Romance Readers Reading Challenges discussion

2014 December Monthly Challenge

This thread is for questions and suggestions. The participants thread is located here.

1.'D' is for December: Read a book that starts with 'D' or a book whose author's first or last name starts with 'D'.

2. Member of the Month - MountainKat: MountainKat has been a member of the RRRC since January 2011. Here is the link to MountainKat's shelves - MountainKat's shelves.
Please read a book from any of MountainKat's shelves or a book published in 2011 or a book published in January of any year.

3. Featured Author Challenge (FAC) - Anne Stuart: Read abook written by Anne Stuart or any author with her first or last name.

Fun Facts about Anne -
* Anne Stuart lives in Vermont.
* She published her first novel in 1974.
* She also writes under the pseudonym of Kristina Douglas.
* Anne was the recipient of the Romance Writers of America's Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996.

You may also read a book set in Vermont, or an author who is from Vermont. You can also read any book published in 1974. You can also read a book by Kristina Douglas or read a book by an author who has the same first or last name as Kristina Douglas. You can also read a book by any author that has been the recipient of the Romance Writers of America's Lifetime Achievement Award Winners

4. Nobel Prizes Awarded (Dec. 10th) - The Nobel Prizes are awarded annually on the anniversary of Alfred Noble's death in recognition of cultural and/or scientific advances. Alfred Noble, an inventor among many other things willed his fortune to be used posthumously to institute the Nobel Prizes. Read a book with a genius character or inventor OR Read a book with an author's first or last name that matches a Nobel Prize winner. All Nobel Prizes Winners
Ex. John O'Keefe is one of the winners of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2014. I will read Can't Buy Me Love by Molly O'Keefe.

5. Summer Solstice (Dec. 21st) - It is the first day of Summer in the Southern Hemisphere. Read a book that is set in a country that falls in the Southern Hemisphere OR a book that has sand and/or the sun on the cover. Hemisphere Map

6. Winter Solstice (Dec. 21st) - It is the first day of Winter in the Northern Hemisphere. Read a book that is set in a country that falls in the Northern Hemisphere OR a book that has snow on the cover. Hemisphere Map

7. Christmas (Dec. 25) - Read a book that has Christmas, Noel, Xmas, Yule, or Yuletide in the title OR read a book that has a tree, Santa, hat, lights, ornaments, candy or gingerbread man cookies on the cover.

8. Boxing Day (Dec. 26) - Historically, a European tradition when servants and tradesmen would receive gift boxes from their employers. Read a historical romance OR a book with gift/present on the cover.

9. New Year's Eve (Dec. 31st) - As we end year 2014 and get ready to start a new year with new resolutions. Read a book that is last published book in the series OR read the 1st book in the series.

10. Reader's Choice: Read any book of your choice.

Suggestions/Shelves

Suggestion/Shelves

Here's a handy list of past award winners for #3-


Past Recipients of the RWA Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award

2014: Bertrice Small
2013: Mary Jo Putney
2012: Brenda Jackson
2011: Sharon Sala
2010: Debbie Macomber
2009: Alison Hart
2008: Vicki Lewis Thompson
2007: Linda Lael Miller
2006: Susan Elizabeth Phillips
2005: Linda Howard
2004: no award given
2003: Heather Graham
2002: Maggie Osborne
2001: Robin Lee Hatcher
2000: Rita Clay Estrada
1999: Rosalyn Alsobrook
1998: Sandra Brown
1997: Nora Roberts
1996: Anne Stuart
1995: Jayne Ann Krentz
1994: Ann Maxwell, aka Elizabeth Lowell
1992: Mary Stewart
1991: Barbara Mertz
1990: Phyllis A. Whitney
1989: Eleanor Burford Hibbert
1988: Kathleen Woodiwiss
1987: Patricia Maxwell, aka Jennifer Blake
1986: Roberta Gellis
1985: Virginia Myers
1984: Ethel Bangert (Virginia Mann)
1983: Virginia Nielsen McCall

For #5- Southern Hemisphere-

African countries
Entirely
* Angola
* Botswana
* Burundi
* Comoros
* Lesotho
* Madagascar
* Malawi
* Mauritius
* Mozambique
* Namibia
* Rwanda
* Seychelles
* South Africa
* Swaziland
* Tanzania
* Zambia
* Zimbabwe
Mostly
* Democratic Republic of the Congo
* Gabon
* Republic of the Congo
Partly
* Equatorial Guinea
* Kenya
* Somalia
* São Tomé and Príncipe
* Uganda

Continued for #5 Southern Hemisphere-

Asian countries
Note: The parts of these countries that are in the Southern Hemisphere are not part of the Asian continental mainland.

Entirely
* East Timor
Mostly
* Indonesia
Partly
* Maldives

Oceania countries
Entirely
* Australia
* Fiji
* Nauru
* New Zealand
* Papua New Guinea
* Samoa
* Solomon Islands
* Tonga
* Tuvalu
* Vanuatu
Mostly
* Kiribati

South American countries
Entirely
* Argentina
* Bolivia
* Chile
* Paraguay
* Peru
* Uruguay
Mostly
* Brazil
* Ecuador
Partly
* Colombia

#6- Northern Hemisphere-

-all of continental Europe excluding overseas territories in the Southern Hemisphere and Eastern Hemisphere.
-all of North America, Central America and the Caribbean excluding overseas territories
-the vast majority of Asia, except East Timor, Indonesia (mainly in the southern hemisphere)
-about 2/3 of Africa, just above the "horn"
-1/10 of South America, north of the mouth of the Amazon River.

For #4. Noble Peace Prize, does the spelling have to be exact? i.e. Alan, Allan, Allen.

Same question for #3 -- Ann for Anne? Christina for Kristina? Stewart for Stuart?

Ora and Susan, no variations. Spelling should be exact.

Toka wrote: "#8....Is Jane Eyre considered a historical romance"


I haven't read the book myself, but I know alot of reviews mention romance, I always thought of it as historical fiction. But I think we can say its a historical romance.

Would Without Regret by R.L. Mathewson be considered one for the #4 because she's a computer geek?

Emerlyn wrote: "Would Without Regret by R.L. Mathewson be considered one for the #4 because she's a computer geek?"

yes it would work for #4. I read the book and she is considered a computer genius. The only R.L. Mathewson book I didn't like so far.

Hina wrote: "Emerlyn wrote: "Would Without Regret by R.L. Mathewson be considered one for the #4 because she's a computer geek?"

yes it would work for #4. I read the book and she is considered a computer geni..."

Awesome thanks, I love her books.. I hope it's not too bad

I would like to ask, Book could be in 8. Boxing Day (Dec. 26), because this book was wrote in 1950 ?

Katherine wrote: "I would like to ask, Book could be in 8. Boxing Day (Dec. 26), because this book was wrote in 1950 ?"

Katherine, when I said historical romance, I don't mean when the book was published, but rather the setting timeline in the book. So this book would not be a historical romance. Sorry.

Hina wrote: "Katherine wrote: "I would like to ask, Book could be in 8. Boxing Day (Dec. 26), because this book was wrote in 1950 ?"

Katherine, when I s..."
It's okay. I will find something interesting to read.

For Nobel Prize Winner, would the middle name of an author work. Marie Curie for Karen Marie Moning

Sorry Ora, it has to be the first or last name.

For Anne Stuart, could if be that Anne is last name?

For Option 3, yes it could. Anne Stuart can be found in either first or last name for any author.

Hina wrote: "For Option 3, yes it could. Anne Stuart can be found in either first or last name for any author."

No I mean First Name Anne, be authors last name?

Katherine wrote: "Hina wrote: "For Option 3, yes it could. Anne Stuart can be found in either first or last name for any author."

No I mean First Name Anne, be authors last name?"


Yes I understand your question Katherine, and yes it can be the last name.