NBRC: Tower Teams Read 2013, Round II discussion

Well another RAT with a challenge involved. You can see the information HERE

You have the option of participating in both events, or one event or not to participate at all. Please let me know if this thread if you do plan to participate and to give me your goal. I will post more about the RAT when I have time.



◈ Duration: October 4th PDT 8:00 AM (BST 4PM) to October 19th PDT 8:00 AM (BST 4 PM)
Start time in all time zones Click Here

CountdownClick Here

◈ Teams can choose from two types of events:
Event #1: Reading like a Banshee - a "read-as-much-as-you-can" event
Event #2: Halloween Book Hunt - a mini-challenge event

◈ Book advantage: Each event will have a book advantage awarding, as follows:
1st Place:10 BAP's
2nd Place:8 BAP's
3rd Place:6 BAP's
4th Place:4 BAP's
5th Place:2 BAP's

In case of a tie, the full amount of book points will be granted to the tied teams.

Each team participating in the read-a-thon will receive 5 BAP's - and yes, it's cumulative


◈ Events are not exclusive. That means teams can choose to do event #1, or event #2 or both.

◈ Keep us updated on your progress! Every few hours (as long as it doesn't interfere with your reading), post a status update on how the reading is going. A thread will be provided for this.

◈ The winners of the Read-a-Thon will be announced on October 20th.

◈ Event #1: Reading like a Banshee

◈ How to Read Like a Banshee

Step #1: Set a personal goal and let us know about it- this one is just for fun. It wouldn't be a read-a-thon without some goal, right?

Step #2:Find your team's read-a-thon goal - This is as simple as the sum of the book goals from each participant in the read-a-thon.

Step #3:Keep us posted from your process on the provided thread- this one is very important.

Step #4:Read. Read. Read.
Grab your books. Tell the world to stop during 2 weeks. Tell the kids you will be busy reading. Grab your favorite snacks. Find your favorite reading nook and read like a Banshee.

◈ How to keep track
We will provide a thread for this. After you finish the reading for the day. Or you are changing books. Or you need a break. Whatever. Just go to the thread and say which book you are reading and the amount of pages you read from said book.

You can use something on the lines:
MANGO TANGO UPDATE OCT 5:
Karla has read 235 pages in [book] by [author]
Steven has read 400 pages in [book] by [author]
Barb completed [book] by [author], 522 pages.

-Reading Pixie:Wait. Wait. Wait. What do you mean? Just write the pages read? Like that?
-Me:See the page you are before starting and the page you are when you stop the reading. Post the difference.
-Reading Pixie:How about eBooks? Or audio?
-Me: What about it?
-Reading Pixie:How do I know the pages?
-Me:You can use percentages. If you need help with the page numbers ask Countess Paige.
-Reading Pixie: But what if I started it before?
-Me:You can start before. However, you will only count the pages you read during the read-a-thon


Need help with the percentage calculation? Vicky from Pewter Blue does it all the time, is like this:

UsingHounded by Kevin Hearne

Total Length: 8 hours 11 minutes
Current Position: 4 hours 33 minutes
Percentage Read: 56%
Page Numbers: 289 (Mass Market Paperback)

56% of 289 Pages = 161 Pages "Read"

It could also work for percentages of ebooks read. It wouldn't work for audiobooks or eBooks that don't have a page number information. Here's when Countess Paige help will be precious.

I don't care which edition it is. Or how you do it. I need a number. Is that number that I'm going to put on a spreadsheet to get your total of pages read.

◈ How to find the winner
First sum the pages read by your team (A). Grab your team's Tower Team Goal (B)
A/B = read-a-thon ratio.

Example: Team Moonstoon only has 3 members participating on the read-a-thon.
book goals are:
Member book goal
Chris 100
Rebecca 150
Vi 213

Total book goal:100+150+213 = 463

Now add the number of pages read during the RaT
Member pages read
Chris 1000
Rebecca 2000
Vi 3000

Total of pages read = 1000+2000+3000 = 6000

Moonstoon Points for the Reading Like a Banshee option:
(6000/463)*100 = 1295,896

The event winner will be the team with a bigger read-a-thon ratio.

Option 2: Halloween Book Hunt

-Pirate Ghost: A book hunt? Book hunt? Don't you mean Treasure?
-Me:For a reader, a book is the most precious of treasures
-Pirate Ghost: Arrrrrr.
We shall steal all the books!
The treasure is ours!

◈ How to Beat the Pirate Ghost and Catch the Treasure

For this event, each team will have to complete 5 tasks or steps. Each task has to be posted on the correct order. Plus, they are cumulative - which means read one book for task #1, two books for task #2 and so on.

Step #1: Choose the themes from the options below, and decide which one you will do for each task. You can't choose the same theme more than once. Don't forget you have to post them in the correct order.
For example, if you choose Theme #7 for Task 1, Theme #4 for Task 2, and Theme #10 for Task 3, you must post them in that order: 7, 4, 10.

Step #2: Grab the Clues. For each completed task, we're going to give you a clue. After you collect all clues, you can start working on your final task. Without this one you can't compete for the final BAPs, so plan carefully.

◈ Book Hunt Themes

Theme #1:Classic Horror
Read classic horror books like Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein or Bran Stoker’s Dracula. Or, you can choose the modern revamp of old classics like Pride, Prejudice and zombies.

Theme #2:Masters of Horror and Fantastic
Read a book from a master of horror and Fantastic like Stephen King or Dean Koontz, or if you prefer a more lighter approach, like Neil Gaiman or Terry Pratcher.

Theme #3: Samhain (**)
Read a book that focus on Celtic/Gaelic traditions like Beltane, Samhain or other rituals, or somehow fit the meaning of Samhain (see spoiler for info)
[(view spoiler)[
Samhain is a Gaelic festival marking the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter or the "darker half" of the year. Most commonly it is held on 31 October – 1 November, or halfway between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice.

It was the time when cattle were brought back down from the summer pastures and when livestock were slaughtered for the winter. In much of the Gaelic world, bonfires were lit and there were rituals involving them. People and their livestock would often walk between two bonfires as a cleansing ritual, and the bones of slaughtered livestock were cast into its flames.

Samhain (like Beltane) was seen as a time when the "door" to the Otherworld opened enough for the souls of the dead, and other beings, to come into our world.
Feasts were had, at which the souls of dead kin were beckoned to attend and a place set at the table for them. It has thus been likened to a festival of the dead. (hide spoiler)]]

People also took steps to protect themselves from harmful spirits, which is thought to have led to the custom of guising. Divination was also done at Samhain.

Theme #4:Trick or Treat (*)
Let your inner child on the loose in a trick or treat spell-it-out challenge. Suggestions: the perfect costume, the sweets, the pranks, the kind neighbor, the scary one. Surprise us.
T - Tangled Threads
W - Wallbanger
I - Ilona Andrews - Magic Burns
Z - Zeke from The Immortal Rules
Z - Zevin, Gabrielle - All These Things I've Done
L - The Last Olympian
E - Etiquette & Espionage
R - Robert Galbraith - The Cuckoo's Calling
S - Sarah Dresden - Just Listen

Theme #5:Face your Fears (**)
Read books about things that scary you - urban legends, ghost stories, spiders, spider webs, murders, even elevators or planes, is all about your fears.

Theme #6:Hallow Places (**)
For this option, is all about the setting - Cemeteries, dark forest, haunted house, the asylum, Dracula's Castle

Theme #7:Halloween Party – a Spell-it-Out challenge (*)
Use your imagination to create the perfect party item: the beverages, the food, the decorations, the theme, the music
P - Prodigy
O - The Ocean at the End of the Lane
T - Tolliver from Grave Sight
I - Ilona Andrews - Magic Strikes
O - The Orphan Master's Son
N - Neil Gaiman - The Graveyard Book

Theme #8:Supernatural Creatures
The title is self explanatory, read a book that has witches, warlocks, vampires, werewolves, zombie, ghosts, spirits, poltergeist, anything counts.

Theme #9:Halloween Cover Hunt
Read books with covers matching Halloween colors - black, orange, red - or Halloween themes - pumpkins, skulls, etc.

Theme #10:Special Abilities
Read books with characters with special abilities - fire power, magical powers, sending the dead, flying, weather manipulation, visions, time traveling, etc.

(*) For spell-it-outs: use the first letter in the book's title (if the book starts with 'the', 'a', 'an', etc, you may use the first letter in the second word of the title), the first letter of an author's first or last name, or the first letter of a character's first, last or nick name.

(**)For this theme, it all depends on the reader's interpretation - it can be book concept, settings, cover or title.

Example:
Cadet Blue decides that the order for the five tasks will be:
◈step #1 - Theme #10:Special Abilities
read one book where a character has a special ability
◈step #2 - Theme #2:Masters of Horror and Fantastic
read two books written by a master of horror or fantastic
◈step #3 - Theme #6:Hallow Places
read three books that have a scary place
◈step #4 - Theme #8:Supernatural Creatures
read four books with a supernatural being
◈step #5 - Theme #7:Halloween Party - spell-it-out choice: Zombie Walk
Read 5 books from the spell-it-out option


Getting the clues:
Since Cadet Blue chose a 4 step hunt, for each finished step, they get a clue - for example:
◈Clue #1: It can be one of three
◈Clue #2: Is a member's choice
◈Clue #3: It generates great discussions
◈Clue #4: Is a monthly occurrence
◈Clue #5: Participation is not mandatory

Treasure: For your final task, read a current or past BOM.
Note:The clues and treasure displayed are just an example. Final task is still to uncover


-Pirate Ghost:what is this final task you speak off.
-Me:After you collect all the clues you will know.
-Pirate Ghost:Argrrr. You are trying to fool me so your teams can win it!
-Me:Don't worry. I will post the final task on the 14th, so you can start planning. However, you have to collect all the clues before you post your results of the final task.
-Pirate Ghost:I don't like this. Everybody can plan things ahead of time. You shall change it to my liking.
-Me:You can't tell me to change it. I'm all the mods combined and we demand r...
-Pirate Ghost:Argrrrr. CHANGE THIS!
Or you will walk the plank and be fed to the sharks! Argrrrr.
-Me:*glup*
OK. OK. I'm changing it. Jezzzzz
-Pirate Ghost:I shall grab the treasure.


◈ Clues and Final Task
To keep things even - and to avoid the Pirate's Wrath - we're going to use a point system.

For each task marked as complete, the team will be awarded some points, according with the posting order as follows:
1st team to post task:10 points
2nd team to post taskt:8 points
3rd team to post task:6 points
4th team to post task:4 points
5th team to post task:2 points
From 6th forward:1 point

As soon as a task is marked as completed by the first team, the correspondent clue will be posted on the thread, so every team member can access it.

Final task has no reading included, and will by posted on the 14th or as soon as ALL teams complete all tasks from 1 to 5.

Final task is worth 20 points, and every team can win them, as long as it is completed during the Read-a-Thon time frame.

The event winner will be the team with the bigger pontuation.

Participants:


Monica - event 1 - Goal 1500 pages - TT Goal - 35 books
Mandy possibly both - Goal pg - TT Goal 400 bk
Lizz Neill - event 1 - Goal 1000 pgs - TT Goal - 200 bk
Dawn KNH - event 1 - Goal: 1500 pages - TT Goal - 100 bk

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I'll participate in either or both :)

Great Mandy. I plan to participate but not sure as to what my goal will be. It is only for 2 weeks and I will have to finish at least one book before it is over for my book club meeting.

I will give it ago. I might do both

I am only going to do the first one.

Neat pics, Monica.

Ok, I'll join in the read-a-thon. Lizz and I were just talking about them. I've never done one.

I have a trip planned during the challenge so I am going to aim low with 100 pages a day. So 1500 pages for the challenge.

I am not sure about the hunt part. I am a moody reader. I read what I feel like at that time. I know several books I will read will fit but I don't know what order to put them in .

Thanks Lisa Kay!

Thanks for setting your goal Dawn. I will be trying to work on this tomorrow at work.

If you are participating Please post a goal for event #1.

Let me know if you are doing both or just one.

Dawn I love RAT but I have not participated in one like this before. I have done some that you just read and set your own goals and share your reading and stuff. And there are no rewards for what you do. You will have a great time. I too am a moody reader but don't think that I will be able to read that many books in 2 weeks.

I am going to do 1000 pages for event #1 and I am only going to do event #1

Thanks Lizz. Updated post 4.

Please Go Here for Event #1 Posting and updates.