Where Are You Reading? Challenge

Yes, it's me again, Ms "I'm-not-gonna-do-any-challenges-next-year!" And yes, I've signed up for another challenge, Book Journey's Where Are You Reading? Challenge but it's not what you think :-)

The Where Are You Reading? Challenge is pretty straight forward in premise: Create a google map and place markers on the map indicating the primary setting of the book you are reading. That's it. No book reviews. No lists. Okay, I'm good with that so far because I love maps! I know, that's a pretty weird thing for someone like me, who is seriously globally disoriented, but I love, love, love maps! I can read maps, I can lay out maps in my head when areas are being described, I just can't actually use a map or even see constellations in the sky. If it wasn't for my Garmin, I wouldn't be able to get home from the grocery store parking lot which is only a couple blocks away. Before GPS, I used to write directions on an index card and on the reverse side, write out the directions on how to get back. If there was a detour, I was doomed. At the time before GPS, I was living in the Washington, D.C. area which meant that I would inevitably cross a bridge and end up in Virginia with no left turns until you got to Richmond.... but I egregiously digress. So, the map, presented below with no placemarks yet because the challenge doesn't begin until 2011.

Now the way the challenge is set up, readers are encouraged to read a book for each state in the United States (No, no, not one book covering fifty states; but fifty books, each one covering a different state.) Those who manage to complete fifty books in fifty states will earn a chance to win a fifty-dollar Amazon gift card.

But you know what? I'm gonna be honest. I'm not playing to win. Next year, I want no-stress/no-guilt reading, no vortexes of panic that will lead to no-joy/end-of-year cram sessions or drunk blogging. So what I'm doing is simply placing placemarks for the books that I'm actually reading. I might even add a couple extra placemarks (different color) to show various independent bookstores that I'm visiting or maybe some literary event like the Books on the Nightstand Readers' Retreat or the BEA... We'll see. I'm using the challenge to complement other reading that I'm doing next year and hopefully having a little fun being creative with the map.

View dogearedcopy map 2011 in a larger map