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The weekend, Mother Reader’s 9th Annual 48 Hour Book Challenge will take place. I participated in this event a couple of times and truly enjoyed being able to set aside two glorious days for reading. This year, I honestly just cannot do the entire weekend, but given the nature of the Challenge this year, I plan to go for 24 hours. Going full force with #WeNeedMoreDiverseBooks, the creators of the event have decided to make this an all out diversity challenge. How will it work? This is from their site.

1. The weekend is June 6-8, 2014. Read and blog for any 48-hour period within the Friday-to-Monday-morning window. Start no sooner than 7:00 a.m. on Friday the sixth and end no later than 7:00 a.m. Monday the ninth. So, go from 7:00 p.m. Friday to 7:00 p.m. on Sunday… or maybe 7:00 a.m. Saturday to 7:00 a.m. Monday works better for you. But once begun, the 48 hours do need to be in a row. That said, during that 48-hour period you may still have gaps of time in which you can’t read, and that’s fine.
2. The books should be middle-grade, young adult, or adult books. If you are generally a picture book blogger, consider this a good time to get caught up on all those wonderful books you’ve been hearing about. Graphic novels can be included in the reading. One audiobook can also be included in your time and book total — helpful if you have somewhere to drive to or need to prepare dinner, etc.
3. Three winners will be chosen at random from each of three levels of reading commitment – 12 to 23 hours, 24 to 35 hours, and 36 to 48 hours. Since each level will progressively have less participants, the more you read the better your chances. Top readers will still win individual prizes. International winners may be given gift cards instead of books due to mailing costs, unless a U.S. address is provided.
4. It’s your call as to how much you want to put into it. If you want to skip sleep and showers to do this — and some people do — go for it. If you want to be a bit more laid back, fine. But you have to put something into it or it’s not a challenge. Twelve hours is the benchmark for winning prizes.
5. The length of the reviews or notes written in your blog are not an issue. You can write a sentence, a paragraph, or a full-length review. Up to you. The time spent reviewing counts in your total time.
6. You can include some amount of time reading other participant’s blogs, commenting on participating blogs and Facebook pages, and Tweeting about your progress (remember the #48hbc tag!). For every five hours, you can add one hour of networking. This time counts in your total time.
7. On your blog, state when you are starting the challenge with a specific entry on that day and leave the link to that post at the Starting Line post at MotherReader on June 6th. And please link to the contest on your post.
8. When you finish, write a final summary that clearly indicates hours — including partial hours — you spent reading/reviewing/networking, the number of books read, and any other comments you want to make on the experience. It needs to be posted no later than noon EST on Monday, June 9th. Also, check in at the Finish Line post on MotherReader that will be posted Sunday and please link to that post from your final summary post.

Easy Peasy!! AND!!! There are prizes!

Who’s in??

What books do you suggest for participants?

Picture books and MG books are quick reads that help lighten up the reading, so be sure to include plenty of those. Any other tips for the readers?

I see you!

I know you are out there. I can see when you stop by and then disappear into the blogosphere. Such a shame because I am a TOTAL sucker for new blogs and love to check other blogs out.

The top 10 reasons why you love to lurk:

10) You are lazy (So get in bed and comment then.)
9) You have carpal tunnel (I say no pain no gain!)
8) You are shy. (why do we all blog? Can you say introverts!)
7) You have nothing to say (great, b/c bloggers talk about nothing so you'll fit in just fine! Besides we're not looking for Oscar speeches here people!)
6) You are a spy. (If so, you better find out more about statcounter)
5) You always wanted to be a spy (me too! But I can't see you anyway.)
4) Your name is Tom (get it...peeping?)
3) You can't find the "post comment" button (I creatively call mine - shout outs)
2) You are just sooooooo busy (aren't we all?)
1) I'm not as funny as I think I am (I know hard to believe)

Well, Mother Reader and Lee Wind have come up with a way to get you lurkers out of the blogger closet.

The 2010 Comment Challenge to get you Starting Today (Friday, January 8), and running through Thursday, January 28, 2010. The goal is to comment on at least five kidlitosphere blogs a day. Keep track of your numbers, and report in on Fridays with Mother Reader or Lee.

A prize package will be involved, drawing from among the bloggers who reach the 100 Comment Mark (five comments a day for twenty-one days with one day free of comment charge).I hear some random door prizes might be available just for trying.

Every comment doesn’t have to be insightful and intellectual (trust me - my posts aren't!) It can be hard to think of something to say. But we don't care - just say "hi!" We die-hard bloggers love to meet new people. Also, when you make yourself heard, other bloggers may check out your blog. Can’t hurt your stats. Plus, you’ve made that blogger’s day a little bit brighter. Maybe you’ll make a new BFF — Blog Friend Forever.

I know, the whole thing sounds awesome. Ready to join us? Then come back Friday to sign up. And tell all your friends, because that’s kind of, like, the point.

Whoever comments on my blog during this challenge

Sweet! Just found out our entry in this year’s 48 Hour Film Project has made it into the finals for “Best of D.C.”! Hurray! Great job, Bill and Pam and the whole cast and crew who worked on the film! Technorati Tags: 48 Hour Film Project, Mother Reader, Movies, Screenwriting, Tohubohu Productions, Writing

MotherReader is now blogging over at Big Universe: A World of Online Children's Books. The site has some 300 books available online for children to read and also features five blogs about children's books. (Must add to blogroll.) It looks as if Big Universe will be a great resource for young readers, schools, and libraries. Way to go, MR!

Not much happening around here, but DO have some good news. Just got an email from my editor over at Blooming Tree Press, saying the edits on KNOWING JOSEPH are completed and the book will be going to the printer by the end of the week. AND that it is still on schedule for an October release. I am delighted! It's been a long wait, but the end is finally in sight.

The other good thing is that I have almost finished my next mg--finally! Just one more chapter to go before starting the rewrite.

In other news, we are taking a flying trip to New England this weekend--a funeral in Vermont on Saturday, a wedding in Massachusetts on Sunday, and somewhere in between we are going to connect with my son somewhere else in Massachusetts to meet his new girlfriend.

Have been reading Mother Reader's blog about her review of The Secret...wish our library had it available. Might have to get it at the bookstore...good stuff--all that positive thinking...I believe it really does help!

If you weren't around last year you might have missed the fact that the MotherReader blog enjoys hosting a yearly 48-Hour Book Challenge. Here are the details as she states them.

So the chosen weekend is June 8–10, 2007.

Here are the basic guidelines to start. I am open to suggestions if you’ve got them, or ask me questions so I can establish a related rule. Here goes:

1. The weekend is June 8–10, 2007. Read and blog for any 48-hour period within the Friday-to-Monday-morning window. Start no sooner than 7:00 a.m. on Friday the eighth and end no later than 7:00 a.m. Monday. So, go from 7:00 p.m. Friday to 7:00 p.m. on Sunday... or maybe 7:00 a.m. Saturday to 7:00 a.m. Monday works better for you. But the 48 hours do need to be in a row.

2. The books should be about fifth-grade level and up. Adult books are fine, especially if any adult book bloggers want to play. If you are generally a picture book blogger, consider this a good time to get caught up on all those wonderful books you’ve been hearing about. No graphic novels. I’m not trying to discriminate, I’m just trying to make sure that the number of books and page counts mean the same thing to everyone.

3. It’s your call as to how much you want to put into it. If you want to skip sleep and showers to do this, go for it (but don’t stand next to me). If you want to be a bit more laid back, fine. But you have to put something into it or it’s not a challenge.

4. The length of the reviews are not an issue. You can write a sentence, paragraph, or a full-length review.

5. For promotion/solidarity purposes, let your readers know when you are starting the challenge with a specific entry on that day. When you write your final summary on Monday, let that be the last thing you write that day, so for one day, we’ll all be on the same page, so to speak.

6. Your final summary needs to clearly include the number of books read, the approximate hours you spent reading/reviewing, and any other comments you want to make on the experience. It needs to be posted no later than noon on Monday, June 11.

7. Sign up in today’s comments. You’re welcome to post the challenge on your site to catch the bloggers that come your way but don’t come mine. Point them to today’s post to sign up. On Friday, June 8, I’ll have a starting-line post where you can sign in to say you’re officially starting the challenge.

I’ll work on some prizes for most books read, most hours spent, and most pages read (if it isn’t the same winner as most books read). Last year I allowed an alternate, personal goal challenge, but this year the logistics of that might kill me. If you want to play along, but not really do the Challenge, that’s fine, but no prizes. I’ll have a 48 Hour Book Challenge Solidarity Post to list your personal weekend book challenges.

Today's the day! Dont' forget to submit to the 11th Carnival of Children's Literature, which will be held on the 20th at MotherReader.

There are two ways to submit: Through the carnival site or by e-mail. (MoReader has extended the deadline to the 17th if you submit by e-mail.)