I’m back! Whew, although it has only been a few days of blog down time it felt like forever, especially considering all the things I would like to do/post about in the remaining half of October before the end of the R.I.P. III Challenge! On the other side, I did enjoy my time away and feel rested and rejuvenated, so it probably was a blessing in disguise! Thank you James for taking the time Sunday night after returning from your vacation to get me up and running again.
There are a mere 3 weeks left it the R.I.P. III Challenge! It is hard to believe that it is moving along so quickly. I am thrilled on this dreary Monday (in the Kansas City area anyway) to be able to announce that Dewey has agreed to allow R.I.P. III to be a part of the upcoming 24 Hour Read-a-thon!
Come along and I’ll tell you all about it.
Dewey has been the hostess for a few 24 Hour Read-a-thons in the past and each time I have been disappointed that they have fallen during a time when I was out of town. Unfortunately this one is no exception as I’ll be in Nebraska helping my parents move. But, thanks to Dewey’s generosity, I am able to participate in spirit and can bring along those of you R.I.P.ers who would like to join in. First, some details:
The 24 Hour Read-a-thon will be held on October 18th, beginning at 5 a.m PST (that is 7 a.m. CST I believe) and will end, of course, 24 hours later on October 19th at 5.am. PST. The description of the challenge requirements, as stolen from Dewey’s blog are:
What is the 24 Hour Read-a-thon?
It’s sort of a reading challenge, only everyone participates at the same time. For 24 hours, we read books, post in our blogs about our reading, and visit other readers’ blogs. We also participate in mini-challenges throughout the day.
What the heck is a mini-challenge? Do I have to do them?
This is something that the Cheerleaders organize so that Readers can take a break from their reading. You can check out the the October 2007 and June 2008 mini-challenges by skimming through the readathon category on my blog. Mini-challenges are optional; you can skip as many as you want or you can just spend the whole 24 hours reading if that’s what you want to do.
Where do I find out about the mini-challenges during the event?
In this blog! Just visit it throughout the day as often as you want and you’ll find mini-challenges waiting for you in the main read-a-thon post, which I call the home base post. Often, you have to click over to a Cheerleader’s blog.
Do I have to stay up the whole 24 hours?
No, although it’s more fun if if you do. Cheerleaders only need to commit to at least one hour, and Readers can either choose to stay up the entire time or take breaks as they need to. There are some prizes that you’ll only be eligible for if you participate all 24 hours.
How then, might you ask, is R.I.P. III involved?
Good question.
R.I.P. III is hosting a Mini-Challenge! The R.I.P. III Mini-Challenge takes place from the hours of 10:00 pm PST (midnight CST) October 18th and 2:00 a.m. (4:00 a.m. CST) on October 19th. All you have to do to participate is to:
1. Sign up for the 24 hour Read-a-thon on Dewey’s site, link here.
2. Sign up for the mini-challenge in the comments on this post.
3. Read R.I.P. appropriate material during the hours that the mini-challenge is being held.
I cannot think of any reading experience that could be more fun that staying up over the witching hours reading scary stories and knowing that all over the world others are joining you doing the exact same thing!
But, to sweeten the experience even more I am giving away a prize pack!
Included in this prize pack are:
–a $15 gift certificate to Amazon or the equivalent site in your area.
–an autographed copy of Alexandra Sokoloff’s newest book, The Price.
–an autographed When Twilight Burns bookmark from Colleen Gleason
–assorted R.I.P. goodies.
I hope to see a bunch of you take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to participate in the exciting events that Dewey’s 24 Read-a-thons always are as well as get some deliciously creepy R.I.P. reading done at the same time. If you choose to participate during some or all of the hours of the 24 Hour Read-a-thon make sure you keep your blog tuned to Dewey’s site, The Hidden Side of a Leaf, all throughout the day for other mini-challenge announcements, prizes, encouragement and so much more. I may or may not be online during that time to give some encouragement myself but rest assured that I will be doing some R.I.P. reading during those hours. Dewey and Trish have agreed to do the drawing for the prize pack and I want to thank them for that and for letting R.I.P. III be a part of the 24 Hour Read-a-Thon!
Don’t forget to sign up at the 24 Hour Read-a-Thon link AND here as well if you choose to participate in the mini-challenge. Also make sure to follow any instructions on the read-a-thon site that occur during the mini-challenge.
I look forward to sharing some world-wide R.I.P. reading with all of you this coming weekend!!!
UPDATE: If you have already signed up for the 24 Hour Read-a-thon on Dewey’s site then you do not have to do so again.
Second, some people have been asking and I got clarification from Dewey: you have to participate for at least one full hour during the mini-challenge to be eligible for the prize drawing. Although I will be thrilled to give mad props to any who make it the full four, there will be other mini-challenges going on during this time and I don’t want mine to keep you from participating in others as well.
I have already committed to read in the read-a-thon. Despite the fact, I live in India and my day starts early. I also got school on that day. I might not be able to read for all the 24 hours. Not that I plan too.
😀
Yes, I got RIP short stories lined up for read-a-thon!
So commenting here is signing up for the mini-challenge? Does it matter that I live in India?
Doesn’t matter where you live, Gautami! Glad to have you aboard.
Well I’ve already signed up for Dewey’s challenge, so I might as well sign up for this one as well! I think I can handle a few more hours of RIPping good reads! 😉 (Do I get a prize for the bad pun? ;Þ )
I’m in. I’m really looking forward to this one!
Eek! I make that 3am GMT! So a tentative sign up from me…
I’m so in! I think I’ll save Coraline for those lovely witching hours. Great community building idea!
I have already signed up for the Read A Thon and already have some RIP perfect books for the event so count me in!
I couldn’t love this idea more 😀 I got Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House specifically for this. So yes, definitely count me in! Can’t wait.
Oooh, oooh, I’m in! Well, I’m already in for the read-a-thon, but wow, what a fun mini-challenge! At first I thought maybe that would be the perfect time to finish up Dracula. But for me that’s 1:00am to 5:00am…my very bleariest-eyed time, so I think I’ll go with some creepy short stories or something during that time. Thanks so much for hosting this mini-challenge, Carl! I’m more excited than ever about the read-a-thon now!
I’m definitely in, Carl! There are plenty of books I can read for this mini-challenge! Thanks for hosting it!
Well….I’ve never been able to participate in the Read-a-Thon’s either. Too many things going on here at home. This weekend is no exception, starting with a JFL game that is 2 hours away!! That will take up at least 7 hours of my day!!
Of course, I can’t imagine that I will be doing anything from 10 – 2 am. So maybe I’ll just join in for this one. I think I could possibly pull out SOMETHING to read for this challenge!
glad you are up and running again! My brother is back in ICU with tubes down his throat again and I have a horrid cold and can’t even go to ICU.. reading has slowed down due to these predicuments ..glad I have photo’s read and waiting in the wings when that challenge comes
Fall is here in NJ with some beautiful colors wherever you look!
ugh.. i need to learn to proof read!… “photo’s READY and waiting”… *sigh
I’m already signed up for the 24hr readathon so count me in for the R.I.P mini-challenge as well! ^_^
Hooray for your site being back up! If you ever have trouble again and need some help, please feel free to email me and I’ll see if my husband can fix things from afar with remote logins or some such computery thing.
And hooray too for your mini-challenge! Such great prizes, too. 🙂
Hell yeah I’m in! I’m saving Dark Harvest just for this mini-challenge! Looking forward to it 🙂
I’m absolutely in for the mini-challenge- now I just need to decide what to read…
No can do the challenge, Carl, but wanted to say WELCOME BACK TO BLOGLAND! Love the photo for this post, by the way.
Signed up for the Read-A-Thon and now I can’t wait to do this mini-challenge! Thanks for hosting this!
I don’t think I’m going to make it to 5 a.m. regardless of what I’m reading, but I’ll give it a shot!
Glad you got your site back up and running.
I’m already signed up for the read-a-thon, so I’m definitely up for the mini-challenge. Now I just need to figure out what to read.
Count me in Carl!! I think I’ll read some Ghost Stories from Joe Hill’s 20th Century Ghosts!!
Ooo, the perfect opportunity to read some of that Lovecraft book I bought last year!
Left you a little love over at my place HERE
I’d love to join, but I’m not sure what’s the equivalent for European time (UK and Ireland). According to my calculations it would be around 5 o’clock am?
Valentina: I used the time zone converter, found here:
http://www.timezoneconverter.com/
Tasses: That is some great love, thank you so very much!!! Cool kid? You are too kind. Have you been drinking? 😉 Just kidding, that was very sweet and I’ll have a smile on my face about it all morning.
Jessica: Lovecraft will be perfect. I may choose that myself as I’m reading a book of Lovecraft short stories right now.
Kristina: perfect choice.
Tanabata: great! thanks for joining in. I look forward to seeing what you choose to read.
Nicki: As much as I really do want to try the 24 hour thing one day I think my aging body will probably protest it severely!!!
Ashley: 🙂
Qugrainne: Thanks, it is good to be back. And thanks for the compliment. I resurrected that photo from a previous post a couple of years back because it seemed to fit the theme perfectly. Death, from Neil Gaiman’s Sandman, next to a clock? What image could be more perfect for the spooky mini challenge?
Laurie: thanks for joining.
Chris: Great choice, Dark Harvest will be perfect for this!
Dewey: Thanks, I’ll remember that. And thanks again for allowing R.I.P. to be a part of this.
Joana: Thanks for joining in.
Deslily: I am so very sorry to hear that, I really am. I can see why anything would take a back seat to that. I hope you get well very soon so that you can go visit your brother and of course I hope and pray for all the best for him.
Stephanie: I completely understand being busy, there is certainly a lot going on this time of year.
Annie: Yay! Glad you are in! And you get to stay up late too, how cool is that?
Debi: It is so great that you and Annie will be doing this together, I hope it is a lot of fun for you both.
Nymeth: That sounds like a really fun choice. I read Castle by Jackson earlier this year and really enjoyed it and want to read Haunting some time.
Mari: Thank you so much for signing up!
Jessica: Thank you, I too think it is a fun way to build up the community. And Coraline will be a perfect choice for this!!!
Bart: LOL, I’ve got that down as a ‘sort of’ yes.
Becky: 🙂 Glad you’re in.
Heather: That is indeed a bad pun. I can award you with the Pun Queen of the Day award!
What rotten luck, I can’t participate in the marathon this time around…but I’ll do my best to check in during the mini-challenge, sort of as a mini-cheerleader – good luck everyone!
An R.I.P. mini-challenge! Sweet! Count me in. I can’t wait!
I’m in!
Wish I could participate, but I don’t stay up that late these days 😉
I hope the rest of you have lots of fun!!
Carl, I wanted to let you know that it turns out that I miscalculated the time, and I won’t be able to do the mini-challenge after all 🙁 It coincides with the beginning of my shift, and I don’t think I’ll be able to do both things. But I’ll be cheering you all on! Have lots of fun, everyone!
I am definitely in on the RIP Mini Challenge! I’ve got some creepy books all set and waiting.
Just picked up Coraline at the store this afternoon so that I’ll have something spooky to read for your mini-challenge. So…I’m in. 🙂
Argh, another reason to be annoyed about not being able to join the Readathon again this year. Sigh. May just schedule it in next year so I’m sure to have the whole day available! But I’m sure I could find an hour or two to read something RIPish anyhow…
Glad I saw this in time. I am really excited to get started on the read-a-thon and when I figure out the UK times I will definitely be participating in this mini challenge so please add me to you list 🙂
I don’t know if I will still be awake when this mini-challenge starts, but if I am, I’d like to participate! I’ve got The Graveyard Book set aside for this purpose 🙂
I’m feeling suprisingly alert right now, so if I’m still awake when the challenge starts, I’ll plan to read The Stepford Wives.
I’m wicked tired, but I’m holding on specifically so I can do this with some of my ghost story anthologies!
I am signing up, and reading In the Woods, which is scaring the ever-living HELL out of me. Plus, it’s mad long, so I should be at it for another few hours.
I’m in for the mini-challenge! I’m finishing up Joyce Carol Oates’s The Female of the Species which will also mark the end of my RIP III challenge generally (it’s my fourth book) Yay~
I’d like to sign up. Now to find something scary to read…
I hope it’s not too late to sign up! I think there are 3 hours left for the mini-challenge, and I plan to read The Historian for at least one of them!
I’m already signed up for the read-a-thon. I have have a Bloch book I can read or perhaps I will get to my copy of 13 Bullets by Wellington. Both seem creepy.
ooh Enter me! I’m in the Read-a-thon going on hour 18 I’m going to read Neil Gaimans Graveyard book right now for the next hour. Great idea! Loves it.
count me in!
So I guess I just have to read something spooky for this challenge eh?
I picked ‘The long Walk’ by Stephen King. My dad told me to read it for the read-a-thon and I am doing so!
Thanks for hosting this challenge 🙂 I love me a scary story!
Okay I’ll get out my ghostly book then! I’m in.
Good luck everyone! I’m all set to snuggle up in a dark corner with The Graveyard Book 🙂
Great challenge! Count me in. I’m reading a good murder mystery, does that count as R.I.P appropriate?
Let me just tell you, reading scary books alone at night in total silence is not really my cup of tea. Things I do for this read-a-thon! 🙂
Let me just tell you, reading scary books alone at night in total silence is not really my cup of tea. Things I do for this read-a-thon! 🙂 Here’s my post for the mini-challenge:
http://bookandcranny.blogspot.com/2008/10/rip-iii-mini-challenge.html
I’m reading Coraline.
Came back to let you know I finished my book, read for 86 minutes. I posted the title, author and book cover on my latest update.