for participating, and have fun.

This challenge will end in 3 hours @ 6:00AM EDT.

Books to Choose From:

Salems Lot coverSalem’s Lot by Stephen King (Paperback)

Stephen King’s second novel, ‘Salem’s Lot, is the story of a mundane town under siege from the forces of darkness. Considered one of the most terrifying vampire novels ever written, it cunningly probes the shadows of the human heart—and the insular evils of small-town America.

The Road coverThe Road by Cormac McCarthy (Paperback)

A father and his son walk alone through burned America. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape save the ash on the wind. It is cold enough to crack stones, and when the snow falls it is gray. The sky is dark. Their destination is the coast, although they don’t know what, if anything, awaits them there. They have nothing: just a pistol to defend themselves against the lawless bandits that stalk the road, the clothes they are wearing, a cart of scavenged food—and each other.

The Devil Wears Prada coverThe Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger (Paperback)

What would you do if your heaven-sent job turned out to be a living hell?

Memoirs of a Geisha coverMemoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden (Paperback)

In Memoirs of a Geisha, we enter a world where appearances are paramount; where a girl’s virginity is auctioned to the highest bidder; where women are trained to beguile the most powerful men; and where love is scorned as illusion. It is a unique and triumphant work of fiction—at once romantic, erotic, suspenseful—and completely unforgettable.

Lipstick Jungle coverThe Lipstick Jungle by Candace Bushnell (Paperback)

In her fourth novel, Candace Bushnell writes about three powerful NYC women at the top of their fields, each navigating her way through business, relationships, scandal, success, and betrayal.

Posted in Everything Else | Tagged , | 27 Comments

24 Hour Read-a-Thon: Character Crush Mini Challenge

Posted on April 10, 2011 by J. D. Montague

This challenge is officially closed. Thank you to everyone who participated; I loved reading about your character crushes. I’ll be selecting a winner shortly and will post it in an update.

Every so often I’ll come across a character in a book which makes me think, I would run away with him in a heartbeat, and I’m praying I’m not the only one. That’s why I’m hosting this particular mini challenge.

I want to hear about that character (or those characters) you’d pack up your current life to run away with, and why. Tell the world why that character is so charming to you and, if you feel so inclined, where you’d go. Make us want to run away with you! (Oh, and don’t forget to mention the book and author so our TBR piles can grow.)

At the end of the challenge, I’ll randomly select someone to choose 2 books from the list below or a single book from The Book Depository up to $12.97USD. Yes, this contest is open internationally if selecting from the prizes below, otherwise anywhere The Book Depository ships. However, to participate, you must be at least 13 years old. (It’s a privacy law thing.)

To enter, you can blog about your character crush, but please make sure to come back here and comment with a link to your post, or you can just leave your answer in the comments. Thanks for participating, and have fun.

This challenge will end in 3 hours @ 4AM EDT Extended to 5AM EDT (sorry to everyone who tried to comment and couldn’t!)

Books to Choose From:

Wither coverWither by Lauren DeStefano (ARC)

In the not-too-distant future, because of genetic engineering, every human is a ticking time bomb—males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. To keep the population from dying out, girls are kidnapped and sold into polygamous marriages.

When sixteen-year-old Rhine is taken, she enters a world of wealth and privilege that both entices and terrifies her. She has everything she ever wanted—except freedom. With the help of Gabriel, a servant Rhine is growing dangerously attracted to, Rhine attempts to escape before it is too late.

Wake coverWake by Lisa McMann (Hardcover)

Not all dreams are sweet. For seventeen-year-old Janie, getting sucked into other people’s dreams is getting old. Especially the falling dreams, the naked-but-nobody-notices dreams, and the sex-crazed dreams. Janie’s seen enough fantasy booty to last her a lifetime.

She can’t tell anybody about what she does—they’d never believe her, or worse, they’d think she’s a freak. So Janie lives on the fringe, cursed with an ability she doesn’t want and can’t control.

Then she falls into a gruesome nightmare, one that chills her to the bone. For the first time, Janie is more than a witness to someone else’s twisted psyche. She is a participant…

The Devouring coverThe Devouring by Simon Holt (Hardcover)

The Vours: Evil, demonic beings that inhabit human bodies on Sorry Night, the darkest hours of the winter solstice.

This isn’t how the horror ended for us—this is how it began.

When Reggie reads about the Vours in a mysterious old journal, she assumes they are just the musings of an anonymous lunatic. But when her little brother, Henry, begins to act strangely, it’s clear that these creatures exist beyond a madwoman’s imagination, and Reggie finds out what happens when fears come to life.

To save the people she loves, Reggie must learn to survive in a world of nightmares. Can she devour her own fears before they devour her?

Strange Brew coverStrange Brew (Audiobook)

Today’s Hottest Urban Fantasy Authors Come Together in This Delicious Brew That Crackles and Boils Over with Tales of Powerful Witches and Dark Magic…

In Charlaine Harris’s “Bacon,” a beautiful vampire joins forces with a witch from an ancient line to find out who killed her beloved husband. In “Seeing Eye” by Patricia Briggs, a blind witch helps sexy werewolf Tom Franklin find his missing brother—and ends up helping him in more ways than either of them ever expected. And in Jim Butcher’s “Last Call,” wizard Harry Dresden takes on the darkest of dark powers—the ones who dare to mess with his favorite beer.

Anyone who’s ever wondered what lies beyond the limits of reality, who’s imagined the secret spaces where witches wield fearsome magic, come and drink deep. Let yourself fall under the spell of this bewitching collection!

Blog Marketing coverBlog Marketing by Jeremy Wright (Hardcover)

Today, tens of millions of bloggers are communicating on the Internet about companies, products, trends, and much more. Don’t miss out on the conversation! Blog Marketing explains how blogs are amazingly cost-effective tools for making business decisions based on actual customer feedback and market intelligence.

Posted in Everything Else | Tagged , | 52 Comments

Book Sentence Mini Challenge

Posted on April 10, 2011 by J. D. Montague

This mini challenge was super fun and I’m so glad Midnight Book Girl is hosting it. I didn’t make it in time to enter, but I still wanted to do it. Yeah, it’s that fun. :D

highland-fire

Dark Highland Fire Leaving Jane Eyre

american-gods-lost-found

American Gods Lost & Found Thirteen Reasons Why The Lady Had Seconds

great-terrible-beauty-entwined

A Great And Terrible Beauty Entwined Flawless Warm Bodies

what-if-now-gone

What If Now Is Gone Between Here and Forever?

tis-ferryman

‘Tis the Ferryman Passing Strange Blood Ninja

I know I should have come up with some better ones, but my brain isn’t as snappy as it usually is. :/

Posted in Everything Else | Tagged | 2 Comments

Book Origami Mini Challenge

Posted on April 9, 2011 by J. D. Montague

This is my first attempt at origami, so please take mercy on me and my folding skillz.

Origami box and lilyorigami box and lily

Box made first, using this tutorial, and the lily (in honour of our lovely host) made second, using this tutorial.

I couldn’t bear to hurt any of my books, even the ones I don’t like, so I used a couple pages from the phone book. And let me tell you, folding that flimsy paper is a lot harder than those origami tutorials will lead you to believe.

A big thanks to Word Lily for hosting this mini challenge and for helping to unleash my inner origami self.

Posted in Art-ing | Tagged | 4 Comments

24 Hr Read-a-Thon Update Post

Posted on April 9, 2011 by J. D. Montague

This post will stay at the top of the page until Dewey’s 24 Hr. Read-a-Thon is finished. It’s where I’ll periodically update on my progress and other musings. (I tweaked this page because it suddenly made more sense to add the most recent updates to the top. I know, my brain is mush. *sigh*)

Hour 24 (7:05AM): The End is Nigh

For most people, there’s only one hour left in the read-a-thon. For me, however, since I got a late start, I’m going to continue reading for another hour past. Yeah, I get down like that.

In the meantime, I’m completing the end of the read-a-thon meme…

1. Which hour was most daunting for you? Hour 21 was looking mighty rough-ish for a minute. A few times I thought I would pass out…
2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year? Rotters by Daniel Kraus. Definitely. Um…beyond that…er…
3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year? The only improvements are those I mentioned in the midway meme (about the localization and prominence of the participants list).
4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon? The cheerleading. (My blog’s comment issues aside. *sigh*)
5. How many books did you read? 1.5 – in my defense, I spent most of the last 23 hours socializing. :)
6. What were the names of the books you read? A Well-Timed Enchantment by Vivian Vande Velde and Rotters by Daniel Kraus
7. Which book did you enjoy most? Um…Rotters
8. Which did you enjoy least? Um…A Well-Timed Enchantment
9. If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders? N/A since I was only an unofficial cheerleader. :)
10. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time? Very likely. Next time I’ll actually spend more time reading. (But I did like the cheerleading, so I’ll probably do some of that, too. Oh, yes, and hosting the mini challenges was fun, so yeah, add that to the list.)

Sorry the above answers are rambly, and borderline incoherent, but my brain has turned into pudding. I think. Or maybe gelatin. Wait, it doesn’t jiggle when I shake it. Yeah, pudding.

Hour 23 (6:10AM): The Almost Done Update

I’ve started Rotters by Daniel Kraus, but am nowhere near finished with it. Twitter and blogs keep distracting me. However, what I’ve read so far is freaking fantastic. I’m kicking myself in the butt for not starting the read-a-thon off with this one. But, c’est la vie.

Also, my first two official read-a-thon mini challenges are officially completed. It was so much fun to read all the responses (and yes, I read every single one) and learn about new books. My Wishlist has grown considerably. Thank you, a million times, thank you to all those who participated. The lucky winners (chosen by the mysterious random.org) are…

For the Character Crush mini challenge: Jessica from Nisaba Be Praised

The first man that popped into my head was Mr. Tilney from Northanger Abbey. The way he teases Catherine is just. So. Sexy. and I always felt his biggest flaw was falling in love with someone as undeveloped (mentally!) as her.

Or, you know, the Doctor.

(I’m totally crushing on The Doctor, too. He wouldn’t even be able to finish saying “Tardis” before I was packed and on board. I wonder, though, have there been any Doctor Who books written? Just checked. Yes, yes there have been.)

For the Movie Madness mini challenge: Bianca_82

This is such an interesting challenge. I never actually thought about this, but let’s give it a try.

Movie to Book? Seven Pounds with Will Smith. It took me about six tries to actually make it through that movie, but once I did, I was blown away. There were so many emotional nuances in it and twists of fate. Now that I think about it, that definitely would have been one unforgettable book. Who would write it? Andre Dubus III. He wrote The House of Sand and Fog and when I think about Seven Pounds as a book, that’s the style that comes to mind. The more I think about it, the more I want Mr. Dubus to do it.

Book to Movie? This is a little trickier. Hum. Generation Dead by Daniel Waters and it would be directed by Edgar Wright, the guy who wrote/directed ‘Shaun of the Dead’. That would be a match made in heaven. Generation Dead is like a campy version of Twilight with zombies and I know Mr. Wright can do it right. Sorry for the bad pun.

Thanks for this challenge, it actually woke me up somewhat by making me think. :)

(I wholeheartedly agree on Generation Dead. That would be a fun book to see made into a movie, but I don’t know if Edgar Wright is the ideal directorial candidate. I loved Shaun of the Dead, too, but…of course, I’m sleep deprived so I’m not sure what I’m saying at this point. Must add Seven Pounds to my list of movies to see.)

Thanks again to everyone who participated.

Hour 12 (7:45PM): The Midway Update

OK, so it’s taken me nearly 11 full hours to finish one book. That’s ridiculous even by my own slow-reading standards. But, to be fair, I’ve been procrastinating for much of that 11 hours because…the book was not as awesometastic as I expected it to be. And the full truth is I’ve only spent about 3 of those hours actually reading. *facepalm*

Now it’s time to participate in the midway meme…

Rotters cover1. What are you reading right now? I just finished reading A Well-Timed Enchantment by Vivian Vande Velde and I’ll be starting Rotters by Daniel Kraus next.

2. How many books have you read so far? (shamefaced) 1…in my defense, it was much slower going than I’d planned. (See paragraph preceding this meme.)

3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon? It’s a tie between Rotters, which I’m starting next, and Wither by Lauren DeStefano.

4. Did you have to make any special arrangements to free up your whole day? Not really, surprisingly.

5. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those? Only two and in both instances I just clicked on the “Don’t Accept” button on my phone.

6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far? The awesomeness of the challenges. Seriously creative (and fun) ideas people.

7. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year? Make the list of participants easier to find for those who haven’t signed up as cheerleaders, but would still like to pop around every once in a while and cheer on the fellow read-a-thoners.

8. What would you do differently, as a Reader or a Cheerleader, if you were to do this again next year? N/A since I was only an amateur cheerleader…

9. Are you getting tired yet? Surprisingly, nope. Guess the Cherry Coke Zero’s working.

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? Keep the pages open in tabs, such as Twitter, The 24 Hr. Read-a-Thon homepage (and participant list), Facebook, and refresh as necessary. When visiting the blogs, open the links up in a new tab. Don’t know if that’s a new or even helpful tip, but there it is anyway.

Hour 2 (9:00AM): Read-a-Thon Check-In

In one fell swoop I’ve used up all of my allotted snack breaks. (Yes, I had a perfectly mapped out schedule and everything. I want to rock this reading challenge.) This morning, I panicked when I couldn’t find one of the books I’d planned to giveaway for one of the mini challenges. It’s still in hiding, but I figure I can just re-purchase it if necessary. No sense in delaying any further.

A Well-Timed Enchantment coverThe first book on my reading schedule, as I munch on an Asiago cheese bagel with cream cheese and sip on my ice cold Cherry Coke Zero (I can just hear my mom’s voice telling me it’s too early in the morning for soda), is A Well-Timed Enchantment by Vivian Vande Velde.

It’s an unscheduled addition, but after finishing another book by Velde recently, I couldn’t resist when I saw this one sitting on the shelf. I guess I didn’t sacrifice all my snack breaks for nothing.

To answer the pre-read-a-thon questions…

1)Where are you reading from today? Sunny South Florida

2)Three random facts about me…

  1. I collect journals
  2. I’m just shy of 6 ft. tall
  3. I had a nightmare about turtles two nights ago

3)How many books do you have in your TBR pile for the next 24 hours? I had four books…then stumbled across another one this morning.

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)? Just read, go with the flow, have fun.

5)If you’re a veteran read-a-thoner, any advice for people doing this for the first time? Since I don’t consider myself a veteran, I’m going with N/A on this one.

Posted in Reading | Tagged | 8 Comments

Reading Through the Night

Posted on April 8, 2011 by J. D. Montague

Tomorrow is Dewey’s 24 Hr Read-a-Thon time. I will be participating this year…by reading and hosting a couple mini-challenges.

I’ve already stocked up on my reading supplies:

  • Cherry Coke Zero? Check.
  • Microwave burritos? Check.
  • Lots and lots o’ books? Check.

Now, I just need to get the mini challenge prizes together. This is going to be awesome.

For those who think this is my way of procrastinating when I should be writing, I’m appalled at such an accusation…but not too appalled to admit you’re right. But, it could be worse. And I’ll  write double on Monday (after I’ve recovered). Promise.

Posted in Reading | Tagged | 1 Comment

Wordless Wednesday 002

Posted on April 6, 2011 by J. D. Montague

Seven Snails

Posted in Art-ing, Everything Else | Tagged , | 8 Comments

The Story of an eReader

Posted on April 4, 2011 by J. D. Montague

Once upon a time, I tinkered with the notion of purchasing a Kindle, or more seriously, a NOOKcolor, however, never acted on the notion.

But one day while passing my local Borders store I saw a giant banner that said: STORE CLOSING. With a heavy heart I decided to pay it a fond farewell. And wouldn’t you know that the stars were in perfect alignment that evening because their Kobo Wireless eReaders were discounted 60% and they only had one left.

Dancing elves and a flashing arrow appeared out of nowhere telling me to buy it.

The dancing elf made me do it...

So, I bought it.

When I got home I felt a pang of buyer’s remorse, even though I got it on the cheap, because I was certain it would go the way of my Ab Lounge: a dusty heap of metal eyeing me with contempt.

That night, I purchased a $.99 ebook*…just to test it out…and when I finished the book a few hours later, I said, “Hmm, that wasn’t so bad” and decided to read something else.

mmm...book glueImportant Revelation: I’m a bibliophile in the classic sense. I love the feel of pages caressing my fingers, the texture of the paper, the weight of the book in my hand, the smell of the binding glue. But not necessarily in the practical sense, I realize…as my library approaches a conservative guesstimate of 250+ books.

Five books later I realized that I loved my eReader far more than toning my abs and…it’s time to get rid of my paperbacks. Remember that important revelation? Well, about 80% of those books are paperbacks and time doesn’t love them as much as the hardcovers. Plus, hardcover books generally look nicer.

Slowly, since I’m not yet wiping my nose with hundred dollar bills, I’m re-purchasing my paperbacks as ebooks and the ones I really, really love as hardcovers. The ones I haven’t read yet I’ll just check out from the library. (That’s another wonderful eReader perk: instant access to free books without leaving my home. My county library hasn’t seen as much action from me in the last year as in the last month.)

My hope is to one day give away all of those paperback books**, and regain ~500 sq. ft. of living space. Although I’m still a bibliophile in the classic sense, I’m also a proud bibliophile in the contemporary sense. Who knew?

*Yes, I know that’s a Kindle book which isn’t supported by the Kobo, but I converted it to EPUB.

**I’m referring mostly to leisure reads and not necessarily technical/reference books, of which I also have many.

Posted in Reading | Tagged , | 4 Comments