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Pass The Parcel Round 8 - Q&A / Theme Announcements

About the Challenge
Q: I see in the directions that a theme will be called each Friday. Under what circumstances would I need to read more than one book per week? Just if I fall behind?
A: Yes. You will only be reading more than one book in a week if you are behind in your reading. However if you can use your 'pass' (option 3) during the challenge you could read only 9 books in 11 weeks. This will be entirely dependent on how your team works those 5 available passes in each 5 week block - remembering that there likely 6 team members in your team.
Falling behind by more than two books: you can't fall behind by more than two books. If you have two books outstanding at the theme announcement, you will need to have read at least one book in the new theme's week. If another theme is announced and you have three books unread, then I will have to remove you.
Q: Do we have to report anywhere when the team is done with a week's theme?
A: Each group will have their own thread, and members will post their progress there. Team Captains will summarise team progress at the front of their team thread. I will maintain an overall progress chart for all the teams - and will post progress sporadically (hopefully weekly depending on my time commitments), but definitely in the last week ;)
Q: Completion post. Rather than including my review in the completion post, can I insert a link to my review?
A: No. Please include your actual review in the completion post.
Q: Option 2. Select a book from the 'READ' list of a team-mate that they read in the last 6 months AND that the team-mate rated at least 3 stars. Can we have a firm date set for the full challenge, eg 1 August, to allow for planning?
A: No. The six months will recalibrate each week - you can't plan until you have your team and it is only 6 members whose shelves you can pick from. I'll provide the six month date limit each week to avoid confusion.
Q: Does the 'series' rule only apply to Option 2?
A: Yes
Q: Under Option 2, can I use the same book from my team-mates shelf in multiple weeks under the 'series' rule? eg. continuing a series but using the same qualifying book.
A: Yes. But this can only continue whilst the book on your teamie's shelf continues to meet the 6 month key date timeframe.
Q: Regarding the option to 'pass'. Do we have to decide that week who's passing or could we choose later on? Let's say that during week 1, everybody decides to read their book but once week 2 starts, one player realizes she cannot read week 1's book for whatever reason. Assuming that nobody else from the team passed, could she then decide to pass on last week's book?
A: No. The book selection or pass needs to be specified in the theme announcement week.
Further members can only change their book selection in that theme's week. Once the next theme is announced, books are set in stone and cannot be changed.
Q: Do the books we use have to be on a particular bookshelf?
A: In some cases yes. Books must be selected from the lists provided if I don't have "(stated in the precis or shown on listopia or shelf)". Where I have noted "(stated in the precis or shown on listopia or shelf)", if a book is chosen from one of the optional lists, it is automatically approved.
Q: Must people follow the format you provided exactly? Or does the captain just need to make sure they include pertinent info? Week, book, # of pages, option and in the case they pick a shelf/listopia, a link to that?
A: I absolutely need the information requested here. I don't mind what the format is, although I would prefer it set out in the order of the list.
A link or bookcover MUST be used. You cannot just type out the book title. And where the book is from a list or bookshelf, a link to that source MUST be provided.
The reasons:
* If you don't have the link to the book, the Captain and I will have trouble checking that the book qualifies. There are a lot of books out there with the same title. You don't want to be told AFTER you have read the book that it doesn't work.
* I need the week that the book relates to since some books may be read out of order.
* The page numbers makes it so much easier for everyone to know that the books complies with the rules.
* The same for the bookshelf link or the qualifying note referencing the GR summary (ie how it qualifies for the theme).
It is important that the members do their bit to help out the Captain and the organizers to show compliance without us having to go digging.
Q: When you say "the Captain will also double-check that your book selection complies with the rules": Does this mean that if team-members say 'book is in this shelf' the captain must verify that the book is actually on the shelf? And that if they say the theme is in the GR summary, we also have to verify that?
A: I don't want the Captain to be a policeman but we do need someone in each team following how the rest of the team is progressing. If the info provided by the member looks reasonable to the Captain, fine - there is no need to investigate each link or how the book qualifies.
But if we are reading a theme and the book selected looks dubious for that theme or how it qualifies, I would like the Captain to check it out further.
Q: What is the precis?
A: The precis is the blurb on the back of the book cover; the summary; the synopsis. Any of the details that are posted on the GR book description page will qualify.
Q: My book doesn't have a page count on Goodreads but I have the word count. Can I use the word count and what is the minimum acceptable?
A: Yes - a 35,000 minimum word count will be accepted as a substitute for the 100 page minimum. Because the word count to page conversion varies greatly, I have gone at the high end for this conversion.
Q: My book doesn't have a page count on Goodreads but Amazon does have a page count. Can I use Amazon's page count?
A: Yes
Q: If I read two books during the challenge that qualify for an announced theme, does our team earn more points?
A: No. We don't actually accumulate points in this challenge. You and your team-mates either complete all your reading and are ready to 'read-off' in the last week (week 11), or you aren't...
Q: If a team member is going to be away during the week of a theme, can they leave a list of pre-selected books (for all remaining themes) with the Team Captain to post that week?
A: Yes. If the team member has already highlighted that they will be away for a particular week, or has an operation etc, I am happy for the Team Captain to post that participant's book selection post. They must have pre-selected a book for that theme though.
The alternative is for the absent member to pre-select a book that complies with option 2, taking into account the 6 month date that will apply during that week.
Q: If a team member is reading a book in another language, should they post the book link in the selection & completion posts to the non-English version or to the English version?
A: Please link all books to the English version of that book. The book MUST have an English version to qualify for use during this challenge. (Apologies to everyone that is affected by this rule, but I need to know that the book qualifies for the theme etc.)
Q: Are re-reads allowed?
A: Yes. But each book can only be read once during the round/challenge.
If the theme specifically excludes a re-read, eg First in a new (to you) series, then obviously you must select a book you haven't read before.
Q: Does the book have to be a romance?
A: No, but it does have to be a novel. Textbooks will not count. Biographies and autobiographies are OK.
Q: If I don't find a book I like in the lists of theme books, I can choose any book that fits the theme?
No. You MUST select a book from a list where lists have been provided and where they do not have '(stated in the precis or shown on listopia or shelf) optional lists:' That is, if the only other typing with the theme are lists, then you MUST choose a book from those lists.
Other lists have 'optional' in front of them simply to help people. I won't question books that come from those lists. But you can also choose books that fit the theme via the blurb/precis, through bookshelves or other lists not provided. You just need to state how it fits and where the information came from.
REMEMBER: you may also select to use option 2 or 3 that week.
Q: If a book is on a specified theme list but does not (in my opinion) meet the theme, can I still read it?
A: Yes. If the book is on the mandatory (or optional) lists/shelves in the theme post it qualifies whether it meets the theme or not.
Q: If I pick a book off a team mate's shelf it has to be a book that fits the theme? Or can it be any book at all, as long as it got 3 stars and was read in last 6 months?
If you use Option 2, you do not need to fit it to the week's theme. As you said, it can be any book so long as it was rated at least 3 stars by your teamie and was read no more than 6 months prior.
AND If the book is in a series but does not match where you are up to, you may read another book from that same series.
Q: Can I use the same option 2 book from my team-mates shelf more than once during the challenge by invoking the series rule?
Yes. So long as the book remains 'read' within the last 6 months with reference back to the week's key date, you can use the same book from your team-mates shelf. You just can't read reread a book previously used with this round.
Q: Option 2 - If the book I want to read isn't on my team-mate's shelf but they have read it during this challenge, can I just link to their completion post in our team thread?
A: No. The book MUST appear on their 'read' list.
Q: Can I DNF a book?
To DNF a book you must have
* read at least 80% of the book
* the minimum page requirement of 100 pages must have been read in addition to having completed 80% (that is, if the book is only 105pp in total, you will need to have read through to and including page 100.)
* note in your review that it was a DNF and explain why
* rate accordingly (no higher than 2 stars) and shelve the book as DNF
* in the 'completion post', you will need to note the pages read out of the total pages.
If it is a current week book, you can of course change the book.

About the Themes - listed in msg 5
Q: Will any of the themes be repeated?
A: No, not for this round.
Q: Do we have to support that the book shows up in a particular shelf (eg showing you a link of how many people shelved a particular book as 'stalking') or just saying 'there's a stalker shelf' would suffice?
A: You must provide a link to that shelf/list within your selection book post.
Q: What happens if a book is mis-shelved?
A: If books have been incorrectly shelved, they still count for that round. (I would appreciate them being removed if it is an RRRC shelf AFTER the round is finished.)
Where a theme has optional lists and the theme must be apparent in the title, the goodreads summary page or must be shelved by a GR member using words that show eligibility.
Q: 'must be shelved by a GR member' - Does this mean on the RRRC group bookshelves, or any bookshelf?
A: The shelf can occur anywhere on goodreads. Not just in the RRRC group. This rule however does NOT apply for themes where a specific list or bookshelf has been provided already - all books chosen for those themes MUST come from the linked shelves/lists.
Q: Does the book HAVE to be on a bookshelf?
A: Where a shelf has been listed for a 'list-mandatory' theme, YES.
Q: Are listopia lists sufficient for proof of eligibility for the non-mandatory list themes?
A: Listopia will work for eligibility where it's name is apparent and correlated to the theme.
Q: Where a theme is based on a bookcover, can we use alternate edition covers of the same book?
A: The cover should match the version/edition of the actual book you are reading. If the version you are reading doesn't have a cover loaded on GR or the cover has changed since you put the book on your shelf, please use the most popular version on GR for that book.
Q: Book length - Some books straddle the page minimums depending on format (eg all books must be at least 100 pages). Can I choose, for example, to use the paperback page count per goodreads even though the hardback page count for the same book does not qualify?
A: Yes. If there is a goodreads edition that cites over 100 pages (any edition), that book is fine to use.
Q: When the themes are announced is there going to be listopia or Readers shelves suggested to help us pick?
A: I have included in the themes the lists/shelves that can be used to select books in most cases, where applicable. There are only a few themes where you have free-reign on shelf selection being
Q: Does the 100 minimum page count still apply where books are included on a list/shelf that are under 100 pages.
A: Yes - the 100 page minimum still applies.

To insert a simple link to a shelf there are a couple of options:
* Copy the https address in the address bar of the page where the book is found - highlight the web-address, copy the address, and paste into your post
or
* Find a link to the shelf that you want (eg on my lists of shelves to use for the themes), right click with your mouse, select 'Copy Link Location' and then paste into your post
If you want to make it pretty and have a specific name:
* Type <*a href="insert the link that you copied as per above">name the location<*/a> but without the asterisks.

1. Mystery book. Read a book from one of the following lists:
Best Novels with a Gay Romance and Crime Solving Plot
If You Like Books by Janet Evanovich You May Also Like
Christian Crime Fiction
Gothic Romantic Suspense
3. Blood will be spilled - read a book where its title has been written in RED. (One word of at least four letters must be red in the title.)
4. Read a book with one of the following words included in the title, series or author's name: 'where', 'look', 'hunt', 'seek', 'find', 'keep', 'net', 'trip' or 'trap'. Expansions on those words, eg 'hunter', is allowed along with the word being found within another word, eg Trip in stripes.
6. Treasure. Recommend a book to another member in your team that they haven't read but that you think they should. It may be new to them or already on their TBR. Multiple rec's may be made, but only one book is to be selected and read.
Kiss Ass Female Sleuths
Victorian/Regency Female Sleuths/Mysteries
Cozies with Romantic Subplots
Dysfunctional Sleuths
Best Gay Cozy or Amateur Sleuth Mystery
8. Ray Hunt was a well-known horse-trainer. Read a book featuring a cowboy from the following lists:
Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy
Favorite Western Cowboy Romance Novels
Saddle Up: Rodeo Romance MF
Healing Horses: Romances with Horse Whisperers, Rescues Horses or Therapy Horses
Best Gay Cowboys
Best Gay Cowboy Westerns - Renegades and Ranchers
9. Found during the hunt for this challenge. Read a book from one of the following amusing list names:
Dude, Where's My Forehead?
Over Used Cheesy Stock Photo Man and Man Chest Free (MM Romance)
Gay Romance w an MC You'd Like to Punch... in the Face... Hard
Books That Sound So Much More Interesting If One Removes the Last Letter of the Title
Monogamy's DNA: Monogamy is Genetic & Impossible to Avoid it Romance Novels

Best Gay Books Dealing With Children
Children in Romance
Best Romance with Children Characters
Romance with Kids in Tow
Historical Romance with Children in the Plot
PNR Urban Fantasy Books w Kids (not YA)
11. Your own 'bear' hunt! Read a book with a male MC who is a bear, not necessarily a shifter from one of the following lists. (In contemporay romance, a 'bear' is a big tall male, possibly hairy.)
I'll Be Goldilocks: WereBears and Bear Shifters in Romance
Gentle Giants in Contemporary Romance
Petite Heroine/Big Hero
Gay Romance with Big Ugly Grizzly Bear MCs
Gay Bear Stories
12.

13. Fairytales are generally based on quests and hunts. Read a book from one of the following lists:
Beauty and the Beast
Gay Cinderfellas
Best Retellings of Fairytales, Legends and History
Fairytale: Clean Romances
14. Cover Hunt. Find one of the following items on a bookcover and read that book:
* Hat, Jewellry, Watch, Dog tags, Badge, Glasses (reading or sunglasses), Knife, Sword, Gun
15.

MM Romance Members Choice Awards 2016, 2015, 2014
Goodreads Choice Awards 2016 Also has links to awards back to and including 2009
RITA Award Winners 2016 - 1982
Golden Heart Award Winners 2016 - 1981
Romantic Time Reviewers' Choice Best Book Awards
Feel free to add books to lists that you KNOW qualify for the theme. Please DO NOT add books that you are not certain comply with the list requirements.

I have been rereading the rules and I'm still unclear about the books-
For themes like 1, 2 & 3 I can read a book of my choosing as long as it fits the theme. For themes 9 and 13 I have to choose a book from the lists that you provided.
Is this correct? Can you clarify for me please?

I have been rereading the rules and I'm still unclear about the books-
For themes like 1, 2 & 3 I can read a book of my choosing as long as it fits the theme. For themes 9 and 13 I hav..."
Hi Chan - If I call:
* Theme 1 (Mystery book) you have to pick a book from one of the lists immediately below that theme.
* Theme 2-6 : you have to pick a book that fits the specified parameters
* Theme 7 -11 : the book has to come from one of the lists
* Theme 12 : fit the parameters
* Theme 13 : the book has to come from one of the lists
* Theme 14-15 : fit the parameters
* Theme 16 - this is actually to pick a book that fits the parameters but I've provided optional lists to help :)
I can see why you asked the question; I didn't specify that the themes with lists are compulsory lists. But in fact if I have lists below the theme they are compulsory unless I've noted them as optional (which is only theme 16).
I'll clarify this now :)

Thanks Jane. I hope you enjoyed work yesterday.


(I'm in a conference tomorrow ~ theme call is scheduled my time 9am ~ so I'm not totally sure of my movements.)

Quick question...
For Theme 3...title written in red... Does the entire title have to be written in red?

Quick question...
For Theme 3...title written in red... Does the entire title have to be written in red?"
No, but at least one full word will need to be in red type. And the word must be at least 4 letters.

For Theme 16... The RT Reviewers...since 2016 hasn't been decided (according the info when you check the site) we would have to go by 2015 and sooner?
Part 2 pertaining to Theme 16...Is it only the winners or can we use the nominations as well?

For Theme 16... The RT Reviewers...since 2016 hasn't been decided (according the info when you check the site) we would have to go by 2015 and sooner?
Part 2 pertaining to Th..."
You can pick a book from either the winners or the nominees. So for the RT Reviewers you can use the nominees, but if the winners have not been chosen, they will be in the nominees anyway.

Try now. (I thought I fixed that two weeks ago!! GR is messing with my head. ;)

Option 1
16. Our theme book won a number of children's book awards. Read a book that has won or been nominated for an award. Optional lists to get you started:
MM Romance Members Choice Awards 2016, 2015, 2014
Goodreads Choice Awards 2016 Also has links to awards back to and including 2009
RITA Award Winners 2016 - 1982
Golden Heart Award Winners 2016 - 1981
Romantic Time Reviewers' Choice Best Book Awards
These are not compulsory lists. Please note the award win or nomination in your post.
Option 2
Key date: 7 September 2016
Please ensure you follow the format shown in msg 3 of your team threads.

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/8...

Thanks, Jane!

Thanks, Jane!"
Well, at least you will get it out of the way early!

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/8..."
Thanks! This was super helpful.


If I use the MM MCA lists, can I pick a book which placed 2nd in the awards?

I guess if a book came 2nd it was nominated.
If I cant use it I can always read another book.

Thanks, Jane!"
Me too! I am still trying to find something with an award AND that I want to read! ;)


I'd do that as well - there always seem to be a few, but I guess it depends on what you normally read!

The only reminder I thought I'd raise, is that you MUST select a book before the next theme call. And you can't change that selection after the next theme has been called. So choose wisely :D

"As if this were a game of pass-the-parcel? With me as the parcel?"
Devil in Spring by Lisa Kleypas, Chapter 7, location 1347
So cool!!

"As if this were a game of pass-the-parcel? With me as the parcel?"
[book:Devil in Spring|3..."
Whooo! How fun!
Remind me - is this something played in the US? Or is it English (and therefore in my Australian kindegarten upbringing)?

Books mentioned in this topic
Creation in Death (other topics)Creation in Death (other topics)
Winning Back His Wife (other topics)
Her Holiday Man (other topics)
The One You Want (other topics)
More...
I will also announce the themes each Friday in this thread and keep track of those categories announced in this message.
Themes Announced:
(view spoiler)[Week 1
Option 1
16. Our theme book won a number of children's book awards. Read a book that has won or been nominated for an award. Optional lists to get you started (not compulsory):
MM Romance Members Choice Awards 2016, 2015, 2014
Goodreads Choice Awards 2016 Also has links to awards back to and including 2009
RITA Award Winners 2016 - 1982
Golden Heart Award Winners 2016 - 1981
Romantic Time Reviewers' Choice Best Book Awards
Option 2: Key date: 7 September 2016
Week 2
Option 1 - Compulsory lists
13. Fairytales are generally based on quests and hunts. Read a book from one of the following lists:
Beauty and the Beast
Gay Cinderfellas
Best Retellings of Fairytales, Legends and History
Fairytale: Clean Romances
Option 2 Key date: 14 September 2016
Week 3
Option 1 - Compulsory lists
11. Your own 'bear' hunt! Read a book with a male MC who is a bear, not necessarily a shifter from one of the following lists. (In contemporay romance, a 'bear' is a big tall male, possibly hairy.)
I'll Be Goldilocks: WereBears and Bear Shifters in Romance
Gentle Giants in Contemporary Romance
Petite Heroine/Big Hero
Gay Romance with Big Ugly Grizzly Bear MCs
Gay Bear Stories
Option 2 - Key date: 21 September 2016
Week 4
Option 1
2. Read a book starting with the letter H for Hunt
You can ignore A, An and The in the title.
Option 2 Key date: 28 September 2016
Week 5
Option 1 - Compulsory lists
8. Ray Hunt was a well-known horse-trainer. Read a book featuring a cowboy from the following lists:
Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy
Favorite Western Cowboy Romance Novels
Saddle Up: Rodeo Romance MF
Healing Horses: Romances with Horse Whisperers, Rescues Horses or Therapy Horses
Best Gay Cowboys
Best Gay Cowboy Westerns - Renegades and Ranchers
Option 2 Key date: 5 October 2016
Week 6
Option 1
12.
Option 2 Key date: 12 October 2016
Week 7
Option 1
5. Seeker. Read a book published for the first time in the last 6 months. This means new releases only. Please show the publication date in your selection post.
Option 2 Key date: 19 October 2016 (hide spoiler)]
Week 8
Option 1 ~ Compulsory lists
10.
Best Gay Books Dealing With Children
Children in Romance
Best Romance with Children Characters
Romance with Kids in Tow
Historical Romance with Children in the Plot
PNR Urban Fantasy Books w Kids (not YA)
Option 2 Key date: 26 October 2016
Week 9
Option 1
6. Treasure. Recommend a book to another member in your team that they haven't read but that you think they should. It may be new to them or already on their TBR. Multiple rec's may be made, but only one book is to be selected and read.
Option 2 Key date: 2 November 2016
Week 10
Option 1 ~ Compulsory lists
7. Cozy sleuths. Read a book from one of the following lists:
Kiss Ass Female Sleuths
Victorian/Regency Female Sleuths/Mysteries
Cozies with Romantic Subplots
Dysfunctional Sleuths
Best Gay Cozy or Amateur Sleuth Mystery
Option 2 Key date: 9 November 2016
Week 11
Option 1 ~ compulsory lists
9. Found during the hunt for this challenge. Read a book from one of the following amusing list names:
Dude, Where's My Forehead?
Over Used Cheesy Stock Photo Man and Man Chest Free (MM Romance)
Gay Romance w an MC You'd Like to Punch... in the Face... Hard
Books That Sound So Much More Interesting If One Removes the Last Letter of the Title
Monogamy's DNA: Monogamy is Genetic & Impossible to Avoid it Romance Novels
Option 2 - this week you must select from a member of the team below your team in the list provided below
Key date: 16 November 2016
No Hero Poaching Allowed (5)
Hunters & Peckers (9)
Finders Keepers Readers (8)
We're Going on a Book Hunt (10)
We Have The Bears, Where Are The Twinks? (6)
Romancing the Hunt (2)
Hunting Wabbits (7)
Beared Souls (1)
Hunters 4 Books (4)
Artemis' VI (3)
And remember: No-one can use the Pass option this week.
*****
Progress spreadsheet link (updated Friday 19 May 6.00pm US EST):
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B2v...["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>