2012 - Sign-up Form
2012 - Books Read Form

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Cozy Mystery Challenge 2011 - Rules and Sign-up form


It's that time of year again, time to sign up for the annual Cozy Mystery Challenge and start thinking about the books you'll want to read for the next 6 months.

Last year we had a great turn out and I hope we do just as well, if not better,  in 2011.

For those who might wonder what a cozy mystery is, here's a great website that explains it and is a great resource for series:  Cozy-Mystery.com   I also have the 2010 list of read books still available on this blog, so feel free to browse through the list to see what members read last year.

Here are the rules:
1. The challenge runs April 1st, 2011 through September 30, 2011.

2. The goal is to read at least 6 cozy mysteries, one for each month.  You can choose to read more, but you must read 6 in order to complete this challenge. You don't have to read 1 each month, you can read them whenever you like, you just have to read at least six.

There are three participation levels for this challenge:
Only the required amount - 6
I think I can do better - 7-10
Feeling very ambitious - 11+


3. While you can overlap with other challenges, please try to have at least 2 of the books only count towards this challenge.  However, if you are doing a challenge such as 100 Books in 2011 or similar, where you are working towards a page count or book count, it's ok to count these books towards that challenge. 

4.
Sign-up using the dedicated form. While it would be great if you signed up before April 1st,  you can sign up anytime between now and September 1st.

5. You do NOT need a blog to participate.  If you do have a blog, I would love to see a dedicated post linking back this post, but that's not required either.

6. You do NOT have to list the books you plan to read ahead of time, although you can if you want to (and the list can change throughout the challenge).

7.  Prizes!! Everyone loves a prize! Everyone who completes this challenge will get a bookmark made by yours truly.  My goal is to use the challenge button this year for the bookmark! That will probably help me mail them out a bit faster

This year I am also happy to announce that I'll be able to offer giveaways!  I think most of us cozy fans are aware that Penguin has two divisions with some awesome cozy series, Obsidian and Berkley Prime Crime.  I'm going to be able to offer a multi-book giveaway in September and possible one or two books before that. I don't know what books will be offered yet, just that I've been in contact with a wonderful person who works for them and they have been nice enough to allow me to do the giveaway(s).    

Due to the publisher providing the books for the giveaway, I'm going to put a twist on the giveaway entry.  Every person who completes the challenge will be able to fill out the giveaway form and earn 1 entry.  However, on top of that, for each Berkley Prime Crime and Obsidian book you read, you earn an extra entry. I'll have more details towards the end of the challenge when the giveaway is announced.  ( I want to disclose that the publisher did NOT request I do this, rather I came up with the extra entries as a way to help promote their books since they were kind enough to allow me to do the giveaways. )

Please let me know if you have any questions and most importantly....HAVE FUN!





Pssst - There is another cozy challenge going on this year, Crusin' Through the Cozies, being hosted by Socrates' Book Review Blog.   If you signed up for that one (heck..I did), you are more than welcome to sign up for this one as well. The only thing I ask is that you do pay attention to rule #3 and read at least 2 cozies specifically for this one..that you don't count for the other one. 

22 comments:

  1. thanks for doing this again,
    kim in ohio

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  2. You're welcome Kim! I wouldn't miss it.

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  3. Just plan on doing 6, I probably won't get there but I wanted to read more books this year... so I'm hoping! be nice to have some new authors too.

    Andrea in NC

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  4. I'm so glad you are doing this again! I signed up :)

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  5. Question about Rule #3 - does it count if the only challenge they overlap with is the 100 Books in a Year Challenge?

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  6. Andrea - you can do it! I have my fingers crossed you'll get all 6 read and find some new authors while you are at it.

    Yvonne - Yay! Glad to see you signed up this year.

    Ricki - Good question...you can count all books read for this challenge towards the 100 books in a year challenge. Since the other challenge is just for numbers and not a specific genre, etc, then I don't have a problem with all the books read for this one also counting for the other.

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  7. I put up my post. I'm officially in again. Books I'll actually read to be decided upon over the next six months.

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  8. Glad to see you are in again Mark! Oh..btw..your picture reminded me of the mud runs. I'm hoping to do a Warrior Dash run in October in my area this year. There's a mud run in May I was interested in doing, but along with paying the $50-$60 fee, they force each person to raise $100 for charity. I just hate having to do that and don't think it's right to force that on us...was trying to get a group together but most have issues with that part of it so right now it doesn't look like I'll be doing it.

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  9. You didn't give the choice I wanted for "how did you hear about this challenge?" which is.... I did it last year!!

    I'm in again and this time I'm trying to read at least seven if not more. Thanks for hosting again!!

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  10. Kelly - lol - I never even thought about that option! I'll have to try and remember for next year. SO glad to see you are back and willing to play.

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  11. Hi, Kris. I wasn't sure which link to put up there, so I put my blog. Here's the link for the post on which I wrote about your challenge. It's down at the end.http://www.thisthat-herethere.com/2011/03/whats-up-with-me.html

    Thanks for hosting such a cool challenge!

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  12. Su-sieee! Mac - Thanks for joining again! I was hoping to see your name. The link to your blog is fine, I'll be checking out all the blogs soon and commenting on challenge posts.

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  13. I swore that this year I was not going to participate in any challenge, but each year I have so much fun with this one. Had to do it.

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  14. I'm glad to see you couldn't resist this one again Stepfrodmomto2!

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  15. I am so excited to be participating in my first reading challenge. I'm thrilled I found this one. Cozy mysteries are my ultimate favorite books to read. My TBR list seems to multiply every time I look at it. This challenge is a great motivator to help me pick up the momentum. I'm off to a good start so far. I just completed I Scream, You Scream by Wendy Lyn Watson & Eggsecutive Orders by Julie Hyzy. I really enjoyed both books. I hope to get my blog up and running soon so I can start writing reviews. Next up is Wicked Weaves by Joyce & Jim Lavene. :)

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  16. Stacie - sounds like this challenge is perfect for you! I'm so glad you found it. Cozies are a lot of fun and when you dig you can find lots of variety. Eggsecutive Orders is on my tbr pile, glad to see you enjoyed it.

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  17. Just finished Wicked Weaves by Joyce & Jim Lavene. I really enjoyed this book. The Renaissance Faire was a fun, different and very interesting setting for this cozy murder. I look forward to following Jessie & Chase's relationship through this series. It's nice to have a leading character that commits to a love interest (although a bit reluctantly) early on in the series. Next, I'm reading Diva Paints the Town by Krista Davis.

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  18. CNN.com has a great article on the the culinary mystery boom.

    http://www.cnn.com/2011/LIVING/04/13/culinary.mysteries.gain.popularity/index.html?hpt=C2

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  19. Hi Kris, another overlap question/clarification per #3....at least two books only count for this cozy challenge...I do more than just the # per year type thanks

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  20. Hi, Kris! I had a question about the extra entries... does the Signet Mystery division of Penguin count as well? I just finished Denise Swanson's "Murder of a Snake in the Grass". :)

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  21. Book Dragon - Thanks for the comment - I went ahead and updated the rule #3, hopefully it makes sense. Basically any challenge where you are working on a book count or page count, it's ok to count all books for this challenge towards those.

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  22. Stacie - Yes! Signet will count as well. Thanks for reminding me of that one. I'll update the entry form.

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