Hours 22, 23, 24 and Final Meme

Since last update:

The Mystery at Lilac Inn by Carolyn Keene - 24 pgs
20 min (or thereabouts, listening to audio as I was drifting off!)

Final totals:

Pages - 350
Hours - 7 hours 35 min (includes 35 min audio)
Books finished: A Week in Winter by Maeve Binchy
Books partially finished: The Mystery at Lilac Inn by Carolyn Keene

I did stay awake longer than I ever have before (about 22 hours), but also have my lowest page total because I had to be gone so much during the day.  I didn't even do any mini-challenges this time, which is a first. Hopefully, next time I can devote the whole 24 hours- or at least all the daytime hours - to this fantastic event.

A shout-out to my faithful RAT pals Laura@Please Pardon the Interruption and Wendy@Wall-to-wall Books, and THANK YOU to the fabulous hosts/co-hosts and cheerleaders.  You guys are AWESOME!

End of Event Meme:

1. Which hour was most daunting for you? 23 onwards  - zzzz
2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year? See 7. below
3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year? It would be nice to see a list of books in the database.
4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon? The new cheerleader spreadsheet was fabulous!
5. How many books did you read? 1 and a bit
6. What were the names of the books you read? A Week in Winter and a little of The Mystery of Lilac Inn
7. Which book did you enjoy most? A Week in Winter was a great Readathon book - engrossing and easy reading
8. Which did you enjoy least? N/A
9. If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders? No, my fellow cheerleaders were great!
10. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time?  There is a 100% chance I will participate again.  I will read and cheer both, because I think that's how to get the most out of this event.

Hours 20 and 21

Since last update:

A Week in Winter - 48 pgs, Finished!

Running total, pages: 326
Running total, hours: 7hr 15min (includes 15 min listening to audio)

This is my last post until final wrap-up - going to try to read a bit in bed, but may drift off...

Hours 18 and 19

Since last update:

A Week in Winter (yes, still) - 48 pgs

Running total, pages: 278
Running total, hours: 6hr 15min reading, 15min listening to aduio

The reading pace has definitely slowed down, but I'm hanging in there. Just broke out the traditional Cherry Zero I always save for around this hour to try to get a second wind.

Hours 15, 16, and 17

Since last update:

A Week in Winter (still) - 76 pgs

Running total, pages: 230
Running total, hours: 5hr 20min (15min listening)

I'm determined to last a good while longer, but I may focus on just pages read and not track time any more.  I'll probably need to take more frequent breaks, and don't want to worry about watching the clock.

It's been a busy day, and on top of everything else there was drama in the neighborhood tonight.  Not a stellar RAT for me, but I'm not done yet!

Hours 13 and 14

Oh dear, why does the time keep flying by?  Can I have my own personal Groundhog Day, please, and start over?

Since last update:

A Week in Winter - 40 pgs  (I WILL finish this eventually - and it's a lovely book)

Running total, pages:  154
Running total, hours:  3hr 20min (15min reading)

Mid-Event Meme and Hours 11 and 12

Mid-Event Meme

1. What are you reading right now? A Week in Winter
2. How many books have you read so far? 1/3 of above book
3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon? Finishing above book!
4. Did you have to make any special arrangements to free up your whole day? There were a couple of  things I had committed to and couldn't get out of, although I went a little later to a meeting than I should have.
5. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those?  I've had to be gone a good part of the day, but I'm in for the long haul now!
6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?  That we have a zillion readers! Yay!
7. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?  I think the changes this season have been great!
8. What would you do differently, as a Reader or a Cheerleader, if you were to do this again next year?  I'm hoping next time to not have ANYTHING else to do but RAT on RAT day.
9. Are you getting tired yet?  I will not allow myself to become tired yet...will not...will not...
10. Do you have any tips for other Readers or Cheerleaders, something you think is working well for you that others may not have discovered?  Nothing I can think of at the moment.

Since last update:

A Week in Winter - 4 pages (yes, 4 pages...sigh...)

Running total, pages:  114
Running total, hours:  2hr 20min (15min listening)

I'm finally done with my outside stuff - just me, the books, and the blog from now on!

Hours 9 and 10

Well, a bit more progress this post, but I was hoping to be a LOT farther on in my first book by now.

Since last update:

A Week in Winter - 50 pgs

Running total, pages:  110
Running total, hours:  2hr 30min (15min listening)

Hours 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

 Ugh once again - 5 more hours gone and a whopping 14 pages to add to my total!  I had to go to a political convention, but am home now and hoping to get a couple of good reading hours in before I have to go to my next thing.  Off to cheer just a bit, and READ!!

Since last update:

A Week in Winter - 14 pgs

Running total, pages - 60
Running total, hours - 1hr 20min (15min listening)

Hours 1, 2 and 3

Ugh - I can't believe 3 hours are gone already.  I haven't done enough reading!  I have done some cheering already, however, which I did not intend to do until later in the day.  The new cheerleading setup makes it so easy, I could happily sit and visit blogs all day long.  Must control myself, as I want to get a chunk of reading done as well.  What with breakfast, blog visiting, and walking the dog (where I tried to listen to an audiobook, but kept running into other dog owners who I had to warn about the guy in the park yesterday who had a gun and threatened to shoot my dog if she came near his child - sorry, I digress...), here's my progress so far:

A Week in Winter by Maeve Binchy - 46 pages

Running total, hours - 45 min reading, 15 min listening to audio

Have to go to a meeting in about 20 minutes, and probably won't be back for about 4 hours :(  I am taking public transportation into town, however so will have my Kindle along.  See you all a bit later!

Ready, Set, Read!

Introductory meme:

1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today? Utah
2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to? I'm excited about all my books, but am going to start with A Week in Winter in honor of Maeve Binchy, who passed away in 2012. She was one of my favorite authors.
3) Which snack are you most looking forward to? Frozen grapes.
4) Tell us a little something about yourself!  I've loved mysteries ever since I could read, staring with Nancy Drew, Donna Parker, Trixie Beldon, and Perry Mason!
5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to?  I'm hoping to cheer a little more, and also stay awake for more than 21 hours, which is my record!

782 readers signed up - holy crap!

Last pre-RAT post

All ready for tomorrow!  Now if I could only get a good night's sleep, which doesn't ever seem to happen before a Readathon.  I don't remember what kept me awake last time, but the time before I was bailing water out of a window well at 2:00 a.m!  I will be starting bright and early at 6:00 a.m. Can't believe there are 688 readers signed up as of right now!  I think that breaks the record by miles.  Awesome!!

Read-a-thon book stack!

With 5 days to go until the Read-a-thon, I have my books all ready! As usual, I have a ridiculous number in my stack, given my reading pace.  It's fun to have several to choose from, however, depending on my mood.  Here they are:

   
   
 
 

Plenty of YA and easy reading stuff.  I've learned my lesson since my first RAT, when I tried to knock back a chunk of War and Peace!  I have a couple of these on audio and/or Kindle for when my eyes get tired or I have to be out of the house.

In addition to having to attend a political convention that day, I just found out about a piano recital I SHOULD go to. Dang - I hate when life interferes with this event!  I can't NOT participate in the RAT, however, so I'll just do my best.