The 2019 Pick Your Poison Reading Challenge

It's that time of year again.  It's dark before I leave work, and by the time I get home all I'm thinking about is a cup of hot chocolate and a good book to curl up with.  With the New Year on the horizon, we're all thinking about resolutions and goals and pushing ourselves a little bit further.

For the fourth year, I am excited to offer the Pick Your Poison Reading Challenge as an option for being creative with your reading goals this upcoming year.  I have designed this challenge to be flexible for  because I know there are a lot of different types of readers out there.  If you struggle to finish a book a month, the Baker's Dozen is the choice for you--pick 13 books from the topics.  If you are like me, and find yourself making trips almost daily to the library to return books you've finished and get new ones, the Freak Reader option should be your choice--read one book that fits each category in all of the topics.

I also know that sometimes you just can't find a book to work in a topic, so I've created some wildcards to help you out.  If you're up for a super challenge be a Freaky Reader and complete all the Wildcards.  Go on.  I dare you.

So here it is, the 2019 Pick Your Poison Reading Challenge:

Many, many thanks to my good friend Good Karma for the graphics and the new look for 2019.  I always send her an email that says, "Do you mind?..." and she responds, "Of course I will!" and then I wait (no so) patiently for the magic that she creates.

Good Karma is also way more tech savvy than I am, and "knows what the people want" when it comes to being able to download things.  This year she has once again created a 2-page pdf so you can print it off and make notes.  Or, for the folks like me who love spreadsheets, she has created a great spreadsheet for you to keep track of what you've read.

Click here for Printable PDF

Click here for Spreadsheet

Good Karma also has a great shop where she sells lovely handmade housewares, wallets, journals, handspun yarn, and much more!  Take a moment to check out her shop and help me thank her by maybe making a purchase or two.

I also owe a world of thanks to the supportive gals in the "Cafe"--you guys know who you are.  Thanks for proofing my list and making suggestions!  I appreciate all of you!!!

Hope your 2019 is full of great books!

Final Legendary Carrot Uprising story

So I have definitely entered that stage of life where pulling an all-nighter is beyond my capability.  In the last couple of days before my final project for class was due, I found myself yawning uncontrollably by 10 pm.  I set my alarm early (around 4:30am) so I could get some writing done before work.

My final portfolio was due last night at 11:59pm.  At 11:21, I clicked "submit" and I am done.

For those who read the original draft of the Legendary Carrot Uprising, if you are interesting in reading the final version, it can be found here.

Legendary Carrot Uprising

I am taking a creative writing course this semester from the college where I work.  Our final project for the term is a short story.  I was really struggling with an idea for my story when a friend of mine mentioned a phrase that she always wanted to see made into a story, "Legendary Carrot Uprising."

Somehow that title really appealed to me and I found myself coming up with all sorts of fun, ridiculous ideas of what might happen in carrots decided enough was enough.

I have submitted the initial draft of my story.  My classmates and instructor should all comment on the story and then I'm expected to make final edits and submit a final version at the end of the term.

For your reading pleasure, Legendary Carrot Uprising.