Monday, November 23, 2009

Is This a Stranger I See Before Me?

I am beginning to think that I've been abducted by aliens. Why, you ask? It all started with the Weekend Cooking meme at Beth Fish Reads. I hate to cook; I've always declared that my dream house wouldn't have a kitchen.

Then why have I participated in that meme two weeks in a row? T'ain't natural!

I've also always said that I wouldn't join any reading challenges because I'm a contrary soul who doesn't like having what she reads outlined for her in any size, shape or form.

Then why am I about to join THREE reading challenges? I have to be circling Earth in an alien spaceship while some strange... thing... masquerades down on the surface as me.

Which three reading challenges, you ask? (Boy, you folks sure are nosy!) The Alien Masquerading as Cathy will be more than happy to tell you. And if TAMaC doesn't give you all the facts, all you have to do is click on the button of each challenge to be taken directly to the Mother Ship... err... blogs hosting the challenges.



#1 is the 2009 Holiday Reading Challenge hosted by Nely at All About {n}.

1- Challenge will start Friday, November 20 and will end Thursday, December 31.

2- You can read anywhere from 1 to 5 books for the challenge and, of course, if you're like me, you are more than welcome to surpass that number.

3- And now, here's the clincher... they must be holiday related books. That's right, the holiday doesn't really matter, but it would be more "jolly" if your choices were Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, etc.

4- The size of the book does not matter, nor does the genre. It is also okay for the book to overlap with other challenges. The only thing I ask is that they are not children's books. YA is okay. And so are re-reads. I for one tend to read the same books every Christmas - they are tradition.

5- To sign up - leave a link back to your challenge post. There will also be a post for review links as well as one for challenge wrap-ups.

6- And.... there will be goodies. That's right, we'll call them presents. At the end of every week that the challenge is running I will choose one winner from the review links and I will allow them to pick a book of their choosing (of course, I will provide a list). Meaning the more books you read, review and link up, the more chances you have at winning a "present".



#2 is the 2010 100+ Reading Challenge hosted by J. Kaye.

1. The goal is to read 100 or more books. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate.

2. Audio, Re-reads, eBooks, YA, Library books, Young Reader, Nonfiction – as long as the book has an ISBN or equivalent or can be purchased as such, the book counts.

3. No need to list your books in advance. You may select books as you go. Even if you list them now, you can change the list if needed.

4. Crossovers from other reading challenges count.

5. Challenge begins January 1st thru December, 2010. Books started before the 1st do not count.

6. When you sign up under Mr. Linky, put the direct link to your post where your books will be listed. Include the URL to this post so that other viewers can find this fun challenge. If you’d prefer to put your list in the sidebar of your blog, please leave your viewers the link to the sign up page. Again, so viewers can join the challenge too.



#3 is the 2010 Thriller and Suspense Reading Challenge hosted by Book Chick City.

Timeline: 01 Jan 2010 - 31 Dec 2010
Rules: To read TWELVE (12) thrillers in 2010
Details:

--You don't have to select your books ahead of time, you can just add them as you go. Also if you do list them upfront then you can change them, nothing is set in stone! The books you choose can crossover into other challenges you have on the go.

--If you decide to participate in this challenge please use the links I have set up below with the buttons to post on your sidebar, this way others can find their way back to this post and join in the fun.

--If you decide to join this challenge be sure to create a post telling others, please make sure you add a link back to this post so others can join in.

--You can join anytime between now and the later part of next year.

--There will be a place for you to link your reviews, but this is optional.


There you have it-- the three reading challenges I'm joining... my very first reading challenges.

If you're wondering why I decided to join these challenges when I was so dead-set against the whole idea, I told you already: I've been abducted by aliens. Seriously though, I'm joining these three challenges because they outline goals that I had already set for myself. I have one Christmas-themed book on my TBR shelves. I normally read at least 100 books per year, and most of the books I do read fall in the Thriller/Suspense category. Hopefully I'll be joining many of you in these challenges. (Got any pointers for a Challenge Virgin?)

So maybe I haven't been abducted after all. Rats! There goes another good excuse down the drain!

12 comments:

  1. Cathy - I admire you for taking on that many challenges! I don't know if I'd have that much discipline.

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  2. Oh Alien Masquerading as Cathy, you are too funny! I'm doing the Holiday Reading Challenge too. Thanks for the laugh this morning and good luck!

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  3. So glad you've joined the challenge Cathy. I look forward to your reviews.

    Happy Reading!
    ♥Nely

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  4. Hi Cathy, welcome to the Thriller & Suspense challenge. I'm so pleased you've joined, it should be lots of fun! :)

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  5. Margot K-- Thanks. I don't feel that any discipline is required. These are all things I'd normally do anyway, which is probably why I decided to join.

    Kathy-- I'm glad you appreciate my warped sense of humor! LOL

    Nely-- Thanks, Nely!

    BCC-- Yes, it should be. Thanks!

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  6. Well I hope they're gentle with you!

    I have never done challenges either, so I look forward to reading your evaluation.

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  7. I like your warped sense of humor too. You gave me a good laugh. Good luck on your challenges.

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  8. Thriller and Suspense? I will have to think about that one - though I don´t really feel ready for 2010 yet. (It won´t come until I am ready for it, will it?)

    Gorgeous Thanksgiving picture, by the way. One feels so welcome!

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  9. We may be related - I often come home and wonder what those big shiny things are in the kitchen - oh right, the stove, the fridge, the microwave, the dishwasher! Good thing I have a husband who knows what to do with them.

    As for reading challenges, I have never done those either. Although I do belong to a 50 Books A Year group on Goodreads but I use it just to catalogue and rate my reads rather than as a real challenge. I just try to read more this year than the last. I think I may hit 30 this time around which is better than before - so yay for me!

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  10. Susan-- If you take a look at the breed of dog that I am, I think the aliens would be a bit nervous about upsetting me! LOL I think I'll be quite happy with my challenges because they fit me very well.

    Margot JR-- Thanks! Glad you also appreciate my warpedness. ;)

    Dorte-- Glad you like the Thanksgiving art. The old lady reminds me of pictures I've seen of my great-grandmother.

    Molly-- I'm well acquainted with the dish washer. I'm the designated loader/unloader. As far as number of books read per year, that's all I try to do, too-- beat last year's total. I wish I could get mine up to 200. I saw someone on Twitter bragging about surpassing 500. Wow.

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  11. Who are you and what have done with Cathy??? Too funny. Good luck with the challenges, all look very doable.

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  12. Beth-- I'll never tell what I've done with her. I'm having too much fun! Mwahahaha!

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