I'm getting ready to begin my participation in MotherReader's 4th Annual 48 Hour Book Challenge (reading as much as possible during a 48-hour period). My schedule is cleared and my inbox is empty. I have vast amounts of Thai take-out waiting to be reheated, and plenty of chocolate. I have a list of candidate books, and I've even prepared stub posts for them, so that I don't have to waste good reading time on that (blogging time counts for the challenge, but I still want to read as much as possible). I'm going to start with the last 120 pages of my current read, Revenge of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz, and move on from there. In a change this year (see rules here), the contest is based on only time spent reading and blogging about the books, and not on the number of books completed. I like this change a lot, because it means that I can do things like finish a previously started book, and read fewer, longer books, etc.
I've also decided that for this year, since I didn't win anything in the Bridget Zinn auction (I was out-bid by people who really, really wanted the things that I wanted), I'm going to donate $3 to the fund for Bridget for each hour that I spend on the challenge. For me, this is a way to make this challenge even more than usual about the fabulous community that is the Kidlitosphere. Thanks, Pam!
My official start time is 1:40 pm PST on Friday afternoon.
Good luck on the challenge and on your reading time in support of Bridget Zinn.
I am joining in too in a little while and I can't wait.
Posted by: Crystal | June 05, 2009 at 01:52 PM
Thai take-out, chocolate, and a weekend of reading sounds like heaven. I'm sorry I won't be able to participate this year, but I'm rooting for all of you. Have fun!
Posted by: Sheila Ruth | June 05, 2009 at 02:58 PM
You are much more prepared than I am! I have no tasty snacks. None.
It was actually on purpose, because, unhappily, I ate too much of my tasty snack store too quickly last year...
Posted by: Charlotte | June 05, 2009 at 03:31 PM
Enjoy, Crystal!! And Sheila, I hope you'll be able to participate next year. Charlotte, I'm doing my reading in the furthest room from the kitchen, I find that helps. I don't actually like to read and eat at the same time, either. But I am about to take a break for delicious Thai food.
Posted by: Jen Robinson | June 05, 2009 at 06:49 PM
Have Chinese food to reheat, but forgot about chocolate. It does take some preparation to do the challenge right, but nobody at work understood. It's nice that the blogging and commenting count this year.
Posted by: Ms. Yingling | June 05, 2009 at 09:26 PM
Yay for you prepping to be ready to spend so much time just reading. I wish I had thought of preparing posts ahead of time. I'd rather read than look up book covers and links at this point.
I am donating to Bridet Zinn's fund too, $1 for every comment I get on the posts. I kicked in a prize too for the blogger who raises the most money for any charity during the 48HBC. Fun!
Posted by: Andromeda Jazmon | June 06, 2009 at 05:41 PM
You've got a good set-up, Jen! I wasn't able to clear my schedule completely, but my husband is doing all he can so that I can read as much as possible. I'm keeping track of all my books in a Word document which I'll post tomorrow after I finish at 1 pm. I gobbled down books today, but realized I wasn't enjoying them as much as I could have, so I slowed down a bit this evening. I just finished rereading Robert Westall's Urn Burial, which is one of my favorite aliens-visit-Earth novels. And that's saying something. --Farida
Posted by: Saints and Spinners | June 06, 2009 at 11:23 PM