May 30, 2008

Bookworms Carnival Reminder and Two Challenges

First of all, I wanted to remind you that you have until the 13th of June to submit your posts for the 12th edition of the Bookworms Carnival - that's two weeks from today. The theme is fairy tales, and your submissions should be e-mailed to untuneric at gmail dot com. You can find more information about the Bookworms Carnival in general here, and about this edition in particular here.

I know that some bloggers out there have perfect posts for the carnival, so I eagerly await their submissions. I don't want anyone to feel that they have to submit a post, of course, but I'd be very happy if you did. Very happy indeed.

And since there's nothing like a giveaway to add to the general fun and motivation, I'm going to draw a name among those who submit posts to the Carnival. But there's a twist: the winner will pick a book among those that are reviewed or mentioned in the Carnival posts. The idea is to both celebrate fairy tales in yet another way by giving away a book that deals with them and to encourage you to pay extra attention to all the Carnival posts to find out which book appeals to you the most.

But there's more: even if you don't submit a post, you can still win one of the books that are reviewed in the Carnival. How? After the Carnival is posted, you'll have a week to read all the posts, leave a comment in each, and then come back to let me know you did so and which book you'd like to win. I will draw a name among those who do so. If you submit a post you can still do it, and in that case you'll be entered for both draws.

And yes, I am totally stealing this idea from Carl, but I always thought it was a great one, and it's thanks to it that I met so many fellow book bloggers during the Once Upon a Time and RIP Challenges. So what do you think? Hopefully this way people will get to interact more, Carnival submitters will get more comments, and two lucky people will win books. Everybody wins, right?

Edit to add: Dewey, the mastermind behind the Bookworms Carnival, is matching my offer. Therefore, there will be two names drawn among those who comment on every Carnival post. The second person will get a book of their choice among those reviewed in the Carnival from Dewey.



I'm joining two more challenges. Don't give me that look, though. These two challenges won't actually add to my much-too-long list for this year. The first is Trish's Classics Challenge, and I'm cheating, aka overlapping with other challenges, plus throwing in a few books I was planning on reading this year anyway. Here are my choices:
  • Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
  • Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
  • Lady Chatterley's Lover by D.H. Lawrence
  • The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling
  • Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
I'm still not sure if I'm going to do the bonus possible-future-classic or not, but if I do manage to fit it in, it will probably be The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. I've been meaning to read that one for ages.

The second is Jan's Well-Rounded Challenge, a challenge for challenge addicts. Here's how it works: Beginning July 1, 2008, join me in this eclectic reading game. Read a minimum of 6 (six) books. Read 1 book from 6 different challenges that you've signed up for.

I will read:
  1. A book for the Southern Reading Challenge
  2. A book for the Initials Challenge
  3. A book for the What's in a Name Challenge
  4. A book for the Mythopoeic Award Challenge
  5. A book for the Orbis Terrarum Challenge
  6. A book for the YA Challenge

19 comments:

  1. I am going to submit, I just haven't decided which post(s) to send. I think you mentioned earlier that I could send more than one? Is that right? Anyway, I'll *try* to do it this weekend. And I love the idea of a giveaway1

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  2. I will I will I will I promise! But it's good that you reminded me cause I need reminding... I'll try and post it this week, and I can always submit Shannon Hale for the lazy option :P

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  3. Thanks Lyra for officially signing up for A Well Rounded Challenge at that site. So glad you're here & have your challenges chosen! Enjoy!

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  4. I really need to do a submission for your fairy tale carnival! I'm sure that I have a back up post somewhere on my blog that fits into that theme, but I'd really like to put something together in the form of an artist post like you had recommended. I just don't know if I'll have the time! I'm finally playing blog catch up today :/ Sorry I've been such a stranger here lately...I have been visiting though...just not commenting much :/

    Love your challenge lists! I really should join the well rounded challenge. It's sort of a no brainer when I'm in so many damn challenges already! yeah...I should do that...

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  5. Ok, so I've sent three posts from my blog tonight, for the BookCarnival! And I love the idea of a giveaway....but mostly, just reading about other fairy tale books and authors I have not discovered yet. Thanks for hosting this BookCarnival, Nymeth!

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  6. Becky: Yes, it can be more than one. And don't worry, you can take your time to pick. I will remind people again when the deadline is closer.

    Valentina: Yes, you can always do that...or you can submit both :P I always need reminding too. And sometimes I end up forgetting anyway. But I will personally bug you to ensure that doesn't happen :P

    Jan: Lyra is my myspace name, but I actually stole it from Philip Pullman :P Thanks for hosting the challenge!

    Chris: Don't worry, I know how busy you've been. I hope the new job is going well and that your dad is doing alright! You could submit your recent post on Fables, for example, if you don't have time to do one on a favourite artist. Or if you do have time, you could submit both :P But yeah, the one on Fables would be perfect!

    Susan: Thank you! And yes, hopefully the Carnival will allow us all to discover new authors and books in this genre. The submissions I got so far already had me adding books to my wishlist!

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  7. Wow, Nymeth! The giveaway for the Carnival sounds like a great idea! I'm excited already!

    I'm submitting another post tonight, hope you like it.

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  8. Nymeth--that's not cheating. I call that being smart. :) Most of mine will probably end up being cross-posted because last month I couldn't stop joining challenges and now I'm almost pushed to the brink. :) And what!!! You haven't read The Handmaid's Tale yet?? I can't believe that I've read a book you haven't. ;) I think you'll really like it.

    Well-Rounded challenge sounds like a great and unique idea!

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  9. You've made a really good list for the classics challenge--I'll be looking forward to your reviews. I very recently finished The Handmaid's Tale, and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

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  10. Bummer. I was going to submit White as Snow...then I hated it. So now I have to find another submission!!

    I just signed up for the Classics challenge too. Jane Erye is fantastic! I haven't read Lady Chatterly, but utterly hated Sons and Lovers. Hopefully Lawerence has some redeeming work!

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  11. Alessandra: Thanks! I'm going to check your post now, but I bet I will like it :)

    Trish: Yeah, I went through a bit of a Joining Challenges Spree a while ago too, and now I'm suffering the consequences :P I bet there are lots of books you've read and I haven't! But I know I really have to read this one. It's been recommended to me so many times.

    Laura: I've just seen your review...I really need to read that book!

    Stephanie: You can still submit it even though you didn't like the book! Nothing wrong with that. But if you'd rather find another post that's fine too. I read Sons & Lovers last year and I actually loved it! I can see how Lawrence's writing is not for everyone...he can be quite a bit verbose. But when it comes to him I find that an endearing trait :P

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  12. Interesting picks for ther Classics Challenge, I look forward to your reviews, I picked up a cheao fantasy masterworks copy of The Mark of the Beast by Rudyard Kipling which Alex keeps trying to steal. I sent a general email but I have read so many great fairy tale stuff lately it's all a bit vague. Feel free to email me back and tell me to stop being so lazy!

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  13. Hmm, I already consider The Handmaid's Tale a classic! Such a hard term to define, isn't it?

    I usually like to match carnival hosts' prizes, if they have them, so I would like to give a prize to a second person who reads and comments on all the posts. Same thing, just three winners all together. If you'll just email me the contact info for one of the winners, I'll send that person the chosen book.

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  14. I know the carnival will be fun, Nymeth!

    And it's great that you're joining two more challenges! Can't wait to read your reviews on them! I bought Jane Eyre recently after reading it has been mentioned a few times in The Thirteenth Tale, although I'm not sure when I'll read it though.

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  15. I'm looking forward to this month's carnival. Giveaways are just exciting too!

    Challenge addict, much?

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  16. Rhinoa: I remember seeing that edition of The Mark of the Beast before...it's definitely one that I want to read someday. And I understand you having trouble choosing, you probably have more posts that would fit the Carnival than anyone else :P I'm going to take a look at your blog later and see.

    Dewey: It is hard to define. I often see classics defined as book that are at least half a century old, but that's as arbitrary a way to draw the line as any. And that is pretty awesome of you! Thanks :)

    Melody: I think it will too! I've read before that there are parallels between Jane Eyre and The Thirteenth Tale, so I'd like to read the former before I read the latter!

    Kim: Addict, me? :P

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  17. Wow Nymeth...that's such a neat idea to have the giveaways...but I'm certain this edition was going to be a big success no matter what!

    Isn't the Well-Rounded Challenge a neat idea? You get to feel like you're accomplishing something, but you're not really adding anything to your reading list.

    I don't know why, but I've really been struggling to come up with a list for the classics challenge. I think because I seem to tell myself that I really need to be in the right mood for a classic...and I'm never sure what that mood will be. But it's funny, of the eight I've got it narrowed down to (maybe I'll just list all eight and weed it down as I go), two of them are also on your list--Jane Eyre and Treasure Island.

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  18. Debi: I hope it is a success! I have a decent amount of submissions already, so I'm happy about that :) I hope people enjoy the final result! And yes, the sense of accomplishment is one of my favourite things about challenges...I love crossing books out of lists, and if I get to cross a book out of more than one list I get extra happy :P It will be fun to compare our opinions of Jane Eyre and Treasure Island!

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  19. I just read Lady Chatter's Lover for the Classic Challenge and now know why it raised eyebrows in 1928! But it was good

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Thank you so much for taking the time to comment - interaction is one of my favourite things about blogging and a huge part of what keeps me going.