105 Ways to Give a Book

Catching Fire Prize

Catching FireOkay, so maybe I didn’t quite get how much everybody wants the ARC of Catching Fire. Reviewer X has more than two hundred fifty comments from people hoping to win a copy. LibrariYAn got more than four hundred submissions in her contest asking for new readers to comment, with the book going to the person who sent the most folks over to her blog. People got to BEA super early, waited in line for an hour, and I just picked up an abandoned copy at a lunch table.

It seems obvious to me now that my ARC of Catching Fire should be a prize in the 48 Hour Book Challenge. But here’s the question: Should it go to the winner of the challenge or should it go to a random participant in the challenge as one of the “door prizes”? I’m torn, because I want to reward the winner with something very special, but I also want to provide incentive for the bloggers who signed up for the 48HBC — more than one hundred participants so far — to commit to the challenge as best as they can. What do you think?

19 comments:

Charlotte said...

Oh please, make it a random prize! I know that the person who read 40 hours last time has signed up again, and there's no way I can read that long!

Abby said...

Hahaha, I agree with Charlotte... It WOULD be a Very Special Prize, but if it goes to the winner I know I won't get it, so my vote is for random. ;)

MotherReader said...

Charlotte, actually the field is wide open this year. The winner from last year, Biblio File, will be traveling so won't be able to give it her full power. Midwestern Lodestar, the second place winner, will also be traveling and won't be joining us this year - though she was kind enough to donate some prizes.

That doesn't mean that I'm not still considering the random prize option, just to let you know that the top spot is clearly up for grabs.

I also would have to set a benchmark for "participation." I don't know, ten hours maybe?

Kristi said...

I selfishly want it to be a random prize! I've got a lot of stuff going on this weekend and am not going to be able to read constantly this year like I did last year. But it would kind of make sense to make it a special award for the person who actually put the most time into this.

Liyana said...

I think you should... give me! Just kidding! GIve it to a random person! :D

GreenBeanTeenQueen said...

I would like it to be a random prize, because I'm signed up for the challenge, but I'm also working every day! So I'm hoping to get lots of reading as well as working done, and I know there's no way I could get to 40 hours-although I'd love to. Totally selfish I know.
It will be a very special prize!:)

Bill said...

I think that encouraging breadth of participation (i.e., number of participants) is equally as important as encouraging depth (hours/books read), at least in the larger community-building picture. So I say make it a random prize. (Though I do like the minimum-threshold idea.)

Of course, this weekend I'll be doing whatever I can to free up your time to participate, so I won't actually be playing. Maybe my vote shouldn't count. (Well, that and being married to the organizer makes things a mite awkward.)

Jen Robinson said...

I'm with Bill (about the prize, not about working to free up your time - sorry). I'd definitely use a minimum threshold (you don't want people signing up at the last minute, just to win, and not really participating), but otherwise, I say let it be a random prize. The people who are going to put in a LOT of time are going to be put in a lot of time anyway, and probably don't need this particular prize to motivate them to give the 48HBC their all. (But then again, I already have a copy, so perhaps my take is colored by that).

Pippi said...

I would vote with the Random drawing group. Good luck everyone!

military76brat said...

I would say make it random so that way it would seem a little bit more fun to everyone involved. Just getting out there and reading is promoting a wonderful habit!

Kristin said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Kristin said...

I'm going to be contrary to everyone else and say that it should go to the winner. The book seems somewhat like the "Holy Grail" in the ARC world these days, so someone should really have to work for it.

Make it like our very own Hunger Games. Last person standing! Winner takes all! Death to everyone else! Ok, maybe not that last statement.

Stephanie Pellegrin said...

Hmm, it's a tough choice. But it's your final decision that matters. ;)

ZG said...

Of all the glorious things you described at BEA, that ARC is the one thing I was most envious of. So I guess I'm in the "make it a top prize" camp. (And as you've pointed out, I'm not playing this year, so have no hopes of winning it either way...)

H said...

I only just heard about the challenge today and I'm wondering whether to do it.
I'd suggest the Hunger Games is the grand prize.

btw - do prizes get shipped overseas or are they for US only? Not that that makes any difference to whether I'll play, but maybe if everyone has a chance of winning them I'll think HG should be an on the door prize ;)

Cheryl Vanatti said...

Missing BEA for a vacation with 2/3 of my grown children seemed a no brainer until I saw that Catching Fire ARCs were available. Now, I'm "stuck" on vacation, trying to find pockets of read time for the challenge and you're asking me???? RANDOM, Please!

Charlotte said...

But do let us know before Friday what you decide, please, Pam! I want to know before the clock starts running if it will be the grand prize! I think I could pull an all nighter for it, but I need to plan!

This is very exciting. Now I have to go see if I am actually signed up!

Peggy R said...

i saw they had copies on ebay but they keep closing the auctions. but when there's a will, there's a way!!!

simply nerdy book reviews said...

random reader!!!!