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Oct
23
My Read-A-Thon Dilemma
2009 at 9am Posted by Rebecca Joines Schinsky
I am ridiculously excited to be participating in my first 24 Hour Read-A-Thon tomorrow. So excited, in fact, that I woke up in the middle of the night two nights ago, convinced that it was time to jump out of bed and get started. My friends think I must be crazy. My husband is amused and, more than anything else, interested to see how long I’ll actually be able to keep it going, and I….well, I’m having a dilemma.
You see, I’ve promised to kick off my read-a-thon reading with The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks in order to complete my horrible dare from Trish. I figure that if I have to read something I am SO NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO, I may as well get it out of the way early, right? Then it can only get better.
But here’s the problem. I am 200 pages (out of 550ish) into John Irving’s forthcoming novel Last Night in Twisted River, and I am loving it. And I don’t think I’ll be able to finish it before tomorrow morning. I’m generally a book monogamist, and I know people keep saying that for the read-a-thon, it’s best to have several selections you can dip in and out of, but that’s just not my style. I read one book at a time, and on the rare occasion that I do have multiple books going at the same time, they are never of the same genre.
So what’s a girl to do? Do I read as much Irving as I can today and then put it on hold until after I finish my Nicholas Sparks dare tomorrow? Or do I deviate from the original plan by kicking off the read-a-thon with John Irving and then going into the inevitably disappointing Sparks selection? Or do I just put John Irving, to whom I want to be able to give my full attention, off until after the read-a-thon, when I’ll have more brain juice to devote to it?
Help!
Follow me on Twitter, where I’ll announce my choice at the beginning of the read-a-thon tomorrow morning, and keep an eye out for my custom #IHeartTheSpark hashtag to follow my progress with The Last Song.
No related posts.
If you read John Irving after #ihearthespark, you might be disappointed with anything else you read! But if you read #iheartthespark after John Irving, it’ll be THAT MUCH WORSE to all of our enjoyment. Plus you can’t get much worse than #iheartthespark so the disappointment will have worn off.
I don’t think you should delay fulfilling your #ihearthespark commitment. It will be harder to pick up mid-readathon!
oh girl. I’m all about the rewards system!
Why do you *have* to read a book you’re not looking forward to during the read-a-thon? Can you save that one for after? I think trying to force your way through a book you’re not enjoying for hours on end is a good way to make the read-a-thon severely un-fun.
I definitely think you should read Irving second as a reward. I know that would motivate me!
It would motivate me too. Get the drudgery over then treat yourself. Honestly, it probably could be worse. You might feel a little sleazy and used after you finish Sparks, but his stuff is usually pretty readable.
I don’t actually think you need a reward for reading Sparks, because you’re going to have so dang much fun tweeting snarky things about it on #IHeartTheSpark. I’d either finish Irving first or save him for post-readathon. Like Swapna says, you might be disappointed with anything else after Irving.
From my experience with the last read-a-thon (so sorry to miss this edition but parents are in town and girls are sick anyway…), I would not read Irving at all during that time. I think it would negatively impact your experience. I strongly suggest reading only light things. You’ll get bogged down in more than that. Have fun! I’ll be rooting for you even if I’m not online much.
Well, I don’t want to give any of my regular reading time to N. Sparks, so I figured if I worked it into the read-a-thon, I could still read everything else, too.
I’m really enjoying The Historian, but I’m only on page 288 (of 909) and I find it’s best taken 50 pages or so at a time, so I’m planning to put it aside tomorrow to read some shorter, less dense fare. I may take in a chapter or two throughout the day; I’m not sure I’ll be able to help myself.
I’m sort of in the same boat; I’m currently in the middle of a Wilkie Collins book — it’s good, but not a light read. I may start out with reading some of it, but if I find myself not giving it full attention, then I’m setting it aside post-read-athon.
Maybe you can do the same for your John Irving book.
Save the Sparks for when you know you are feeling sleepy — I bet it’s the lightest read in your read-a-thon pile!
but, whatever you think will work best for you! The read-a-thon is supposed to be fun, after all
!
I voted…finish Irving and then move on to Sparks…Enjoy the day
What a dilemna! Considering how much you love Irving, Sparks is doomed to be even worse if you follow greatness with trash. Which could be amusing, but also agonizing.
As a cheerleader, I will support you whatever your decision.
Ah, that is a dilemma…like you I am a one book reader. I intentionally did NOT start Iving’s latest before the Read-A-Thon because I knew I couldn’t finish it before tomorrow and I would probably not have the willpower to set it aside to read other stuff *smiles* That said, that is exactly what I think you should do…read the light stuff during the Read-A-thon and come back to Irving after the event is over
I say if you must read the Sparks, read it first and then go for the Irving. Since you know it’s something you’re really enjoying, I’m thinking it’ll be a great reward and incentive for finishing the dread horror Sparks as fast as possible!
maybe this is a stupid question, but does the 24 hour read-a-thon imply that you have to stay awake for 24 hours? good luck! (i’ve never read a nicholas spark book either, but i have seen a walk to remember. in the theater! ha.)
I think you should continue with the Irving and hold off on the Sparks! That’s just my opinion, of course.
I am for doing whatever you feel like doing!
Best of luck today