Happy New Year!!

We've all been super busy and trying to decide whether to continue the group blog or, rather, retire it and carry on with our individual blogs. Or at least that is what I've been contemplating. I believe we've decided to continue. So, in that spirit, one of our group members suggested blogging on our goals for 2008, but I have to be honest-- many of mine are personal, political or otherwise not something I wish to post about here. One of them deals with fully living out my values, commitments, convictions and beliefs and being even more honest, open, ballsy and unapologetic in a manner that is productive rather than counterproductive. The problem is I'm afraid if I go that route at a group blog, I'll be tempted to apologize if I suspect someone thinks I'm being counterproductive. LOL. Talk about self sabotage! ( Sigh. I have guilt issues . . . which tends to screw with my edgy rock star persona). So, I'll save that type of thing for my own blog. However, all is not lost . . . there are a few reading challenges I'm thinking about, in addition to the 101 things to do in 1001 days challenge. I'll post the reading challenges below, and update the post with my book lists next week. I'll also bring you up to speed on our book club reads, and give you a peek at our Swept Away Lists. (Books that have swept us away!) My list of 101 things to do will be going up at my individual blog next week, and for easy blogging, I may copy it over. It depends on what I come up with!

If anyone feels compelled to join me in these challenges, cool!

Here are a few of the reading challenges:

The Cardathon Challenge-- This is one Macy might like. What books are eligible? To qualify for the Cardathon Challenge a book needs to meet one of the following criteria:

1) a book written by Orson Scott Card
2) a book edited/compiled by Orson Scott Card
3) a book with an introduction by Orson Scott Card
4) a book reviewed by Orson Scott Card on his official website.

How many books are we talking about? The challenger suggests choosing 6-12 books to read, and, just to up the ante, I'd say they should be books you intend to read this year:)

The Celebrate the Author challenge-- The challenger writes, "The challenge is designed to “celebrate” author birthdays. Choose one author for each month of the year. Read at least one book a month. 12 authors. 12 birthdays. If you like, you can read MORE than that. If you’re really obsessive, you might want to “celebrate” all 52 weeks of the year."

The Russian Reading challenge-- self explanatory if you go to the site. I'm going to pick four novels, I think. More on this next week:)

The 888 challenge-- 8 books in 8 different categories in 2008, with an allowance of 8 overlaps, so that you must read 56 books.

The TBR challenge-- Pick 12 books - one for each month of 2008 - that you've been wanting to read (that have been on your "To Be Read" list) for 6 months or longer, but haven't gotten around to.

The YA challenge-- Pick 12 YA novels to read in 2008.

The Romance Reading challenge-- this one will be a breeze: choose 5 Romance Novels and read them in 2008.

The Pub '08 challenge-- read eight books published in 2008, excluding children's and YA books, because we're at The Pub. ( wink), and finally . . .

The Chunkster challenge-- chunky isn't always bad :) You must READ four chunksters ( 450 pages plus) in 2008.

They all sound fun, right?

On the writing side of things, I'm looking at Script Frenzy in April and Na No Wri Mo in November. Again. As well as entering the GH contest if I haven't found an agent by November. Although I'd rather avoid the contest route, it's time to push some of my boundaries a bit more. You gotta stretch to increase your reach, and grow! Ultimately, I intend to complete and submit to agents two novels in 2008, with two in the drawer ready for rewrites in 2009. Better get cracking!!

My themes for this year-- Authenticity, Amore ( the e is supposed to have an accent thingy) and Adventure, in addition to writing and submitting, healthy cooking, and the themes I never got to last year, pictures and dance!! ( I talked about this a bit at my individual blog, to which I provide no link because I've been political over there lately, and that's unlikely to change any time soon. LOL. It's an election year, no? And I'm a political junkie.)

Actually, maybe I should combine those "A" themes and make it "authentic amorous adventure." What do you think? Hmmmm. (wicked grin.) My husband likes that one.

Busy, busy.

Cheers and Happy reading and writing,
C. Alyson