Read-a-thon post #1

October 11, 2013 at 10:37 pm (Uncategorized)
Tags: Dewey's 24 hour read-a-thon

Read-a-thon Eve: Plans(?) and schedule(?)

Okay, I’m starting this thing at 7 a.m. tomorrow. Maybe even earlier, as I may listen to an audio book during my morning walk. I started Jules Verne’s Journey to the Center of the Earth this week on my Free Audiobooks app on my iPhone.

Then, after cleaning up, it’s off to my routine coffee at Panera bread (I hope “my spot” is free). I can get a couple hours of reading in there in the 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. range, at the end of which I hope to post an update on my blog. I may “have to” stop by Mom’s for a visit after that, as I missed last weekend and am trying to be a good son. I usually call first, so maybe when I explain the read-a-thon – and that I’m off Monday and maybe could visit then – I can be excused to get more reading done in the late a.m. If not, I’ll resume after lunch.

I’ll try another session until about 2 p.m. and post a brief update. Then back at it again until 4 p.m. Then, maybe a quick update and assessment of where I am, how many pages I’ve read, etc. (If the number is big, I’ll reward myself with a visit to BW3’s for some dinner and a few games of Buzztime trivia, an unhealthy addiction of mine…)

If not, I’ll just keep going and read as much as I can from 4:30 until evening, with a few updates, and a few visits to other participants’ blogs to see how they’re doing. I’m a rookie at this, so I don’t know if my plans fit the read-a-thon “rules” or not?

BUT… what will I be reading you ask? I have a few plans there as well. First, I want to finish the short Jack London novel, “Before Adam.” I made it to about the halfway point tonight (to ensure I could finish something tomorrow) and probably have a little mor Ethan an hour to go. Then, Saturday morning is my traditional short story random drawing. I have twelve stories to go this year (1 per week) in my annual project so would have been reading this even without the read-a-thon.

(below: “What’s left, Ray?” “3 nines, 2 eights, one queen 3 sixes…”  etc. I have just twelve stories to go in my Project: Deal Me In annual short story reading project)

I also want to read the novella, Driving Alone: A Love Story by Kevin Lynn Helmick, which I’ve heard good things about. I also want to read Saul Bellow’s short story, Looking for Mr. Green, which is “due” for a Tuesday night meeting of my Great Books Foundation discussion group next week.

After that, I have a lot of options. Some hard copy books are pictured below, including a new ghost story anthology, which is certainly seasonally appropriate. I also have several books in my nook library that I may read or start (also pictured below).

I don’t want to do any books that are re-reads, but if I get fatigued from reading, I thought I might try to revisit a favorite short story or two as a “break.” Well, that’s about it as far as my plans go. Maybe more seat of the pants than most participants, but I’ll plead my rookie status again. What are your plans? Have you done the read-a-thon before? How many times? Do you recommend any of the reading options I’ve pictured in particular? I’m willing to be guided… 🙂

(below: a few books on my Nook account that I may include in the read-a-thon)