Category: Miscellany Page 7 of 11

The amount of dread I’m feeling around starting this post is…okay, I’m not sure how to end this sentence. I’m dreading this. I’m pretty sure I’m not in good shape here.

My plans this year focused on the two series that I’ve started–Literary Locals and Grandpappy’s Corner–both of which are doing okay (sure, there’s the Classic Spenser series that I meant to get back to–I still have time). Then there’s the perennial, “Cut down on my Goodreads Want-to-Read list and the unread books that I own.” How am I doing on that?

Let’s see how I’m doing with the rest of my plans and move on to the Reading Challenges…
2023 Book Challenges

Goodreads Challenge

12 Books
This year’s selections are still looking good–I’m a little behind on the reading, and more behind on the writing. Still, I think I’m doing okay on this.

2023 While I was Reading

I could be doing a little better on this—as usual, I’m not really planning the books for this challenge. When October hits, if I haven’t read everything on the list, I’ll get serious about hunting.

1. A book with a protagonist over 40.:
2. A book considered a classic.:
3. A graphic novel.:
4. A book that has been banned or challenged.:
5. A book set in a place on your bucket list.:
6. A book published before you were born.:
7. A book related to a goal you have for 2023.:
8. A book by an author of color.:
9. A book with a clever title.:
10. A book by a famous author you’ve never read:
11. A non-fiction book about a topic you love.:
12. A novella: Bad Memory by Jim Cliff

Your TBR Reduction Book Challenge

I’m on-target for this one (as much as I can be), and have even got a couple of the Stretch Goals accomplished.
January – End to end temptation I give you permission to read the most recent book you have got on top of your TBR. For many this is one we only get to read eventually but for now I want you to pick up the newest book in Mount TBR and read it. Can you remember the last time you did that? It’s a good habit to get into and January is all about starting good habits: The Perception of Dolls by Anthony Croix, Edited by Russell Day
Stretch Goal – Read the oldest book in Mount TBR it has waited long enough: Bartleby and James: Edwardian Steampunk Chronicle by Michael Coorlim
February – Short steps For the shortest month of the year I want you to read 28 short stories. This can be a TBR collection, anthology or even backlog of magazines that you have. Life is fast but use this challenge to appreciate the skill of the short story writer. Play your skills right you may get more than one book read this way. eh…I get partial credit for this, Noirville contained every short story I had unread, but it’s only fifteen stories. I did read extra novellas for the Stretch Goal, though. So I’m calling this okay?
Stretch Goal – Read four novellas one for each week of the month. Bad Memory by Jim Cliff, Anna and the Vampire Prince by Jeanne C. Stein, and Broken by Don Winslow (which is six novellas).
March – Fresh Starts This time for the beginning of spring you need to start a series you have never read before. Release this work from Mount TBR! Justice Calling by Annie Bellet

Beat the Backlist Reading Challenge;

I’ve got 2 of the 24 categories taken care of. So, I guess I’m behind–but I do have many of the rest picked out. I just need to set some time aside to knock those out.

I’ve got about half of my list for this drafted, but I’ll save the details until later. Besides, knowing me, I’ll go through four more drafts anyway.

Basically, I’ve got my work cut out for me here.
(Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay)

Finally it’s time to stop looking at 2022 (as fun as that’s been) and to start focusing on 2023.

Typically, I’m reticent to get into calling my shots, as it were, too much anymore—there’s a project from 2020 still hanging over my head to point out the problems with me doing that. I’m sure there are older abandoned (or “paused”) projects, too —I just don’t want to go spelunking through the archives to find more personal failures (minor, to be sure, but technically failures).

I do have things I want to accomplish here over the next 12 months for a variety of reasons—and listing them like this helped last year (although, you’ll see a lot of echoes here from that post. But most of those echoes are of a “continue doing this” nature). So, here’s what I’m going to shoot for around here in the next 12 months.
Continue that Literary Locals Project!
Cut down on my Goodreads Want-to-Read list and the unread books that I own (a perennial project, but I made some strides last year)—at least two of the Book Challenges this year should be a fun way to help.
I’m going to finish my Classic Spenser series and maybe find another Classic to do a project read-through. We’ll see about that. (This is a repeat from last year, but it’s nagging at me)
I’m going to continue to be picky in the Book Tours I participate in. I still like Tours, they expose me to things I wouldn’t normally read—and I’m going to keep doing them. But if I’m picky, it helps me focus on other things.
Similarly, I’m doing fewer Book Challenges. I like the ones I’ve picked out—but they’re concrete things, no more of these “Read as Many of X as You Can” challenges. They don’t move the needle one bit for me as far as picking books—I read as many as I’m going to anyway, just with a count. But Challenges with specific targets can be fun. I’ll talk about those in a minute.
Try to interview more authors (maybe others, too?), and get better at that, too. The Literary Locals series is helping with that.
I have one other new feature that I’ll be debuting soon(ish). I’m excited about it, but need a couple of more things to happen before I tell you anything.

2022 Book Challenges

Goodreads Challenge
My oldest son taunted me into upping my annual goal to 250 this year. I’ve topped that the last 7 years, so I feel pretty good about meeting that. I’d kept my goal lower because 200 seemed realistic—and anything above it was just gravy. Ultimately, I really don’t care if I hit it—or beat it.

Well, okay, I don’t care that much.

12 Books
I did this one last year, and it really expanded my reading. This year looks like it’ll do the same. There are 2 books I’d had on my list of “should probably read” and 1 book that I’d never heard of before, but instantly wanted to read as soon as it was recommended. The rest? I’m looking forward to reading them, but I’m relatively certain I wouldn’t have picked on my own. BTW, I could use one more recommendation to finalize this list.

2022 While I was Reading

I’ve done this one for the last few years—and Ramona’s done a great job of stretching me. And will continue to do so—this year’s categories look like a lot of fun, too.

Your TBR Reduction Book Challenge

I really appreciate the way this one is put together, and it’s pretty easy—just 1 book a month and my TBR should go down by at least 12. This was pretty helpful last year, and I expect the same this year. I’ve actually already knocked off the January stretch goal, and should have the actual goal done next week.

Beat the Backlist Reading Challenge;

I’ll be pairing this one with my Goodreads Want-To-Read goal and the TBR Reduction challenge as much as I can. It’s really just a way to trick myself into doing better at both of those. I’ve seen a few people do this lately, and it seemed like a good idea. Still, I’m not a glutton for punishment—I’m only going for the 24-prompt version.

I’ll also undoubtedly do the 20 Books of Summer Challenge…that’s been pretty fun. And I can easily combine it with 2 or 3 of the above challenges, to be super-productive.

That’s everything I have planned, I can’t wait to see what unplanned things happen around here. Hope you’re around to join in the fun!

(Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay)

I don’t know if anyone actually reads these (or cares), but I enjoy putting them together—if only so I can think about what I’ve read and plan for the upcoming quarter/year/etc.

I didn’t have many concrete plans for 2022, but one that I mentioned was “Cut down on my Goodreads Want-to-Read list and the unread books that I own (a perennial project, but I made some strides last year).” How am I doing on that?

That’s…um, not bad. I wanted better and I thought I was making a concerted effort on that for the year. It’s a start. Also, I did read 88% of the books I was given or purchased in 2022—that’s the sole encouraging thing I can take away from that chart. For the sake of my fragile ego, I’d also point out that the TBR work on the paper books would look a lot more impressive if I hadn’t been given 7 books in December with no time to read any of them. (don’t get me wrong, I’m very grateful…but ouch)

How’d I do with the rest of my plans and move on to the Reading Challenges…
2022 Book Challenges

12 Books
I had a lot of fun with this one—and definitely found a series (maybe two) to read and a couple of authors to read more of. I’ll be sharing my 2023 Challenge soon.

2022 While I was Reading

I posted this list last week, but I’ll repeat it here because I did that for the first 3 quarters.

1. A book with a question in the title: Have I Told You This Already?: Stories I Don’t Want to Forget to Remember by Lauren Graham
2. A book of non-violent true crime: Blessed Are the Bank Robbers: The True Adventures of an Evangelical Outlaw by Chas Smith
3. A book with a cover you don’t like: Composite Creatures by Caroline Hardaker
4. A historical fiction novel not set in Europe: A Snake in the Raspberry Patch by Joanne Jackson
5. A book with a character’s name in the title: With Grimm Resolve by Jefferey H. Haskell
6. A book featuring paranormal activity (fiction or non): (that feels like half of what I read) Nice Dragons Finish Last by Rachel Aaron
7. A book with a number in the title: Citizen K-9 by David Rosenfelt
8. A food related memoir: Yes, Chef: A Memoir by Marcus Samuelsson with Veronica Chambers
9. A book that’s won an award: The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes (Winner of The Booker Prize, 2011)
10. A middle grade novel: How to Save a Superhero by Ruth Freeman
11. A book by an author who shares your zodiac sign: Radio Radio by Ian Shane
12. A book that’s a combination of genres: Bloodlines by Peter Hartog

Your TBR Reduction Book Challenge

I was almost successful with this one, I didn’t read one month’s category—but I did hit two Stretch Goals (including the Stretch Goal for the month I didn’t/couldn’t read). So that’s 14 off the pile. Not as good as I’d hoped, but better than I expected. The 2023 version looks fun, too.
January – New Beginnings I give you permission to read the most recent book you got on top of your TBR.: Bloodlines by Peter Hartog
Stretch Goal – Read the oldest book in Mount TBR it has waited long enough: Nice Dragons Finish Last by Rachel Aaron
February – Valentine’s Day Gift
Is there that book by an author you love you picked up and still haven’t read because you do not deserve it just yet? Other items got in the way? You have for this challenge to pick that book up and read it: Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith
March – Fresh blooms
For the beginning of Spring I want you to open a book in the TBR pile by an author you’ve never read before: The Part About the Dragon Was (Mostly) True by Sean Gibson
April – New Openings
April is derived from the Latin for ‘to open’ In Mount TBR there may be the first book of a series. Your challenge is to read: Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City by K.J. Parker
May – Randommmmm
You MAY pick one random book out of Mount TBR and you must read it: Conjured Defense by J.C. Jackson
June – The Longest Day
Find the longest book in Mount TBR and you must read it: The Border by Don Winslow
July – You Came, You Read and You Conquered
In your TBR there may have been a book you know will be a challenging read. Show it who is the Emperor and read that book until it screams for your mercy and then finish it! AMORALMAN by Derek Delgaudio
August – Holidayyyyy
Pick a book that takes you away to another place. Read it and relax: The Ghost Machine by James Lovegrove
September – Back to School
Pick a book with some link to education. Dark Academia; dangerous school, etc.: The Days of Tao by Wesley Chu (I had a hard time finding something for this prompt, and was so happy when I remembered this started at a summer class)
October – Booooo and Eeek
Read a horror or dark themed tale (crime counts too!) you want to be unsettled!: Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye
November – Short and Sweet
Read three novellas: I only had one novella (and forgot to read it), so I technically failed this. But I did accomplish the Stretch Goal.
Stretch Goal – read the 11th book from the beginning or end of your TBR pile: Less by Sean Greer
December – Happy Endings
Have you been holding back the finale of a series? Now time to see where it ends.: I accidentally read the book I’d slotted for this during the 20 Books of Summer—whoops! (The Deepest Grave by Harry Bingham). Thankfully (not for my TBR, but for the sake of this challenge), I had another series ending that I could read: Sacrifices by Jamie Schultz

(Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay)

One of the handful of things I dropped the ball on recently was this check-in. I appreciate—and can use—the time to plan and organize, and hopefully, someone enjoys reading them.

I didn’t have many concrete plans for 2022, but one that I mentioned was “Cut down on my Goodreads Want-to-Read list and the unread books that I own (a perennial project, but I made some strides last year).” How am I doing on that?

That’s…not good. I did have to burn a few Audible credits…and then there was this sale, and…and…ugh. Other than that, I’m still doing pretty well at reading what I buy this year. But, this is really not what I’d hoped to see at this point of the year.

Let’s see how I’m doing with the rest of my plans and move on to the Reading Challenges…
2022 Book Challenges

12 Books
I’m doing well with this one, but am a little intimidated by the book I have slated for November—it’s a little on the longer side and if it’s as good as Micah says, I’m going to lose a lot of 2023 to the rest of the series. (a good problem to have)

2022 “Support Book Bloggers” Challenge

I decided to nix this one—I’m working on all the things mentioned here, but feel a little uncomfortable doing these things because of a checklist—and even more awkward about discussing it. But I’m mentioning it again, because I like the idea and want to spread the word about the efforts (it’s just not for me)

2022 While I was Reading

I’m doing okay on this—as usual, I’m not really planning the books for this challenge. When October hits, if I haven’t read everything on the list, I’ll get serious about hunting.

1. A book with a question in the title.: I have an idea for this, but I’m not sure a local library will get it next month when it comes out, and I don’t know that I want to spend money on it. Hmmm…we’ll if I have to get clever.
2. A book of non-violent true crime.: Blessed Are the Bank Robbers: The True Adventures of an Evangelical Outlaw by Chas Smith
3. A book with a cover you don’t like.: Composite Creatures (the style of the art just bugs me)
4. A historical fiction novel not set in Europe.: A Snake in the Raspberry Patch by Joanne Jackson
5. A book with a character’s name in the title.: With Grimm Resolve
6. A book featuring paranormal activity (fiction or non.): That’s like a third of what I’ve read this year…I guess I’ll go with Amongst Our Weapons
7. A book with a number in the title.: Citizen K-9
8. A food related memoir.: I have no idea. Literally.
9. A book that’s won an award.: I’ve read a few of these, I just need to track down a title for this blank
10. A middle grade novel.: How to Save a Superhero by Ruth Freeman
11. A book by an author who shares your zodiac sign.: This one is going to be hard—it also comes close to disclosing more personal information than I want to share—but I think I’ve got one in mind.
12. A book that’s a combination of genres.: Bloodlines by Peter Hartog (I also used this for the next challenge, so I’ll probably replace this on the final list)

Your TBR Reduction Book Challenge

I’m hitting the target on this one—I’ve only managed to hit 1 Stretch Goal (I don’t have many books that apply to the stretches, actually). This isn’t helping that much with my reduce the TBR plan, but it’s not hurting it. So there’s that.

In the months to come, I’m going to have to get creative to find a way to match the challenge with a book. I’m eager to see if I can pull it off.
January – New Beginnings I give you permission to read the most recent book you got on top of your TBR.: Bloodlines by Peter Hartog
Stretch Goal – Read the oldest book in Mount TBR it has waited long enough: Nice Dragons Finish Last by Rachel Aaron
February – Valentine’s Day Gift
Is there that book by an author you love you picked up and still haven’t read because you do not deserve it just yet? Other items got in the way? You have for this challenge to pick that book up and read it: Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith
March – Fresh blooms
For the beginning of Spring I want you to open a book in the TBR pile by an author you’ve never read before: The Part About the Dragon Was (Mostly) True by Sean Gibson
April – New Openings
April is derived from the Latin for ‘to open’ In Mount TBR there may be the first book of a series. Your challenge is to read: Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City by K.J. Parker
May – Randommmmm
You MAY pick one random book out of Mount TBR and you must read it: Conjured Defense by J.C. Jackson
June – The Longest Day
Find the longest book in Mount TBR and you must read it: The Border by Don Winslow
July – You Came, You Read and You Conquered
In your TBR there may have been a book you know will be a challenging read. Show it who is the Emperor and read that book until it screams for your mercy and then finish it! AMORALMAN by Derek Delgaudio
August – Holidayyyyy
Pick a book that takes you away to another place. Read it and relax: The Ghost Machine by James Lovegrove
September – Back to School
Pick a book with some link to education. Dark Academia; dangerous school, etc.: The Days of Tao by Wesley Chu (I had a hard time finding something for this prompt, and was so happy when I remembered this started at a summer class)

(Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay)