The Challenge Factory discussion

~Melissa~ wrote: "@Ezi and Jennifer - I'd laugh at you two but I think I'm in the same boat.... with lots of water coming in....and more series I want to start. So that would be an awesome challenge Ezi!!"

hahah Melissa I'm the same way. I'd definitely be interested in a series challenge too Ezi!

Paris wrote: "~Melissa~ wrote: "@Ezi and Jennifer - I'd laugh at you two but I think I'm in the same boat.... with hahah Melissa I'm the same way. I'd definitely be interested in a series challenge too Ezi!
"

:D

I'm right there with you, ladies - I keep telling myself not to start any new series before I've finished/caught up with some of the ones I'm already reading, but somehow I never listen to myself... XD

I know Jennifer already put all that work into the series challenge with all the time frames and genres grouped together, but I really want someone to read with and no one discusses in those threads. We just update our progress.

Maybe we could set up a buddy read section that is for series only and everyone can list the series that they are currently reading and buddy up and work through these together? What do you think?

I've already created a "Series" shelf that has all of the books that I need to read in series I've started. Then I have a "Series Completed" shelf that is all the books I've read that are part of a series. Then I have a shelf that I refuse to even look at right now called "Series to start". :) Definitely don't need that right now. It really put things into perspective. Maybe that would be easier than listing all the series you're reading in the thread.

Just thinking out loud here. Feel free to jump in. :D

So for the Monopoly game I think it'll need it's own discussion thread thingie (oh I'm so technical, lol) since there will be multiple games going on at once and each of those will be it's own thread. I figure the sign up thread would be like the buddy read sign up thread.

Anywhoozle, is it cool if I create own big Monopoly set up? Just wanted to make sure it was cool before I ran with it.

Sounds fab.

I'm looking at my kids Candy land and trying to figure out how to turn it into a book game

Make you a folder Paris and knock yourself out :)

Thanks ladies. I'll get on it after my nap. And thank you Jenne. Folder is the word I was looking for last night. My words don't work so good right now. lol

So Ezi suggested I let y'all be my backups for Monopoly since I can't get on during the day when I'm working. I would absolutely love if y'all answer any questions you can. And if you want to set up game threads, you can. I just don't think that'll be that easy since you can't easily copy and paste the rules, property/shelves and community chest and chance stuff. But feel free if you want to. I appreciate any and all help.

@Paris,
I don't know much, so I will try not to answer much:D
But if you need me to support you in another way or do something else for you, I would be happy too.

P.S. I am really proud of your game and the energy it has brought. It feel like Jenne's SSS game brought some lurkers out to play, and now your monopoly game grabbed some more of them out of the shadows. It's so cool to watch.

I hope we find a way to keep people interested and active going forward. So proud and excited

Awwww thank Ezi. I totally agree with you about the activity around here. I hope we can keep it up. Gotta start thinking of some other new ideas.

Now, we need to go to bed:D
I am so tired, but dishes are washed, floor is cleaned. I just need to pack the kids lunch.

Jenne...lmao Rollin' in the Rolls. How did you know I freaking love rolls for Thanksgiving?

So I posted the TCF November employee of the month. We barely had any votes, but it was enough to get a winner.

Lmbo it was tricky to not make it sound like we were a bunch of overeaters lol.

lol yeah that definitely be tricky.

Paris wrote: "Jenne...lmao Rollin' in the Rolls. How did you know I freaking love rolls for Thanksgiving?

So I posted the TCF November employee of the month. We barely had any votes, but it was enough to get a..."

I was thinking we should discontinue that for 2014.

Instead, we should do a group feature of monthly winners of challenges. Like meet team 5 winner of SSS. Each member posts a bio of themselves

I like that idea Ezi. I definitely think the employee of the month thing isn't really working at all.

We need to figure out some ways to get more people involved in things. We have 976 members. Only 505 of them have 1 or more comments. Only 241 of them have 10 or more comments. I know we won't get everyone to participate and I'm sure that a lot of the 976 joined and forgot about it, but I'd like to see what we can do.

Any preference on who does what for December?

I don't mind doing the history one again. I liked looking at all that since I'm a bit of a history nerd. But I'll do whatever y'all want me to.

I'm game with whatever :)
I did get the new bingo board ready and I'll get that posted next week for sure.

I can take the buddy read again, and maybe something small like the Creature Feature unless someone else really wants it?

I was also thinking we should bring back the Smart is Sexy challenge or do something else specifically non-fiction oriented again. What do you think?

Yeah we probably should bring it back. We don't have anything nonfiction related.

Not being able to post at work sucks monkey balls. I totally feel like I'm missing things. Do y'all want to figure out who's going to do what in January too just to get it out of the way? It might make things easier with the holidays and stuff. For the I Love Audiobooks Challenge is that something we normally start?

December Challenges
Regular Old December Challenge - Ezi
History Challenge - Paris
Bingo - Jenne
Creature Feature - Denise
Buddy Read - Denise
Smart is Sexy (Non Fiction)
Employee of the Month (just to finish it off)?
Dusty bookshelf challenge - Ezi
Individual Mod challenges

Am I missing anything?

ETA: I just want to apologize for the fact that I am super anal and need lists.

I can do the Dec challenge.
I will do Dec. Dusty bookshelf challenge (a challenge borrowed from another group)
***Jenne, do you know none of the 3 mods over there ever pm'd me back? Can you believe that?

My vote: Let's not do the dec employee of the month.

I agree about the employee of the month Ezi.

I agree too! I'll take whichever ones y'all don't want.

@Denise & Jennifer, do you want to play Dusty bookshelf? I went ahead and signed up Jenne and Paris...can I conscript you both? :D
Come on, give me the go ahead to draft you for service.
Thanks!

Here is the link: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Your message at PRUF was very tactful lol.

Jenne wrote: "Your message at PRUF was very tactful lol."

Thanks :D

Ummm, can I make another dusty bookshelf challenge, but for series?

it will start in Jan. Participants will list about 5-10 series they have already started. Whatever series is chosen, you have to read at least 2 books out of that series...but the goal would be to close that series out?

Give me an idea of how to word that one. I want a challenge where we list some series we have started but haven't finished and you are challenged to finish out that series that month. At least read 2-3 books in that series.

What do you think?

also, is there a way for me to have the participants keep track of how many series they finished for the year?

HELP.

Re Employee of the Month

I know I am not a moderator of this group but thought I'd offer my 2-cents.

Another group I'm in selects a Member of the Month at random from active members (you might want to put those members names in the hat who have participated in at least one challenge in the last 3 months, for example).

Then a series of questions (the same questions every month) are posed for that member to answer.

THEN ... the next month a challenge is made up based on the member's responses.

For example - I was chosen EOM for Nov 2013. I would have answered the eight questions in November. In DECEMBER there would be a challenge based on my answers. (let's say question # 1 is "where were you born" and I answered Texas .... the challenge might be to read a book set in Texas) The set of questions is about 8-10, but the challenge is for only 5 (because not all answers will lend themselves easily to a challenge).

I hope this is making some sense to you.

This way everyone who participates gets a chance at being the EoM (without having to be nominated and voted on). Everyone gets to know something about the EoM not just when the EOM is spotlighted, but again the following month when a challenge is based on the EOM's answers.

Oh, once chosen as EOM, the member would be out of the running for the drawing for at least a year.

Just food for thought. Feel free to totally ignore the suggestion. I am NOT volunteering to be a moderator and help run the factory, so my feelings will not be hurt if you don't take my suggestion.

Happy reading!

Ezi, I have an own-to-read shelf containing 324 books atm - conscript away! XD

I like the series idea too, I'd definitely be up for that one.
Maybe you could make it so participants would list only max. 5 series at a time, with a minimum of 2 books read from the chosen series per month, but you have to keep the same series on your list until you've finished one, then you can put something new in your list in its place? Maybe finishing out the series within the month might sound a bit tough if it's e.g. a series with 20 books and you've only read the first 3 - might put people off if you set the aim too high... (Am I making any sense?)

To keep track of the series participants have finished maybe just have one thread specifically to follow one's overall progress, with every participant creating a post in it that they can update once they've finished a series?

BC I really like your idea!

Book Concierge wrote: "Re Employee of the Month

I know I am not a moderator of this group but thought I'd offer my 2-cents.

Another group I'm in selects a Member of the Month at random from active members (you might wa..."

LOL!
Thanks BC. That's a great idea...are you joining the Dusty Bookshelf challenge?

I love BC's idea too! Should we randomly pick a member for December so that we'll have questions for January?

Ezi, I joined your Dusty Bookshelf challenge and would totally join your Dusty Series challenge. I like Denise's ideas on how to work it.

thank you Ladies...I like Denise's idea as well.

The only thing with BC's idea: how will we choose a member each month. I guess each mod can choose a person each month????

Ladies, what do you think of this one: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

For BCs idea it would take some work but we figure out a list of the active members and then let Mr. Randomizer decide.

I really like the series challenge Ezi. I need to go through and look at mine and figure out how many open series I have and how many of those I actually want to read (no thank you Anita Blake).

Paris wrote: "For BCs idea it would take some work but we figure out a list of the active members and then let Mr. Randomizer decide.

I really like the series challenge Ezi. I need to go through and look at min..."

Pat and I went through last week and actually wrote it out:
Series I have begun:
1. Anita Blake by Laurell K. Hamilton
2. ARCO by Sydney Croft
3. Argeneau by Lynsay Sands
4. Breathless by Maya Banks
5. Breeds by Lora Leigh
6. Cassandra Palmer by Karen Chance
7. Charley Davidson by Darynda Jones
8. Chicagoland Vampires by Chloe Neill
9. Dark by Christine Feehan
10. Dark London by Kristen Callihan (Moonglow, Book 2)
11. Dark Hunters by Sherrilyn Kenyon
12. Disillusionists by Carolyn Crane
13. Downside Ghosts (only novellas remaining)
14. Dragonfury by Coreene Callahan
15. Dragonkin by G.A. Aiken
16. Elder Races by Thea Harrison
17. Elemental Mysteries by Elizabeth Hunter
18. Eternal Guardians by Elisabeth Naughton
19. Fighting Destiny by Suzanne Brockman
20. Friday Harbor by Lisa Kleypas
21. Ghostwalker by Christine Feehan
22. Guardians of Eternity by Alexandra Ivy
23. Guild Hunter by Nalini Singh (Archangel’s Storm, Book 5)
24. Hanaford Park by Lisa Sanchex (Pleasure Untold, Book 2)
25. Highlander by Karen Marie Moning
26. Highland Guard by Monica McCarty
27. Highland Pleasures by Jennifer Ashley
28. Immortals After Dark by Kresley Cole
29. Inn Boonsboro by Nora Roberts
30. I-Team by Pamela Clare
31. Jane Jameson by Molly Harper
32. Jane Yellowrock by Faith Hunter
33. KGI by Maya Banks
34. Lord of the Underworlds by Gena Showalter
35. Love at Stake by Kerrelyn Sparks
36. Love by Numbers by Sarah MacLean
37. Lucky Harbor by Jill Shalvis
38. Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer
39. Lux by Jennifer L. Armentrout
40. Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor by Lori Foster
41. Midnight by Lisa Marie Rice
42. Moon by Rebecca York (Edge of the Moon, Book 2)
43. Morganville Vampires
44. Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare
45. Naked Werewolf by Molly Harper
46. New Species by Lauren Dohner
47. Night Prince by Jeaniene Frost
48. On Dublin Street by Samantha Young
49. One Eyed Jack by Cindy Gerard
50. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
51. Pride by Shelly Laurenston
52. Pride Mates by Jennifer Ashley
53. Psy-Changelings by Nalini Singh
54. Psy-Cop by Jordan Castillo Price
55. Riley Jensen/Guardians by Keri Arthur
56. Rough Riders by Lorelei James
57. Sentinel Wars by Shannon K. Butcher
58. Shifters Unbound by Jennifer Ashley
59. Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A Tucker
60. The Edge by Ilona Andrews
61. The Edge of Honor by Lori Foster
62. Travises by Lisa Kleypas
63. Vampires in America by D.B. Reynolds
64. Wildfire by Ella Grace
65. Women of the Otherworld
66. World of Lupi by Eillen Wilks

**Next month, I will be reading : The Restorer by Amanda Stevens, which will be increase me to my 67th

Just wanted to tell y'all how thankful I am for your friendship :)

Jenne wrote: "Just wanted to tell y'all how thankful I am for your friendship :)"

Awww. That's sweet. Me too...about you all that is

I second the awww, and the same goes for all of you lovely ladies from my end! ♥

Awwww! I totally 1000% agree. I'm so thankful to finally have friends who understand me.

We've had a request for an "In December, I Pledge..." challenge, so if any of you were looking for a December Foreman challenge. I already put mine up or I'd do it. If neither of you want to, can we put it under monthly or mini challenges anyway?

Yeah I can do it, I haven't put mine up yet.

Great. Thanks Jenne!

I'm i doing creature feature like last month, or does it rotate?
(I think I will keep creature feature)

Ezinwanyi~For you, Agron wrote: "I'm i doing creature feature like last month, or does it rotate?
(I think I will keep creature feature)"

I did it for this month, but if you want to make it your regular thing from next month on that's fine with me! :)

BTW ... here are the questions the other group asks the Member of the Month to answer: (There are a lot more of them than I thought!)


MoM QUESTIONS:

1. What state/country do you currently live in?

2. What are your favorite hobbies?

3. What are you currently reading?

4. What book do you plan to read next?

5. What are your five all time favorite books?

6. What is your favorite movie?

7. What are three adjectives that describe you?

8. What is your favorite thing about yourself?

9. What chore do you absolutely hate doing?

10. What is the #1 most played song on your IPOD?

11. What books are on your bedside table at the moment?

12. Name one book/author that you really can't stand.

13. What was the first book that you remember reading/being read?

14. What was the book that got you hooked on reading?

15. What type of books do you like reading most?

16. Who are your top 5 favorite authors?

17. If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would you meet?

18. Where's your favorite place to read?

19. If you were given $20 to spend on a book today, what book would you buy?

20. If you had to change your first name, what would you change it to?

21. If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would do?

22. What is your favorite ice cream flavor?

23. What was the last book that made you cry?

24. If you were stranded on a desert island, what three books would you want to have with you?

25. What do you hope to get out of this group?

BONUS: Tell us three things about yourself not already mentioned here.

Awesome list BC!!!

Ezinwanyi~For you, Agron wrote: "Awesome list BC!!!"

Oh ... the person chosen as MOM can choose which questions to answer ... doesn't have to answer all of them.

But the challenge items that the moderator makes up, is always limited to 5 items.