Thursday, December 10, 2015

Introducing the "It's New to Me" Series Starter Challenge - #Giveaway


So, if you have been reading my Sunday Posts lately, you'll notice that I've been thinking about creating a year long challenge for a few weeks now.  It stemmed from all the other blogs I visited during the Waiting on Wednesday posts.  There would be so many books other bloggers were talking about, and they were in series that I hadn't started, but kept saying I needed to start.  And I would read other comments where people would say the same thing, sometimes they'd say it on my WOW posts. And there are even books that I've bought to start a series, and still have yet to pick them up! So I decided that I'm going to plan a challenge next year to do that.  I'm hoping to get some followers and fellow bloggers, people who are thinking about this, to join in.  I'm going to make the rules pretty easy to follow, and since it is my first year long challenge, I'll probably do an update post about every 3 months, where people can link to their books and enter to win some kind of prize.  Haven't decided yet what those prizes will be, probably gift cards or else maybe books.  So, here are my plans, and I hope these rules seem fair!

This challenge isn't about finishing a whole series, it is about starting a new series, and seeing just what all the fuss is about.  Maybe you'll read the first book, and decide the rest of it isn't for you.  Which is totally okay! I even feel like if you get started, and decide you don't like it, you can do a DNF post of some sort explaining your thoughts about why you decided that.  I just know I want some extra incentive to get those series started.  For example, this year I finally got around to reading Cinder, and while I enjoyed it, I wasn't as blown away as everyone else. BUT!  I am intrigued enough to go on.  So those are the kinds of things I'm trying to get started this coming year.  I have The Madman's Daughter sitting on my bookshelf waiting to be read for another example. So that will be one that I will do for my challenge this year.  I also want this to be open to people who don't have blogs.  So here are the rules.

Rules:
  • All books must be read and reviewed in 2016.  
  • You don't have to have a blog, you can keep track of your progress on another site like Goodreads, Shelfari, Booklikes.  You'll just have to make a shelf for this if you can, and then you'll link to that on updates.  You'll have to make that shelf public so that we can see it when you link to the updates.
  • You can pick any series you want, it doesn't have to be a brand new one, maybe you've always wanted to read the Lord of the Rings series.  My only qualification is that there already be more than one book in the series out, or maybe the 2nd book is being published in 2016, that is okay as well. 
  • Pick your goals below and put it in your post if you have a blog, along with the button above, and then you'll link to your post at the bottom of this post.  You can change your goal any time up until November 1st, 2016.
  • You need to follow my blog in some way so that you can be aware of any updates. 
  • You can sign up any time up until November 1st, 2016, but to enter into the contest below for entering the challenge, you must sign up by January 1st. There will be other giveaways throughout the year though, if you sign up later.
Levels:
Because you're "exploring" new territory with series that are new to you, I've named each level after the NASA manned space missions from oldest to most recent.  You can see them below.


 Mercury:  
1-2 new series
 http://history.nasa.gov/gemini.jpg
 Gemini:
3-4 new series
 http://history.nasa.gov/apollo.jpg
 Apollo:
5-6 new series
 http://history.nasa.gov/skylab.jpg
 Skylab:
7-8 new series
 http://history.nasa.gov/shuttle-patch.jpg
 Space Shuttle:
9-10 new series
 International Space Station patch image
 International Space Station:
11-12 (or more) new series

       So what do you think?  Is this something you'd like to join with me?  I feel like the levels are pretty easy.  The highest level is even just one new series a month.  The link-up will be below.

My goal:  I am going to try for 4 new series this year.  Here are my proposed series:  Throne of Glass, The Madman's Daughter, Zodiac, The Ward are probably the ones. But there may be others!  

Giveaway:
But first, whether you plan to sign up or not, I have a giveaway for you!  First I'd ask everyone to at least tweet about this Challenge.  That's the only required entry for the giveaway below.  Anyone who does that will be entered into a drawing for a $5 gift card to Amazon.  Now, if you choose to join in, everyone who has signed up and linked up below for the challenge, will be entered to win their choice of book up to $15 from the Book Depository, you could maybe use that to get one of the series you need to start!  There are also other options for entering the giveaway.  If you are participating you'll be following me some way, so that will get you an entry as well.  Feel free to do as many as you want, or just the first tweet.

a Rafflecopter giveaway