And The Race Is On...

We're rounding out the first quarter of the race and Bev @ MY READER'S BLOCK is in the lead!

Followed closely by: Susan @ AVID SERIES READER and Jane @ Jane's Book Blog.

It's a close race - but will someone come from behind to take it?

Definitely not our hosts... who are showing great deficiencies in this race... they're probably doped up on caffeine & sugar, better known to some as Dunkin' Donuts.

Mmm...

Of course, this means that even though the weather is AWESOME we are so not in our swimsuit season best (LOL!).

But that's ok.

We've got our mountainous TBR piles with lists to complete our challenges... I think.

No WAIT!!!!

I FINISHED A CHALLENGE!!! YIPPEEEE!!!!

Finally, ONE down! Hmmm, how about you?

We're now a quarter of the way through... have you finished anything, yet?

Or are you like us - just trying to hit them all?

50 States

I need HELP!!

How many of you are participating in the 50 States Reading Challenge with me??

I know that many of you are.

I also know that I'm having a TREMENDOUSLY terrible time finding books for different states. Well, I've come up with a solution - if you'll help me. I've embedded a twitter feed on this blog so that we can share those hard to fins states. Just Give us the book title and state and use the #50StatesC hashtag so we can all pass this challenge!!

Let's win this together!

WOWSERS!

We have 100 followers!

We have 100 followers!


We have 100 followers!

 Are we all crazy?!

Why on earth would every single one of us need a community for an addition to challenges?!?

Well, I must say... THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

We enjoy your company, as well.

Happy Tuesday!

Congratulations!!!!!!

I am so very excited for each and every one of you!

You have chosen to embrace yourself and start moving forward in your journey of completing what you start... well, all except Bev who still hasn't stopped starting...

So, get out your paper and start your checklist!




Or, have you found that you need some help?

If so, grab some some friends and get some help.

Or, maybe you're in a boat like I am...


where my friends are...

Bev, where I need to call an intervention

Or, Cheryl, who just smiles & waves....

And then there's me.. just lazing around reading...
Or, well, actually, lately I've been, um, well, playing solitare.

I know. I know.

But it is a point in my favor that I've not added any new challenges and am NO WHERE CLOSE to 31... Hint hint.

It's confession time...

Ok, Cheryl! Bev & I have just about had enough! You are just stalking!!

When I said that you just needed to smile & wave I didn't think I'd see your Cheshire grin as I'm slithering through the underbrush to the next challenge!

PLEASE!

Someone, please, tell me that you've joined as many challenges as Bev & I!! 2012 hasn't even started yet and I've already got 23. And, Bev, BEV! Well, she's still signing up for 2011 challenges!

Come on in!! The fire's nice and toasty by the Addicts Chair. Cheryl's even trying to call in special help...

After you've joined in - Leave a comment to tell us which challenge you're most excited to participate in this coming year. Mine is the Historical Romance Reading Challenge! I just adore those books & Danielle is so much fun!!

Join the Reading Challenge Addicts Challenge!

Where we help you to control your addictiveness, help you to complete what you've started, and, well, sort-of kind-of, help you find more pretty buttons ;)

Sign up today!

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Join Us in 2012!!

Are you ready for some challenges??

It's that time again!!

Yes, I said it!

It's time to sign up for challenges!

Reading Challenges, to be specific. I know you're doing it! But why?

• Is it the pretty buttons?
• Is it the challenge?
• or Is it just that you can't seem to help yourself?

Well, whatever your reason. Join in on the fun!

Join the Reading Challenge Addicts Challenge!

Where we help you to control your addictiveness, help you to complete what you've started, and, well, sort-of kind-of, help you find more pretty buttons ;)

Sign up today!

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It's That Time Again: 2012 Sign-Ups

Good day, Addicts!!

It's that time of year where we finally admit to our addictions and try to do something about them. Some of us need to admit we have a bit of a problem. Some of us need to admit we have a huge problem. Some of us just really want to enjoy each other's pain and humiliation while completing challenges. (That's why CMash does this with me... so she can spend the year laughing uproariously at my futile attempts to cut back.)

Cheryl from CMash Loves to Read and Gina from Hott Books are two such people. We each can stand proudly and say,

I am a Reading Challenge Addict.

So we are challenging each of you who can also say that you also are a Reading Challenge Addict.

We'll be giving away prizes and recognizing those who are meeting their own expectations by completing the challenges they've entered.

How addicted are you?

• Easy as Pie: 1-5 Challenges (Entered & Completed)
• On the Roof: 6-10 Challenges (Entered & Completed)
• In Flight: 11-15 Challenges (Entered & Completed)
• Out of This World: 16+ Challenges (Entered & Completed)

Rules:

We're not making this a difficult challenge, actually, it's going to be very simple!

1. This challenge will begin on January 1, 2012 and end on December 31, 2012.
2. Write a starting post joining the challenge and outlining your challenges.
3. Track all of your challenge accomplishments - good & bad.
4. Stop by to join us in the mini-challenges, updates & extra giveaways throughout the year.

Easy, right? Who wants to be in on the fun? What else will we be doing? We'll have giveaways for our participants to enter and unannounced special drawings for commenters on the site so be sure to leave your email address with your comment! Are you ready? Sign up here to enter:

Are You In?

Happy Fall!!

How is everyone??

CMash & I are just terrific!! I'm joining challenges like there's no tomorrow and she's laughing like a hyena. For some reason she thinks I have a bit of a problem. Something about having more challenges than there are days in the year - I'm not really sure because I was in the process of signing up for a challenge when she was scolding me for little 'problem'.

Anyway, I'm SO into the 2012 Challenges already.

Jamie at 'An Eclectic Bookshelf' already has a ton of fun ones up and 'A Novel Challenge' has done a major overhaul since they came under new management and are all of these challenges!

So, I've been thinking...

Who Is In for 2012?

I know I am!!

I'll be creating a new linky in the coming weeks so that we can all sign up and commit ourselves as addicts in 2012.

It's OVER!!!

I'm very sorry to tell you that our summer challenge has run it's course.

BUT

I'm very happy to tell you that amongst us we've completed 72 challenges!!

WAY TO GO, TEAM!!

and now for the business at hand...


The winner of the oh, so snazzy prize pack of 5 books from my giveaway library is.....


# 69. Dollycas (Mystery Suspense Challenge)

Way to go!!

I'll be contact the winner so that she can chose her book.

and for the rest of you.... Don't worry, we'll be having another contest soon.

August Update

I'm late! I'm late! Yes, I'm pulling that Rabbit from Alice routine again. Ugh! I really need to stop that!

So, my darling Challenge Addicts.

How are your challenges coming? Have you completed the linky to share your challenge success?

As you all know, I'm offering 5 books from my personal library to one lucky participant this month. This giveaway will be open until August 31st. All you have to do to enter is to link a post stating that you've completed a challenge to the linky on our Completed Challenges page. Enter as many challenges as you've completed... but, please, only one entry per challenge. And since we have so many participants, I'll give away a second set of 5 books to a lucky second place winner IF we end up with more than 100 completed challenges.

(This giveaway is open to anyone in the US or Canada.)

I'll draw one winner in September.... unless we get more than 100 entries... then I'll draw two winners.

With that said. I have good news and bad news.

Bad News: There are only two weeks left to get those challenges done and enter them into the linky.

Good News: We already have 68 entries! We only need 32 more to have a second winner... and since there are more than 50 of us we should all just try to get one more done and entered before the 31st.

So, go out there and get some challenges finished!!

Gina

How's It Goin'?

Did you know that July is almost over? How did that happen? Where on earth have I been? ... probably on a soccer field!

So, the Big Question for today is... How are your challenges coming? We have TONS of participants but very few people are completing the linky that lets us know that you've completed a challenge... well, except for a few. 

To help everyone get their challenges done, I've decided to offer up 5 books from my personal library. This giveaway will be open until August 31st. All you have to do to enter is to link a post stating that you've completed a challenge to the linky on our Completed Challenges page. Enter as many challenges as you've completed... but, please, only one entry per challenge.

I'll draw one winner in September.... unless we get more than 100 entries... then I'll draw two winners. 

So, go out there and get some challenges finished!!

It's June. It's June!

Good evening, friends!!

I know, I know. Cheryl & I have been MIA lately - our personal lives are just wreaking havoc on our beloved blogs and challenges. We do want you to know that we're thinking of you & hope you keep stopping by & WORKING ON YOUR CHALLENGES.

I'm currently at 37 challenges with 8 of them completed. It's not terrific but most of them at at 50%+ so it's not terrible. How is everyone else doing?

Did you know that on many challenge blogs June is a make up month? So if you've gotten behind it's time to catch up. Especially, if you're like me and you read the books, write the reviews and then forget to enter them in the giveaway -- duh!!

So I've been stopping by all of my friends sites & entering my reviews. Are there any you have forgotten?

I'm Late, I'm Late!

I don't know about you but this month has been harrowing!
I just can't seem to catch up. To make matters worse - or at least to make me feel more guilty - today I've gotten not one but TWO emails from challenge hosts reminding me (not specifically just me) that I need to link up my posts. UGH!

So I'm here to remind all of my challenge friends that WE ARE SLACKING!

Dollycas's Just for fun Challenge for March is due in just NINE days and so far only 5 people have submitted their books.

Click the challenge icon to get signed up today!

Think that's bad, do you? Well, it gets worse!


As for the Show Me the Free Challenge - Missie at The Unread Reader was telling me that only seven people have linked up their reviews for this month!

That's shocking!?! Is no one reading the free eBooks we all download daily? AND she has this really cool prize! Who doesn't need a new book light? I know my el cheapo model is dying a slow and torturous death!

So, get to reading because you have less than SEVEN DAYS to get your link into Missie to be qualified.

So who's been reading this month? Can't you think of one book that you've read just because you wanted to? There isn't ONE book that you've snapped up just because it was free? Come on, Addicts, I expected better!!

I'd better get to reading so I can have a chance at these awesome prizes!

Done and Done!

Has everyone stopped by and congratulated Bev & Senora G? They are really reading it up this winter aren't they?

But, Did you know that Alley & Thinking Cat have also completed challenges?
(Oh, & Bev finished ANOTHER one.)

Stop by and let everyone know what a terrific job they're doing!

By the way... did anyone notice that I also finished three challenges??
I finished the Loving the Reviews Challenge, the eBook Challenge, and the Christian Fiction Challenge. Only 22 left to finish... UGH!

How is everyone else doing?

Way to go!!

I'm not sure if anyone has been visiting our friends but...


We need to congratulate:

• Bev, at My Reader's Block, on completing TWO, yes, TWO, challenges. You can read all about it in her post.
  She finished her commitments to the A-Z Mystery Author Challenge and The Dewey Decimal Challenge.
and
• Senora G, at Reading, Reading, & Life, on completing The Dewey Decimal Challenge

You are THE winners of this week's over-achiever award!

May I remind you, both, that February isn't even over yet?

For everyone else: Did you complete a challenge that I missed? If so, please, enter it on our completed challenges page & I'll make sure you too are harassed and embarrassed!

A Desperate Plea for HELP! :P

I'm sending out a desperate plea for help!

Cheryl desperately needs a Kindle!
Sure she has a Sony but there are so many more free books out on Amazon than there are on Sony and Kobo combined that it would actually save her family money if she had a Kindle.
I, of course, love my Kindle! so I've been trying to think of all of the best and most logical reasons for Cheryl to own one as well.

1. The money savings due to all of the free books -- just 20 free books and the Kindle would be paid for.
2. Games - Kindle has several free games that can be played when her mind's to spent to read.
3. The battery that doesn't seem to die.
4. She could use her earnings from the Amazon Affiliate Program (both cents) to get more books.
5. She could share with hubby.
6. She would have an extraordinary amount of reading material to take with her on her cruise without having to pay the extra luggage charges...

Okay, I've not come up with anything good...
What good reasons can you come up with?

Grrr!

As many of you know. The 'Linky Tools' are down.

I really and truly understand why he feels the need to charge for the service. Brent did a terrific job of keeping things up to date & he wasn't getting a dime in return. I even think that the $24 a year fee that he's charging is reasonable. He probably spends a ton of non-reimbursed time pulling everything together and keeping it running as seamlessly as her does.

My issue is this: Why on earth would you delete customer accounts, remove all of their information and links, and alienate potential customers? Please, explain to me why on earth he couldn't take ten minutes and send his customers/users an email to let them know he would be changing the format and requiring payment for use? I'd have paid the $24 just so I didn't loose all of our info! So today, I'm irritable & have much to redo...

All of that to just let you know that it may take me a couple of days to get our linky's back up & running -- oh, & that all of the info we had in them is now lost...

Job Descriptions

CMash has very nicely asked begged ordered me to give out job descriptions. I'm not one to shirk my duties so...

Followers:

It is the duty of the followers to:

• Join Challenges
• Read Books
• Post about your successes and failures
• Complete Challenges
• Link your challenges to our Challenge Page

CMash:

It is Cheryl's duty to:

• Make bi-weekly posts
• Congratulate/Admonish the followers as appropriate
• Stock the Depends
• Smile & do a parade wave!

Gina:

It is Gina's duty to:

• Enter challenges
• Read books
• Irritate Cheryl
• Cause Cheryl to need the depends
• Email Cheryl when she's shirking her duties
• Giggle manically

Just a reminder

Oh, My!!

I just spent a few minutes going through all 24, uhh, yes, 24 of the challenges I'd entered to make sure that I had actually entered them. Occasionally I forget to go back & link my post after I create it. Well, apparently, more than occasionally since at least half weren't completed. What an airhead I am...

Anyway, all that just to remind you that many of the Linky's/sign-up forms end at midnight to review your challenges to make sure you've actually signed up!!

Has anyone completed a challenge? Are you making progress? I think I'm doing well... if only I could stop adding more...

Oh, Me! Oh, My! What have I done?

You know, I'm constantly teasing Cheryl because she's gotten herself into so many challenges. Yet, this morning, I realized that I've already agreed to 16.

16!?!? Sure, most of them are cross-overs (I'm praying!!) but still! And this doesn't even include the seasonal challenges.

What was I thinking? Maybe an intervention is in order... Cheryl - HELP!!!

How many of you are joining me in these?

Fitness Challenge