January Mystery Read-A-Thon

So, it's official, the next Mystery Read-A-Thon will be in January 2010!

The 3rd Mystery Read-A-Thon will take place

January 16, 2010 to January 17, 2010

The goal is to

read mysteries for 12 hours during those two days

You can of course e-mail us at dreamworldofabookaholic[AT]googlemail[DOT]com - we'll try to get back to you as fast as possible

So, are you game? If so, use Mr. Linky to sign up:

AFTER THE READ-A-THON, A ROUND-UP

Well, it's over. 12 hours of the last weekend have been spend on reading, and I couldn't think of a better way to spend my time.
During these 12 hours I managed to achieve the following:
Pages read: 602
Books read from start to finish: 1
Average grade of books read: 4.5
Titles:
* HOUNDED TO DEATH by Rita Mae Brown
* INDIGO SLAM by Robert Crais
* PROMISES IN DEATH by J.D. Robb
Short reviews of all these books can be found on my reading blog which you can find HERE

As far as the whole experience is concerned, for me it was a bit disjointed this time. Because I had to bring my husband to Kilkenny on Friday and didn't return home until Saturday evening I had very little time where I could just sit down and read for a long period of time. However, between driving, experiencing the arts festival in Kilkenny, household chores and walking the dog I did manage to find 12 hours reading time, and that is what it was all about.
I really hope all of you enjoyed your reading weekend, even if it was a bit disorganized. I've no doubt that we will decide to have another one before too long, and I hope you all will join us then again.
Finally, I want to say a huge THANK YOU to Wendy for organizing the give-aways and putting up with my computer/blogger ignorance.

LAST GIVE AWAY OPPORTUNITY

As we're heading for the last stretch in our Read-a-Thon, and I have just finished my 12 hours of reading, Wendy has posted her final give-away blog. So, anybody who is interested in winning one of the wonderful books she has on offer, please use this link: http://www.caribousmom.com/2009/08/09/final-give-away-and-a-winner/
and I wish you all good luck!
I will tell all about my reading over the past weekend in a separate blog, and hope to hear from all of you too.
Enjoy the rest of your reading.

An apology :-(

My dear book lovers,
I'm so sorry I haven't been around for this read-a-thon! I feel so bad for not being around to help at all or to join you :-(

I haven't had a vacation in 2 years and originally had planned to take one week off in mid- to late July. Unfortunately, I didn't realize I was a lot more exhausted than a single week can take care of.

On top of that, my laptop is no longer reliable, so I have been working longer hours at my student job to have the money for a new one once the next semester begins (in early Oct). This, of course, hasn't helped me relax in the least, so I have been even more exhausted and haven't been online much - if at all - for the past few weeks :-(

I can't tell you how sorry I am I missed out on this read-a-thon, but I hope you had lots of fun and will be with us again if we do another read-a-thon.

I'm glad that Marleen is so internet and blog savvy that she took over the entire work with no problems that I could see. And another thanks to Wendy from Caribou's Mom for the generous offer!

Kathrin

AN UPDATE

MY READING SO FAR:

With only about 7 hours to go before the Read-a-Thon will be over for me, it's pretty late in the day for me to be posting my first update, but I suppose it's a case of better late then never.
I have got just over three hours of reading left to do to reach the 12 hour goal and have managed the following by this stage:
Pages read: 430
Books finished:
* HOUNDED TO DEATH by Rita Mae Brown (book started before the Read-a-Thon)
* INDIGO SLAM by Robert Crais
Present read:
* PROMISES IN DEATH by J.D. Robb

READING ON AND ANOTHER CHANCE TO WIN

Just another 12 hours to go until the Read-a-Thon will be over again. At least, that's true for me, but I'm on European time. For most of you there's a while longer still to go.
I hope you are all enjoying the books you are reading.
Wendy, has posted a second chance for all of you to win a book on her blog. Please click here to go to her post: http://www.caribousmom.com/2009/08/08/2nd-book-give-away-mystery-read-a-thon/
and good luck to you all.
Now, I find I'm having a hard time getting any long periods of reading in. Having been away for the first part of the weekend means there are lots of little things I need to do at home now. I should still make the 12 hours of reading, but I was looking forward to doing it in a few long sessions rather than in lots of little ones. But, that's the way it is, and getting to read for 12 hours is always a good thing.
Keep an eye on this blog since there will be more give-aways from Wendy following. Or you can of course bookmark Wendy's blog and keep an eye on developments there.
I just want to say a big thank you to Wendy. I don't know how I would have managed with all of this, and without Kathrin's assistance, if it hadn't been for her.

A MOST GENEROUS OFFER

I hope everybody is enjoying their reading. The Read-a-Thon has now been going for 22 1/2 hours, so we have another 25 1/2 hours to go. I don't know about all of you, but I've been travelling so much over the past 36 hours that I haven't gotten a whole lot of reading in yet. Just as well I've got nothing, other than reading, planned for tomorrow.
Anyway, the reason for this short post is that Wendy has been very kind and has offered up a few books to give away to participants of this Read-a-Thon.
If you all have a look at Wendy's own blog here:
http://www.caribousmom.com/2009/08/08/mystery-read-a-thon-sign-up-to-win/
you can enter her give away. I wish all of you the best of luck.
I will post some more tomorrow, before I start reading again. In the meantime, if any of you feel like letting me know how you're getting on and how you're enjoying the experience, I would love to see your comments.

JUST ONE DAY TO GO

THE SECOND MYSTERY READ-A-THON!!!!!

Well, there's about 24 hours to go before our Read-a-Thon kicks of again, and I'm afraid we may be facing a bit of an organizational crisis.
Kathrin, who did such a wonderful job running our first Read-a-Thon has not been blogging or mailing for the past few weeks, and I have been unable to get in touch with her.
Normally, that would not have been an issue and I would have tried to take over and give this weekend's event the same attention she gave the last one. However, my husband has his arm in a cast and now I find myself unexpectedly having to drive him around Ireland for the first part of this weekend. I'm leaving today (Friday) and won't be home until Saturday evening. I should be able to get some reading in somewhere between the driving, but I won't have access to a computer until I come home again. So, the situation is that I will not be in a position to post as frequently as Kathrin did the last time.
I do hope though that all of you who said you wanted to participate this weekend will still do so, and let us know through your comments how you're getting on with your reading and how you're enjoying the experience this time around, and I will do the same.
For starters, I would love to know if any of you have been planning what book(s) you want to read this weekend? Or maybe, like me, you are waiting to see how the mood will strike you and plan to pick up whatever books takes your fancy?
After all, the whole idea is to enjoy 12 hours of one of our favourite pass times, reading mysteries, and I intend to do exactly that.
Marleen

The 2nd Mystery Read-A-Thon

So, Marleen and I have been talking about a date for the second Mystery Read-A-Thon and it is...


August 8-9, 2009


So yes, it's two days, Saturday and Sunday, this time around as we feel that that way we all have a better chance at meeting the 12 hour goal - even though we might have a few plans like a birthday, work or other appointments.

The goal is to once again read msteries and thrillers for 12 hours. It is your decision whether you're going to fill part of those 12 hours with audio books or whether you're sticking to the paper kind altogether.

Otherwise, please check back here every now and then throughout the read-a-thon, as we'll have a few memes for you - more than for the first one!

Now, as I am not sure Mr. Linky is working or not, please just leave a message in the link section saying that you'll participate and maybe leave a link to your blog post.

If you have any questions, feel free to write us at dreamworldofabookaholic[AT]googlemail[DOT]com !

And the winners are...

We're finally back from the short break right after the read-a-thon was over. Admittedly, it was a bit exhausting (especially because I also tried to do MotherReader's 48 Hour Book Challenge that same weekend - oops!).

So, random.org has chosen and the winners are...

Patti O

Nonna (Chèli)

Betty

Rhinoa

Wendy

Bookish Ruth

Christina

gautami tripathy

Congrats everyone!

It is first come, first serve! Have fun!
Please send us the name of the book and your address at dreamworldofabookaholic[AT]googlemail[DOT]com

Kathrin's mystery/thriller reading

So I am really late with answering the memes. When I was working at my computer it was to check for unapproved comments, but here you go:

When did you start reading this genre?
I think I started reading this genre in 1993 or 1994 - when I was about 9 years old. (No Nancy Drew here, I'm afraid, or else I would have started a lot earlier!)

What was your first experience with the genre? The ever popular Nancy Drew or Agatha Christe? Or someone completely different?
The first mystery I remember reading was one of Agatha Christie's Miss Marple mysteries. I still have those books and am really sad that the publisher at one point stopped this particular series. The covers were so pretty! (Sorry, I couldn't even find a pic on the internet.)

How did you discover it?
By chance - Mom and I took regular trips to the book stores and one day I saw the pretty covers, read the back cover blurbs - and hooked I was!

Do you exclusively read mysteries and thrillers or do you mix it with other genres? If you switch genres, which other genres do you read?
I mix genres. I read mysteries and thrillers, but also classics, chick lit, romance and non-fiction. I like this as I usually have just the right thing to read for my mood (unless I can't concentrate ;-) ).

Marleen's second blog

Well, for some reason my trying to post a link to my personal blog didn't work, so here is my entry there as copied. For my comments on the books I've read you'll have to go to my own blog though:

My answers to Kathrin's questions about this Read-A-Thon:

Tell us more about your mystery/thriller reading habit
I'm not sure whether it is a habit or an addiction, but I tend to read mysteries and thrillers more than any other genre, although I do read most other genres as well. I usually read other genres when I need a little break from the murder and mayhem, and tend to return to the mysteries after only one visit to a more sedate genre.
When did you start reading this genre?
I'm not entirely sure but probably when I was about 8 years old.

What was your first experience with the genre? The ever popular Nancy Drew or Agatha Christie? Or someone completely different?
For me it all started with the mysteries written by Enid Blyton; The Famous Five and the Secret Seven and series like that. In my early teens I then switched to Agatha Christie, and after that there was really never a time when I didn't read mysteries.

How did you discover it?
Again, I'm not entirely sure, but I probably stumbled upon Enid Blyton's books in the library, which is where I made most of my reading discoveries.

Do you exclusively read mysteries and thrillers or do you mix it with other genres? If you switch genres, which other genres do you read?
Like I said before, I tend to read almost all genres available. However, most of my reading time is spend on mysteries and thrillers I will read almost anything with words in it, provided it comes with a good story, characters I can believe in and is well written.

So, if you haven't already posted about it, tell us how the read-a-thon went for you. Please leave a link to your post here in the comment section!

Did you finish a book?
I finished two books and read a total of about 600 pages. It really helped that both the books I read were so captivating that I would have found it next to impossible to put them down even if I hadn't taken part in this Read-A-Thon. But having the event as an excuse to just keep on reading did help enormously.

If so, what did you finish?
SEEKING THE DEAD by Kate Ellis
THE SCARECROW by Michael Connelly

How many pages did you read?
Oops, I keep on having to repeat myself; about 600 pages, give or take a few.

How did the reading go for you?
It had more interruptions than I would have liked, but it's just not possible to stop life altogether. I mean when a cousin shows up for a quick visit, you can't just ignore him. And although I did bring a book and read most of the time, I couldn't pull out of a family get-together where the others were playing cards either. On the other hand, I had managed to get all my normal Sunday chores out of the way on Friday and Saturday, so that probably balanced out with the interruptions.

Would you join in for another read-a-thon later this year?
Absolutely; it's great to have this as an excuse to spend the day reading without feeling guilty about not doing anything else. I wouldn't get away with it too often, but a few times a year would be acceptable to those around me and very enjoyable for me.

What else do you think about the read-a-thon?
I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I was afraid that "having" to read would take away part of the pleasure, but quite the opposite was the case. Telling people to leave me alone to read because I had committed to it was a great experience, especially because everybody just accepted it.

Kathrin's summary

Well, here it goes, the first Mystery Read-A-Thon is over. I managed to read 10 hours and 33 minutes, and I'm really glad. I did have problems concentrating for the past two weeks or so.

While I didn't finish a single book (yes, you can read for over 10 hours and still not finish a book!), I read parts of Charlaine Harris' Dead Until Dark and Margaret Grace's Malice In Miniature, though. Well, and I finished three mangas (Detective Conan Vol. 16-18. I have no clue how many pages I read, though...

All in all, my reading was okay. Considering that during the last two weeks I couldn't concentrate at all, I am hoping this means I am back on track and out of the slump-like state... The only major disruptions I had to deal with were my cats who don't take being ignored easily and when my parents came home from a weekend trip (I hadn't seen Mom at all and Dad only for about 20 minutes before that).

I hope you all enjoyed the read-a-thon!

MYSTERY READ-A-THON ; A LOOK BACK

In my first post here, I just copied the text I had on my personal blog to this one. In this case I think I'll just post the link to my post here so that anyone who is interested can have a look at my answers to Kathrin's questions as well as my comments on the two books I managed to finish during the 12 hours of reading. Here it is:
http://meen-readingjournal.blogspot.com/2009/06/mystery-read-thon-ii.html
I'm not usually very good at posting links, so if it doesn't work, just let me know and I may yet copY the whole thing.

Kathrin's introduction meme

What books do you want to read during this read-a-thon?
I hadn't made any real plans for the read-a-thon. I have tons of mysteries on Mt. TBR, so I knew I would find something to read. The only book I brought from my place to my parents was Charlaine Harris' Dead Until Dark.

How many books do you hope to finish?
I had no expectations.

What (if any) breaks do you intend to take?
I knew I'd have to take a break to prepare lunch and another when my parents got back.

Do you generally read lots of mysteries and thrillers or are the one of the many genres you like?
Yes!

What are some of your favorite authors?
Lee Harris
Harlan Coben
Donna Leon
Victoria Laurie
Kathy Reichs
Jilliane Hoffman
and many, many more!

If you could make us all read one mystery or thriller for this read-a-thon, which one would it be and why?
Just one? What was I thinking when I asked this questions? But I have to comply. Lee Harris' Christine Bennett series is awesome, so if you haven't read that one yet, start with The Yom Kippur Murder!

Do you prefer series or stand alones?
I read both, but have a tendency to read series. Once I've taken a liking to a character or characters, though, I really enjoy visiting with them regularly!

sum-up for the read-a-thon

So, if you haven't already posted about it, tell us how the read-a-thon went for you. Please leave a link to your post here in the comment section!

Did you finish a book?

If so, what did you finish?

How many pages did you read?

How did the reading go for you?

Did you have any major disruptions?

Would you join in for another read-a-thon later this year?

What else do you think about the read-a-thon?

mystery/thriller reading

Tell us more about your mystery/thriller reading habit.

When did you start reading this genre?

What was your first experience with the genre? The ever popular Nancy Drew or Agatha Christe? Or someone completely different?

How did you discover it?

Do you exclusively read mysteries and thrillers or do you mix it with other genres? If you switch genres, which other genres do you read?

Please feel free to add your own questions!

Read-a-thon, Marleen's answers

Kathrin asked some interesting questions in her blog today, and since I'm one of the two organizers of this Read-A-Thon, I decided that I should probably be (one of the first) to answer them. And, I have to say, I found that harder than I thought I would. But, I did my best, and underneath here you can find my responses. If anyone would like to know anything else, just ask the question, and I'll try to answer it.

What books do you want to read during this read-a-thon?

I didn't actually decide on specific books during these 24 hours. Obviously they are going to be mysteries and thrillers, but I've got so many of them at home, both from the library and on my own shelves, that I will just pick them up as the mood strikes me. The way I usually pick my books, in fact.
I have decided on the first one though. It is SEEKING THE DEAD by Kate Ellis. This is the first book in a new series by her, featuring Joe Plantagenet.

How many books do you hope to finish?
That's very much going to depend on how big the books I end up picking are. I'd be disappointed though if I didn't finish at least 2. I would also be very surprised if I managed to read 4 or more.

What (if any) breaks do you intend to take?
Since I've decided to take 36 rather than 24 hours to squeeze my 12 reading hours into I'm going to have to take breaks for sleeping and eating. Tonight I have to show my face at a neighbours birthday party, although I don't intend to stay long. Tomorrow I hope to spend most of my time reading though. The only thing that will require a break from reading then is a good walk with the dog.

Do you generally read lots of mysteries and thrillers or are the one of the many genres you like?
I do like most genres of fiction, or rather there aren't many I actively dislike. However, I do seem to read more mysteries and thrillers than anything else.

What are some of your favorite authors?
Michael Connelly
Harlan Coben
Kate Ellis
J.D. Robb
Stephen Booth,
to name just a few. I know there must be a lot more, but these are the authors that jumped into my mind as I read the question.

If you could make us all read one mystery or thriller for this read-a-thon, which one would it be and why?
Now that is a really hard question, and I'm not sure I can answer it. For myself though, I brought THE SCARECROW by Michael Connelly home from the library yesterday and am really looking forward to reading that book.

Do you prefer series or stand alones?
In general I like both and don't really have a preference. But, with some authors I know I prefer the series over any stand-alones. This is especially true for Michael Connelly. I love all his books, but I'm always a bit disappointed when Harry Bosch doesn't feature in the book I happen to be reading.

Introduction meme

As the first members will probably be starting the Mystery Read-A-Thon around this time, here's the first post. For this, we have a short meme for you all to answer. Please take the questions to your blog and leave a link directly to the post in the comments here!

What books do you want to read during this read-a-thon?

How many books do you hope to finish?

What (if any) breaks do you intend to take?

Do you generally read lots of mysteries and thrillers or are the one of the many genres you like?

What are some of your favorite authors?

If you could make us all read one mystery or thriller for this read-a-thon, which one would it be and why?

Do you prefer series or stand alones?

memes

For the Read-A-Thon, we'll be having a couple memes for all of you. Just go ahead and take them for your blog whenever you're taking a break - and please leave a link to your blog post in the comment section, or, if you don't have a blog, leave the answers in the comment section.

And if you have an idea for a meme yourself, feel free to e-mail me (Kathrin) at dreamworldofabookaholic@googlemail.com !

Mr. Linky doesn't work

Apparently, Mr. Linky doesn't work too well right now, so if you want to join in for next week's Mystery Read-A-Thon, please just leave a comment here with your name and the info where we can find your blog (if you have one).

Thanks!

a couple prizes!

So, we also have a few prizes for you to win during the read-a-thon.

Emily Listfield: Best Intentions
(Thanks to the author and Lauren for offering this book as a prize!)

Don Bruns: Bahama Burnout - US only!
(Thanks to Jen from Jen's Book Thoughts)

April Smith: North of Montana - US only!
(Thanks to Jen from Jen's Book Thoughts)

Carl Hiaasen: Native Tongue

Sheila Connolly: One Bad Apple

James Patterson: 1st To Die

Jacqueline Winspear: Maisie Dobbs

Alexander McCall Smith: The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

Note: Titles striked out are already given away to one of the winners!

The first Mystery Read-A-Thon

When I told Marleen about Dewey's 24 Hour Read-A-Thon and how much fun I had, we talked about doing it again, but October seemed so far away - and 24 hours so hard to do! So we got to think about the premise for a (short) while.

Since we originally met through our mutual love for mystery series, a mystery read-a-thon was what first came to mind. And since we both figured 24 hours is soooo long, far too long in fact to do it more that twice a year, if that, we figured punishing our families for 12 hours of complete ignorance of them (sorry guys, we still love you!) would be enough.

But 12 hours left us with a problem. If people from other countries would want to join us, and we would set the read-a-thon for 12 hours and those who live at the other side of the world would have to read during the night. Sounds unfair, right? So we figured if we make it a longer challenge and everyone can pick the 12 hours that fits best into the schedule.

So the first Mystery Read-A-Thon will take place June 7, 2009! And your challenge will be to read for 12 hours on this day.

If you would like to join, please enter your name and the link to your blog (if you have one) to Mr. Linky.

ETA: As I have just found out, this Mr. Linky apparently doesn't like names only, so if you don't have a blog, please just use the address for this blog instead to go with your name!