Finally got some sleep...

I LOVED my first Dewey's 24 hr. Read-a-thon! It was amazing - I'm already looking forward to the next one in April!

Now we're on to plotting and planning for NaNoWriMo...it starts in less than one week!

I'm still trying to decide which of the two stories that has been percolating in my brain for the past few months will be the lucky winner. Honestly, it might just come down to whichever one I feel more like writing about when I wake up on Monday. Yes...Monday...I'll be missing the first day of the competition because of the crazy Halloween celebration stuff that will be going on next weekend!

My best friend hosts a fantastic Halloween party every year, and with the Daylight Savings Time kicking in on the same night, we're going to be adding another hour to the madness! With adult beverages involved, I doubt I will wake up early on NaNo morning, and I'm SURE I won't be bright-eyed and bushy tailed. Oh...and did I mention that my best friend lives in Pennsylvania and I live in Georgia? So...I will be spending the second half of my day in airports and on airplanes. Yeah...I know I could be getting started on my novel while traveling, but honestly - lugging around the laptop is just such a hassle. I'd rather just open a book and read a bit. (Although right at this moment, the idea of reading isn't completely appealing...)

; )

So, I'll just get up on Monday and dive right in. I'll make sure I get at least my two day word total in on Monday, so I don't fall behind.

I'm always open to discussion with other NaNo's, and if you're local - let's talk write-in!!!

I DID IT!!!

I managed to stay up all night, thanks to a pretty scary stream of ingestibles the last 3 hours or so. Between the caffeine, sugar and crunchy snacks, eating kept me awake and reading!

Off to get some sleep!!!

End of Event....

1. Which hour was most daunting for you?

Hour 22 - 5am to 6am. I wasn't sure I'd make it at that point...

2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?

I recommend two that I finished this year - Meeting Mr. Wrong: The Romantic Misadventures of a Southern Belle by Stephanie Snowe and I Was a Teenage Dominatrix by Shawna Kenney. Both were HYSTERICAL and kept me laughing and plowing ahead.

3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?

Just let more people know about it! This has been awesome!

4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?

I think everyone was so encouraging - I had numerous contacts from Cheerleaders and other readers.

5. How many books did you read?

6

6. What were the names of the books you read?

Meeting Mr. Wrong: The Romantic Misadventures of a Southern Belle - Stephanie Snowe
Cupid & Diana - Christina Bartolomeo
Night - Elie Weisel
I Was a Teenage Dominatrix - Shawna Kenney
The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde
Ambulance Girl - Jane Stern

7. Which book did you enjoy most?

Different ones for different reasons! "Night" was just flat out amazing. So dark and harrowing. The first two memoirs (Mr. Wrong & Dominatrix) were funnier than funny.

8. Which did you enjoy least?

Cupid & Diana...not a bad book, just very average.

9. If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders?

I wasn't a Cheerleader this year, but they all did a great job!

10. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time?

April, you said??? Sounds good to me. I'm there. I'm going to read again.

: )

Take a Break Mini-Challenge - Hour 21

The caffeine itself isn't doing the job anymore...to stay awake we've moved on to massive amounts of sugar. I've made a whole package of break & bake cookies at 1:35am. This is all that's left...

Favorite Childhood reads...

The Little House books...all of them!
The Secret Garden
Daddy Long Legs
Heidi

Links are in my post!

: )

Cindy's Mini-Challenge...Favorite Things

Eight things I love....

1. Whiskers on kittens - Yeah, I know Julie Andrews loves them too, but I really do. Even more, I love their tiny sticky-up tails. Kittens are the most perfect babies on earth.

2. Staying up all night reading. And having people say..."That's cool" instead of..."Are you on crack?"

3. Paperbackswap.com...anyone who knows what this is doesn't need any explanation.

4. Shoes. I have over 400 pair. I know - it's a sickness. "Hello. My name is Lauri and I'm a shoe addict." Maybe I should just get a tattered piece of cardboard and stand out on the corner near the mall..."Will work for DSW gift cards."

5. Donuts. Homer Simpson and I are down with this. (We do the fist bump!)

6. Original Mr. Pibb - the best soda EVER. Worth every non-diet calorie I slurp.

7. Wine. Red or white is good. However, friends don't let friends drink white zinfandel. Remember this. The girl drinking the white zinfandel in the bar is a walking roofie magnet.

8. My Mini Cooper - the cutest car I've ever seen. I've posted a picture on my blog for your viewing pleasure. This is Chessi - the chessboard Cooper. I'm such a dweeb I have a personalized license plate with her name on it. People actually walk up to me in parking lots and tell me my car is cool. I love that!

To Dewey...

Sometimes people pass from this world without being able to see the vast number of people whose lives they have touched. Even though we haven’t all had the chance to meet her, we thank her for bringing us this chance to do what we love.

Dewey – you have touched us, and we thank you.