The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion

20.5 - Bigger is Better - Cat's task: Bookish Quidditch

Aside from SRC, one of my favourite groups on GoodReads for book challenges is NBRC. They run big team challenges a couple of times a year, which are always creative, exciting, challenge and fun. Highlights over the past few years include Cutthroat Book Club - involving team sabotages and spying; Gladiator Games - which went from sensible 16 sensible sized teams to the madness of two massive teams competing to read tasks; and the incomparable WOBBLE, which is never to be repeated, but of which participants still speak of in hushed breaths.

They do also run more sensible games, including Tower Teams - the purist version of which is simply "read books for points; talk about books for points; the team with the most points wins". This year, though, the Mods in their wisdom (I think they regretted it fairly swiftly) decided to let loose the Chipmunks of Creativity, and turned it into a Harry Potter themed game, with teams in Houses competing to read books to complete tasks, make spells, find their way through a maze, and - and this is the point of this task - compete in Quidditch matches.

To fend off withdrawal symptoms, I am using those Quidditch matches as inspiration. Pick one of the following roles & read a book that fills the requirements...

Required: State which option you chose when you post.

Books with the Main Page Genres of Sequential Art, Comics, Comic Book, and Manga may be used for this task.

1. Keeper - Quaffle: The first step of the game was to create a quaffle to play with, trying to make it hard for the Keeper to defend against. We scoured our shelves for out-of-print books, untranslated books, super long books, middle-of-series books, or niche non-fiction books, all in an effort to make it harder for the opposing Keeper to break the quaffle and stop us scoring.

For this option, read a book you got as an ARC (an advanced reader copy, or proof copy, or a book available for review by the author, publisher or other distributor before the publication date). Books from NetGalley and Kindle First count. All books must be listed on Goodreads.

Required: Identify the book as a publisher's advance copy and state where you got it from when you post.

2. Chaser: Once the quaffle was aloft, the team chasers then read like blazes, trying to make as many chains of three short books to score goals before the Beater's bludgers grounded them or the Keeper broke the quaffle. Understandably, the quality of books read was ... not good, and was the source of much chat between the teams.

For this option, indulge my private joke, and read a book with at least three words in the title, where the first letters of each word can be found in MRS FIX-IT, KADIN, and/or VANILLA.

3. Beater: Beaters arguably had the most difficult role - having to defend or attack against books chosen by the Chasers to prevent goals and keep their own team flying. Often there would be a race to the finish, with some genuine adrenline-fuelled moments as a result...(yes, I played as Beater, however did you guess?!)
To make their reading a bit easier (and cheaper!), Beaters could chose to read a different book to the Chaser.

For this option, read a book that nearly fits one of the requirements for task 20.5 of the Summer Challenge, but not quite. Here are the tasks and your options:

A. The original task requires reading a book that is number 1, 3, or 13 in a series. For this option, you may read a book that is 2, 4, 12, or 14 in a series.

B. The original task requires reading a book with the Goodreads main page genre Horror. For this option, read a book with the MPG Paranormal, but NOT Horror.

C. The original task requires reading a book by a single author whose initials can be found in the term FRIGGATRISKAIDEKAPHOBIA. For this option, you may read a book by an author that has one initial (either first or last) in the phrase and one initial that is one letter off from a letter in the phrase. For example, Nora Roberts (NR) did not work for the original task because there is no N in the phrase. However, Nora Roberts (NR) will work for this task because R is found in the phrase and N is one letter off from O, which can also be found in the phrase.

Required: State which option you chose when you post.

4. Announcer: Each team had an official announcer, to let everyone know what was going on in the match. Announcers tried to emulate Lee Jordan or Luna's sterling work from the books, with entertaining descriptions of the in-air manoeuvres being pulled, or deployed psychological warfare to distract the opponent teams, who would be nervously watching for new post announcements, in case of a goal or bludger hit. In the last match, this manifested as a lot of cheese-based jokes being shared. Sample joke: What cheese do you use to coax Yogi out of a tree? (view spoiler)[ Camembert! (hide spoiler)]

For this option, read a book with a food/drink item in the title. The item must be something that someone could cook or make at home or order off a menu. For example, pork, ham, or sausage would work. Pig would not.

snag-free: score with these

snags - these don't work

Small Fry - we don't make or order a single fry
Sourdough - food adjective not food noun

This thread is now open!

Would Small Fry count for option 4? I guess you would technically order "fries" not just one "fry"?

Would An American Marriage work for Option 2 since you say and/or?

Just to clarify, for option 3C, middle initials may be ignored?

ohh i love this!

I am having a dense moment...if I chose to do option 3, I could choose between task a, b, OR c?

Awesome! Original!

Will we never be free from Quidditch - I love it Cat

For #1, does purchasing an Advance Reader's Copy count? Baen Books (publisher) sells electronic ARCs for some of their most popular authors.

https://www.baen.com/allbooks/categor... says:
"An eARC is an electronic Advance Reader Copy. This is an unproofed manuscript and is guaranteed to be full of typos and error. It is pretty much raw from the authors word processor. But you get the entire eARC well in advance of even the Monthly Baen Bundle release.

Please do not send in typos and errors, we know the eARC is unproofed and the author doesn't need to be inundated with "corrections".

ARCs do not include the final proofed version. For the final version you would have to buy the single or monthly bundle for that book."

Would these be acceptable, or does it need to be one that was distributed by the publisher specifically to get advance reviews (as distinct from getting extra money from impatient fans)?

Erin (NY) wrote: "Would Small Fry count for option 4? I guess you would technically order "fries" not just one "fry"?"

After a bit of agonising, I'm going to say, no, sorry
1) Being a Brit, I would never order fries!
2) As you say, when one does order them, we talk about fries
3) The task requires it to be something you'd make / order, not eat or share, so, whilst you might ask for a fry off someone else's plate (pause to shudder), you wouldn't order or make a fry

Diana wrote: "Would An American Marriage work for Option 2 since you say and/or?"

Yes, for option 2 letters can be mix & matched across the three phrases

Kim wrote: "Just to clarify, for option 3C, middle initials may be ignored?"

Middle initials can be ignored

Bea wrote: "I am having a dense moment...if I chose to do option 3, I could choose between task a, b, OR c?"

You could

Shannon wrote: "Awesome! Original!"

Thanks - totally ripped off of the NBRC Mods Quidditch game, as played by lots of people to generate infinite craziness!

Marie (UK) wrote: "Will we never be free from Quidditch - I love it Cat"

Thanks! The plus side now though - no need to speed read a ridiculously bad book! :-)

Julia wrote: "For #1, does purchasing an Advance Reader's Copy count? Baen Books (publisher) sells electronic ARCs for some of their most popular authors.

https://www.baen.com/allbooks/categor... sa..."

I'm fine with that - the main focus is on the "advanced" part of it, not necessarily that you got it free (Kindle First aren't free, necessarily, after all)

Cat wrote: "Erin (NY) wrote: "Would Small Fry count for option 4? I guess you would technically order "fries" not just one "fry"?"

After a bit of agonising, I'm going to say, no, sorry
1) Bein..."

Thanks! I think it actually fits in option 3-C? Lisa Brennan-Jobs (LB) has B in FRIGGATRISKAIDEKAPHOBIA and L is 1 letter away from K?

I guess the question is an I thinking of a hyphenated last name correctly?

Erin (NY) wrote: "I guess the question is an I thinking of a hyphenated last name correctly? "

spaces determine names, so the hyphen means that the last name starts with L: yes, that would work :)

Cat wrote: "Erin (NY) wrote: "I guess the question is an I thinking of a hyphenated last name correctly? "

spaces determine names, so the hyphen means that the last name starts with L: yes, that would work :)"
Thanks!!

Cat - i now blame you for the fact that my ARC pile grew significantly last night....I hit edelwiss big time yesterday...sooo many good books to read/review

Dee wrote: "Cat - i now blame you for the fact that my ARC pile grew significantly last night....I hit edelwiss big time yesterday...sooo many good books to read/review"

ummm... sorry, not sorry!

Cat wrote: "Dee wrote: "Cat - i now blame you for the fact that my ARC pile grew significantly last night....I hit edelwiss big time yesterday...sooo many good books to read/review"

ummm... sorry, not sorry!"

now i just got to figure out which of the 15 i got i want to fit in here...lol! (and which ones fit elsewhere)

Would Sourdough



work for this? The "bread" part is implied but obviously not actually there.

For this option, read a book with a food/drink item in the title. The item must be something that someone could cook or make at home or order off a menu.

Jamie wrote: "Would



Sourdough work for this?

For this option, read a book with a food/drink item in the title. The item must be something that someone could coo..."

Unfortunately I don't think anyone makes just "sourdough" (my brother bakes bread, using a sourdough starter/recipe, and he always talks about making bread or sourdough bread, but never sourdough). Ditto ordering - it's a food adjective not a food noun, imo

Cat wrote: "Jamie wrote: "Would



Sourdough work for this?

For this option, read a book with a food/drink item in the title. The item must be something that som..."

Yeah that's why I was checking

Great task.

So I'm thinking 3.Beater, Option B. Could you just confirm that you can see Paranormal, but not Horror, on Aunt Dimity and the Village Witch.

Thanks.

Trish wrote: "Great task.

So I'm thinking 3.Beater, Option B. Could you just confirm that you can see Paranormal, but not Horror, on Aunt Dimity and the Village Witch.

Thanks."

Confirmed

Perfect. Thank you.

Hi, I had a question about Task 3c. Just to clarify, if an author has both letters of their name in FRIGGATRISKAIDEKAPHOBIA but also fulfills the fact that one of their letters is one letter off, can they be used?

i.e. Paul Tremblay (both P and T in FRIGGATRISKAIDEKAPHOBIA, but also T in word, P is one letter off from O)

I'm assuming they can't be used, but just checking my understanding. Thanks!

No, you can’t use it if it actually works, sorry!

Just checking, for option 4 would Tequila Haze work?

Tequila is something that people order in bars & such, so that's fine!

Hi there.

For 3. Beater option B, could you confirm Of Grave Concern for multiple versions of Paranormal, but no horror.

Thanks!

Trish wrote: "Hi there.

For 3. Beater option B, could you confirm Of Grave Concern for multiple versions of Paranormal, but no horror.

Thanks!"

I can certainly confirm paranormal, and no horror now, but I'm not sure that I can confirm the negative for all times... I doubt it'll pop up though, that book not looking particularly horrific!

Cat wrote: "Trish wrote: "Hi there. For 3. Beater option B, could you confirm Of Grave Concern for multiple versions of Paranormal, but no horror. Thanks!"

I can certainly confirm paranormal, and no horror now, but I'm not sure that I can confirm the negative for all times... I doubt it'll pop up though, that book not looking particularly horrific! "

Thanks!