Spring into Horror Read-a-Thon Wrap-Up

Well, the read-a-thon has come to an end.  I hope you all accomplished the goals you set out for yourselves.  Even if you didn't meet your goals (that's okay, too!), I hope above all else that you had fun.  I did not do so hot, but I'm happy with what I got read and I enjoyed the social aspect so much.  In my opinion, having no mini-challenges on the host blog really left us more time to read and interact with other bloggers.  What did you think?  Did you like focusing more on the reading this time?  Let me know in the comments.

We did have some awesome mini-challenges and prizes organized by the wonderful Erin at Oh, For the Hook of a Book.  I'd like to thank her for all her hard work and to also thank the authors for their generosity.  I'd also like to thank the most excellent Krista at Book Review Club for hosting the giveaway of MaryLynn Bast's book, No Remorse.  And thank you to MaryLynn for donating her book.  You guys really helped me out a lot and I really appreciate it!

Also, I must not forget the generous authors who donated prizes for the big read-a-thon giveaway.  A big shout out to Tiffane Messer, J.L. Murphey, and Melanie McDonald! Thank you so much.  You all rock!

So, my final stats are as follows:

Total Books Read: One complete book (Ghost Story), 1/4 of The Catcher in the Rye, 115 pages of Bleak House, and 10 pages of A Clash of Kings

Total Pages Read: 694 

Books Read Since Last Update: 1/3 of Ghost Story
Pages Read since last update:  334 

How did you do?  Place the link to your wrap-up post in the linky at the end of the post (or your final update from Facebook, etc.).  You have until Tuesday morning, 5/1, at 10am CST to complete your wrap-up in order to be eligible for the big giveaway.


I am now looking ahead to the second annual High Summer Read-a-Thon, which I will be hosting at The True Book Addict , probably around mid to late July.  I hope you all will consider joining me again.

Spring into Horror--My Updates

Saturday, 10:00pm--Man, I've only read about 40 pages today, of Ghost Story.  I went to lunch and a movie with Mom today.  Saw "The Raven"...great film! Here's my update and my entry for Erin's Challenge 5 at Oh, For the Hook of a Book is just below it.

My update:

Total Books Read: I'm doing away with this category since I'm really only reading parts of books so far.  I will add it back when (if) I complete an entire book.

Total Pages Read: 360 

Books Read Since Last Update: see above
Pages Read since last update:  120 

What I'm currently reading: Reading Ghost Story by Peter Straub, on page 149.  Loving it! Really hoping to finish tonight.  Up next, The King's Agent by Donna Russo Morin.  Then, I would love to start Graceling by Kristin Cashore and get caught up in A Clash of Kings.  Too ambitious, I'm sure!


Erin's Challenge 5--Can you finish this sentence?

I know it's a little strange that I carry this around with me, but since I killed her and took her hand, I can't part with it.  They say (Who are they, by the way?) that a serial killer always takes a souvenir, but is this what they meant?  I'm not sure, but this is the memento I wanted.  Plus, I like to take the hand and have it caress the top of my head the way my mother did when I was a child.  I am in kind of a dilemma though.  The hand is starting to rot and it smells really bad.  I'm afraid I will have to part with it soon.  So I must go around looking for a replacement.  Where do the motherly women gather?  The grocery store is where I will go, I think.  

Friday, 5:45pm--Okay, so I missed updating yesterday.  I know, I know. I'm bad.  I haven't been doing so hot with the reading either, but I'm hoping tonight and this weekend will prove to be productive.  So here is my update and then just below that are my entries for Erin's Challenge 3 and Challenge 4 at Oh, For the Hook of a Book.

My update:

Total Books Read: I'm doing away with this category since I'm really only reading parts of books so far.  I will add it back when (if) I complete an entire book.

Total Pages Read: 240 (approx.)

Books Read Since Last Update: see above
Pages Read since last update:  115 

What I'm currently reading: Reading Ghost Story by Peter Straub, on page 29.  I can tell already that this is going to be a fast read for me.  Deliciously creepy already!


Erin's Challenge 3--Horror Survey
1.) What do you define HORROR genre as?  I define horror as the really scary, the gory, the gothic, the creepy.  Authors I would classify would be Stephen King, Dean Koontz (most of his), Richard Matheson, Graham Masterton, Scott Nicholson, Brandon Ford, Thomas Tryon, John Saul

2.) What is your favorite sub-genre of HORROR (paranormal, devil/death, supernatural, blood and gore, etc.)  I like the really scary ones and blood and gore is okay, in moderation.  What I really like is the supernatural...the subtly creepy ones.  Also, paranormal because of Anne Rice mainly.

3.) What do you want to see more from writers in the HORROR field?  More subtlety.  Less in your face, like Hell House by Richard Matheson.  Truly though, I'm quite pleased with what horror has to offer these days.

4.) Favorite HORROR movie and why?  I can't really pick one.  For my most recent favorite, it would have to be "Insidious".  Just a terrific scary flick.  The music alone will set your teeth on edge.  Another favorite is "The Descent".  Trapped in a cave with mutated human creatures.  Enough said.  I loved "Jeepers Creepers" for obvious reasons and I'm a big fan of the Japanese horror genre and its U.S. remakes.  Specifically, "The Ring" and "The Grudge".
5.) Favorite HORROR authors and why?  Stephen King, again for obvious reasons, but specifically for books like Bag of Bones.  Just so subtly creepy.  Richard Matheson because of Hell House.  Read it.  You'll see why.  Dean Koontz.  I'm not as enamored of him as I used to be, but books like Phantoms, Whispers, Hideaway made him a staple in my home library.  Also, John Saul.  Again, don't read him as much, but still like some of his books.  Someone you MUST try is Thomas Tryon.  Specifically, for The Other and Harvest Home.  Two completely awesome books.

6.) What other elements do you like in your HORROR books (mystery, thriller, romance, historical, etc.)?  I like a good historical mystery, like The Alienist by Caleb Carr.  Also, thrillers are good at times.  Hush by Kate White was a good thriller and I like the author Erin Hart.  Her thriller/mystery, Haunted Ground was excellent.

7.) What is you favorite HORROR book of all time?  Sorry SK, but it has to be Hell House by Richard Matheson!

8.) What do you like most about this Spring into Horror read-a-thon?  Well, since I'm the host...everything! LOL! But seriously, I love the reading, of course, but ultimately it's also about community and interacting with people of a like mind.  I love it! Which is why I host them (next one coming up in July...not horror themed this time, but still fun!)

9.) Why do you think people read HORROR?  I think people generally like being scared.  Especially in a safe way where you know you're not really going to get hurt.  It's that adrenaline rush that comes with getting scared that I think people enjoy.  I know it's the case with me.

10.) Your favorite name of a character in a HORROR book?  That honor goes to the vampire Lestat de Lioncourt (sp?) from Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles.  What a name...what a character!

Erin's Challenge 4--How Would You Survive?

1. Satellite cell phone

2. tent

3. extra rugged and warm sleeping bag

4. rifle/shotgun

5. hunting knife

6. several boxes of matches

7. non-perishable food (granola bars, etc.)

8. extra ammunition

9. plenty of bottled water

10. a pot/pan for cooking

I really don't hold out much hope for my survival.  Of course, I am a trooper so if confronted with this situation, I just might buck up and kick ass!

Wednesday, 9:50pm--It's time for Erin's Challenge #2.  Stop by Oh, For the Hook of a Book to check it out.  It involves Stephen King, everyone's favorite horror author (well, mine anyway)! My read-a-thon update is below the SK stuff.  =O)

Here's a pic of the shelf dedicated solely to Stephen King books, although he's going to have to have two shelves very soon.  This corner bookshelf houses most of my favorite authors besides King, like Anne Rice, Jean Auel, Jane Austen, Dean Koontz, etc.  Now in this pic you're only going to see the stacks in the front, but the shelf is pretty deep so the rest are behind and the stack on the left are Joe Hill (son) and Tabitha King (wife) books.  

Since this image does not begin to show the sheer amount of SK books I own, I'm afraid I'm going to have to list them here.  I don't mind though.  I'm so proud! Starred are what I've read.  Double starred are favorites.  I have not read nearly enough of his books.  What's wrong with me?!  (four books I have read, but do not own, are Needful Things, Christine, Pet Sematary, and Cujo)

1. Danse Macabre                        
2. Four Past Midnight
3. Different Seasons                      
4. The Green Mile **
5. Salem's Lot                               
6. The Stand
7. Cycle of the Werewolf             
8. The Talisman (with Peter Straub)
9. Black House (w/ Straub)        
10. The Eyes of the Dragon
11. Misery **                                 
12. The Tommyknockers
13. The Dark Half  *                      
14. Gerald's Game
15. Dolores Claiborne               
16. Insomnia
17. Rose Madder *                      
18. Desperation
19. Bag of Bones ** (actually read twice!)                      
20. Dreamcatcher *
21. The Diary of E. Rimbauer *   
22. From a Buick 8
23. Cell                                     
24. Lisey's Story
25. The Regulators                    
26. Blaze
27. It                                          
28. The Gunslinger  *
29. The Drawing of the Three   
30. The Waste Lands
31. Wizard and Glass                
32. Wolves of the Calla
33. Song of Susanna                  
34. The Dark Tower
35. Everything's Eventual         
36. The Shining
37. Skeleton Crew                   
38. Duma Key *
39. The Dead Zone                  
40. Just After Sunset
41. Nightmares/Dreamscapes  
42. Under the Dome 
43. Carrie *                               
44. Full Dark, No Stars
45. 11/22/63

My update:

Total Books Read: 1/4

Total Pages Read: 125 (approx.)

Books Read Since Last Update: 1/4

Pages Read since last update:  115 

What I'm currently reading: Trying to catch up on Bleak House for a read-a-long.  I have about 300 pages to read.  Good luck!

Tuesday, 5:00pm--For Erin's challenge (and giveaway) at Oh, For the Hook of a Book and to update, I am currently reading (finishing) The Catcher in the Rye for the last discussion tonight on TuesBookTalk.

I'm still not very caught up in A Clash of Kings, which I was trying to do before I watch the episodes I missed of the HBO series ("Game of Thrones"), but I'm not going to get to watch it this week anyway so I think after I finish Catcher in the Rye, I will pick up Ghost Story and read it the rest of the night.  Scary reading for a late night. ;O)

Monday,6:30pm--I haven't done much reading for the read-a-thon so far.  I was on mom duty for half the day.  Well, it's every day, but this was extra mom duties.  ;O)  So, I've visited everyone that is signed in at the linky, I've got TweetChat pulled up for #SpringHorrorRAT tweeting, and I'm ready to settle in for some reading...after I fix supper.  Aargh!

Total Books Read: 0

Total Pages Read: 10 (maybe)
Books Read Since Last Update: 0
Pages Read since last update:  N/A (first update) 
What I'm currently reading: A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin  (I'll get my horror on after I get caught up with this)

Reminder: Mini-Challenges and Giveaways #SpringHorrorRAT

Just a reminder to you, dear read-a-thon-ers! You still have time to participate in some fun mini-challenges to win books and there is still a giveaway going on.

Over at Erin's Oh, For the Hook of a Book, there are four challenges still going on...and they're a TON of fun.  Plus, you can win some great books.  You have until tomorrow night at 11:59pm EST.  Here are the links:

Challenge 2
Challenge 3
Challenge 4 
Challenge 5
Giveaway Finale


You have an hour and a half to enter to win a signed copy of MaryLynn Bast's No Remorse over at Krista's Book Review Club.  Go HERE to enter.

Hope the read-a-thon continues to be fun for you all! Good luck if you decide to enter these great challenges/giveaways!

Spring into Horror Read-a-Thon--Starting Line

It's time! Are you ready?  I certainly am! This is the official starting line post for the read-a-thon.  Be sure to sign in here, at the beginning or when you start reading.  Remember, you do not have to have a blog to join us.  You can sign in linking to Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads...wherever you will be updating from.  And you don't have to start at the beginning.  Start on any day this week, or if you're working all week, join us for the weekend.  People can sign in up until Friday night at 11:59pm CST.  I'll be stopping by and visiting you so I hope you will have your book piles/reading lists posted. *hint hint*  Remember to include at least one scary book (horror, paranormal, mystery, etc.).

Join us on Twitter using the hashtag #SpringHorrorRAT  Who knows.  We might even have some reading sprints on Twitter throughout the week.  There won't be any prizes if/when we do, but you will get bragging rights.  Just remember to have fun this week.  Again, my read-a-thon credo is "a week of relaxed reading during which we can personally challenge ourselves and whittle away those ever looming TBR piles/shelves/libraries."  I have done away with mini-challenges so we can focus more on the reading, but please do stop by and visit your fellow read-a-thon-ers if you get a chance...and again, we will also be on Twitter for social interaction.  =O)

PRIZES/GIVEAWAYS

The prize and giveaway page is HERE (or it can be accessed from the link at the top of the blog post section).  Check out the awesome prizes which were donated and the giveaway details.  We also have giveaways being hosted by fellow bloggers/RAT participants:

Erin at Oh, For the Hook of a Book is hosting some easy mini-challenges and giving away 11 books this week! Check out the details at her blog HERE.  Thank you, Erin!

To enter for a signed copy and bookmark of No Remorse by MaryLynn Bast, visit Book Review Club.  Thanks, Krista!


***The sign-in linky is located at the end of this post***

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What I'll be reading this week, or in other words, my overly ambitious reading list:

My scary titles:
Ghost Story by Peter Straub
Decayed Etchings by Brandon Ford
My Mother She Killed Me, My Father He Ate Me: Forty New Fairy Tales


Other titles:
Bleak House by Dickens (playing read-a-long catch-up)
Forever Amber by Kathleen Winsor (still trying to finish)
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger (last 70 or so pages for TuesBookTalk)
Never Say Sorry by Rose Edmunds
Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Tonight I'm going to work on catching up on A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin (after I take my shower).  Burning the midnight oil!

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