105 Ways to Give a Book

Fourth Annual 48 Hour Book Challenge Prize Update

48 Hour Book ChallengeThe sign-ups for the 48 Hour Book Challenge are going splendidly, but we can always have more. I thought knowing some of the prizes in the mix might tip the balance for those still deciding if they want to spend the weekend of June 5th reading and blogging. (Who wouldn’t?) So the person who spends the most time reading and blogging will win an trophy in the form of a Jefferson Cup donated by Reading Is Fundamental. The winner will also receive an original sketch from...

Jeff Kinney! Yes, that Jeff Kinney.

I know. I’m excited too. His people confirmed it. I don’t have people... but I do have some great contributors to the prize bonanza for the 48 Hour Book Challenge. The grand prize winner will also receive an assortment of signed books, jewelry, T-shirts from Threadless, and more. I’ll also be able to award second and third place prize packages, too. And there will be some prize winners drawn at random from among all the participants to win personalized, signed books.

The prize books so far include, Trading Faces, by Julia DeVillers and Jennifer Roy; Abigail Spells, by Anna Alter; Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, by Grace Lin; Cold Hands, Warm Heart, by Jill Wolfson; Magickeepers: The Eternal Hourglass, by Erica Kirov; The Summer I Turned Pretty, by Jenny Han, and The Art of Reading, by RIF.

I’m planning on going to Book Expo America — just worked out the plans today — so I’ll pick up some other books there for sure. If you have a book or something else that you’d like to donate, please email me at motherreader AT gmail DOT com.

There are three changes to the challenge this year. The first I have already mentioned, and that is connecting your personal readathon to a Greater Good. I plan to donate $1 per hour to the fund for Bridget Zinn and welcome others to sponsor me. You can contribute to this cause as well, or to something else that moves you. You can base it on sponsors, comments, or something else entirely. You can also choose not to participate in this aspect of the 48 Hour Book Challenge, but I heard from lots of people last year who wanted this option and I like the concept.

The other two changes are new. Because we are bringing in more adult book bloggers, I’m taking out the prize that is specifically for the most books read and replacing it with offering second and third prizes for the most hours spent reading and blogging. It probably doesn’t make a difference anyway, because the people with the most time have always had the most books. However, I want people to be able to read longer adult books without worrying about the title tally.

I’m also allowing blog-reading hours to be included in the total hours. Let’s say, a half an hour of blog reading for every five hours of reading/reviewing. This change is to allow participants in the challenge to spend more time seeing what other people are reading, and to allow us to cheer each other on.

Thanks to all of the authors and bloggers who have donated prizes. I couldn’t do this without you. (Remember, email me at motherreader AT gmail DOT com if you have something you’d like to donate.) Also thanks go out to all the bloggers who have been getting the 48HBC out there on their blogs and Twitter feeds. I can tell from Statcounter that lots of people have been coming from other sites just to sign up. This is such a great community and knowing that is what keeps me going when those Bloggin’ Blues strike.

3 comments:

Jen Robinson said...

If you ever need your own people, Pam, you can count on me.

Seriously, though, great prizes!! And I like both changes. I was mulling some books that I wanted to read during the challenge, and wondering if they were too long, etc. And going 48 hours without reading anyone else's blog, well, that's tough to do...

I'm really looking forward to it.

Rasco from RIF said...

I think my list of books is growing to the need for a 48-day period. I am excited beyond belief about "permission" to read, read, read!

Andromeda Jazmon said...

I love the Greater Good component. I posted today about my plans to donate $.25 per comment on reading challenge blog posts towards the Zinn medical fund. I'm looking forward to spending the weekend reading!