Readathon Hour 11 Mini Challenge
I mentioned a few days ago that I couldn’t participate in the Dewey’s 24 hour Readathon even though I wanted to. I also mentioned that I’d be hosting a mini-challenge.
Well, here it is.
Write a letter to the protagonist of one of the books you’re reading. The letter can be about anything–why you like him or her, why you don’t like him or her, things you’ve learned from him or her. Post your letters either on your blogs or in the comments!
Have at it! You have until the end of hour 13–two hours!
And, where there is a challenge, of course, there must needs be prizes, and this one is no exception. For this challenge, I’m giving away Suzy’s zoo-themed gift bag with awesome reading-themed bookmarks and stationery from Bok Smith. Thanks for the awesome prize, Suzy!
I can’t wait to read what you have to write to your characters!
[...] new mini-challenge this hour is Shannon’s Write a letter mini-challenge. The winner will receive a Suzy’s Zoo gift bag with reading themed bookmarks and stationery, [...]
Dear Cassy:
I just wanted to let you know that it is nothing personal. I know that I said some terrible things about the book that you were characterized in. It really had nothing to do with you.
Really. I like you. I like Pitt, too. I think you both are great characters with great things ahead of you. I understand that you lost Beau, and that must be tough, but you and Pitt have each other. Beau was a mutated alien-human. He had to go. This world will be better off without him.
Your lame dialogue and situations aren’t your fault. Really they’re not. I know that. Be grateful that you were at least made with some real emotion. What about poor Jonathan? Robin Cook made this young boy like he was a robot. His father is sucked into a black hole and his mother infected and missing, and he just goes on and makes jokes like nothing is amiss.
I wish you to the best. I really do hope you find a way out of Cook’s book. You both are so much better than that. You are so much bigger than that piece of work. Hold strong to one another, and know that I have nothing but fond thoughts of you and wish you nothing but the best.
Best Wishes,
Heather
(Reviewer of Invasion, by Robin Cook)
My letter to Jane is up here
Thanks for this wonderful idea!
Well I’m reading nonfiction so there is no protagonist so here’s a letter to the author:
Dear Vicki Myron,
I’m reading your book Dewey, The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World right now. I’ve heard lots of hype. All my bookish friends have loved this book, I’ve seen nothing but good reviews.
However I’m not enjoying it quite as much. I feel like I was expecting a book ONLY about the cat and it seems more like a memoir of your life and your city as well. Perhaps I’d enjoy this more if that was what I was expecting but it’s not. I find myself dragging myself through some of the chapters that don’t even mention the cat AT ALL.
I haven’t finished yet so I can’t say for sure what I think of the book but you can find out on my blog next week when I write the review.
Callista
Dear Sally,
Part of me feels sorry for you, having a baby at 16, fathered by your cousin, who in all sense of the word, raped you. You should have said no, you knew it wasn’t right. Why did you have to run away? I know that it looked like the end of the world, but your parents would have stuck by you, that’s what parents do.
You made a good friend in Georgie and Uncle Mason. Things were going well for you. Why did you have to steal Mason’s money? You know that was all the money he had to his name. Yes, he’s an old man and you left him enough to get by on, but how could you? He trusted you and you broke that trust.
Now, you’re with Gladdy, who I don’t think trusts you. She has issues of her own, drinking, laying out in the bars, etc. What are you doing in Helena? When are you going to stop running?
I know that some people at home call you a slut, but don’t you miss your family? Don’t you want to see your son, the one you left in the basket on the table when he was just 2 days old? He needs his mother. Forgiveness can be found.
Yours Truly,
Shelly
(Reader of Follow Me, by Joanna Scott)
@nfmgirl I can so relate about hating to see such promising protagonists in such blah books.
@Callista I haven’t read that book either. I’ve also tended to avoid it because of the hype. Sory it’s not working for you.
@Shelly Oh, man. I can’t decide if this letter makes me want to pick that book up or… stay far away from it.
(to Lace from PEEPS by Scott Westerfeld)
Dear Lace,
Really, it gets annoying when you say “dude” every couple words. I mean, I understand that’s part of your personality and all, and i think you’re a very cool girl, but the Dude thing is really driving me nuts. You’re not an 80s surfer beach boys pothead. Remember what decade you live in. Please.
And keep fighting, because other than that, you rock!
Amanda
(okay, thanks for the really, really cool mini-challenge!)
(to sarah from The Face by Angela Hunt)
Dear Sarah,
What you are going through, I could never imagine. It is sad how much our society focuses on beauty on the outside and never thinks about the inside. Even when we say looks don’t matter, when we see something that is imperfect in our eyes, it is human nature to be repulsed and disgusted, to either look away or stare. You have been protected from people your whole life and been sheltered but now that you’ve had a taste of the real world I can see why you want to change your face. Your aunt really does love you. Never forget that.
Deborah
PS You have a great taste in movies BTW
[...] happening: • Shannon’s mini-challenge (Just one hour left from the time of this posting!) • Jessica’s mini-challenge (Just one [...]
Dear Mary Rose and Jo-Beth:
I know you girls were scared when your dad left you in the car but what were you thinking when you left the car to look for a bathroom? I mean, couldn’t you have just squatted outside the car and then quickly gotten back in and locked the doors like your dad said? I know you were scared of Miss Finton at first, but did you have to eat her chicken? I don’t care if the power was out, it would have taken a long time before the food would have gone bad. I’m glad you have a new baby brother but I hope you teach him to do what your dad says so he will stay safe.
fiona
ps next time you want to visit a library you can come to mine
(to the girls in “Help I’m a prisoner in the library)
My letter is here. Fun challenge!
@Amanda: All I gotta say is, “Dude!” LOL.
@Deborah: Sounds like an awesome book. And your blog title totally makes me crave Chinese food. If I give in to temptation despite having just bought groceries and order in tonight, I will blame you. *G*
@Fiona: You have me intrigued. I’m looking that book up now.
http://bookwormsarah.blogspot.com/2009/04/read-thon-hour-11.html
(its at the bottom of the post)
[...] Here’s my letter for Shannon’s mini-challenge: [...]
Dear Diablo Cody,
So I bet you never thought when you were just trying to make some extra dough by stripping and sitting on the other side of a plexi glass, assisting men with the act of feeling good for 17 minutes that you would one day own an Academy award and be the most sought after screenwriter in the business? Probably not.
I think what you’ve done with your life is outstanding and I find it admirable that you never once have shyed away from your past and all it represents. It seems to me that you’re proud of your entertainment days because it taught you lots about yourself and what you want out of life. The whole dynamic as to why you chose to strip is interesting and it was well described in your memoir.
Keep writing amazing movies, such as Juno and keep blogging because you’re great at that too! Is there anything you’re not good at??
Kindest Regards,
Reeder
My Letter to Hayley from Mary Hogan’s Pretty Face
My letter is here on my blog.
Thanks for the cool mini-challenge
Here’s my letter at my blog!
http://lastexilewords.blogspot.com/2009/04/d-24hr-hour-11-mini-challenge.html
(To: Yelena from Poison Study)
I posted my letter on my blog at:
http://readinginappalachia.blogspot.com/2009/04/april-09-read-thon-hour-eleven.html
I got behind.
@Sarah: You’re so right about those two characters, and now I will be imagining a crossover story between both of them. Your letter made me smile.
http://marireads.blogspot.com/2009/04/read-thon-3rd-update.html
You will find my letter here.
Who By Fire
To Bits,
Why do you have to be so self-destructive? What girl starts having sex at age 10 because her sister goes missing? Don’t you realize all the pain you’re causing your family and the shame you make your brother feel when kids make fun of his trampy sister? Can you please stop sleeping with every man you meet and try to form a real relationship with one? For starters, try to connect with your brother again, he’s got his head on straight!!! I wanted to like you but I find it hard to even have compassion for you…..this makes me sad.
Sincerely,
Staci
I posted this at Joystory but I’ll paste it in here too:
Dear Juana Inez de la Cruz
Your precociousness in verbal and reasoning skills do not amaze me nearly as much as your tender heart. It is one thing to learn how to read at age three by spying through your sister’s schoolroom window, it is another to notice and be disturbed by the way in which your family’s native born servants are treated as less-than.
It is one thing to read with comprehension the reports of Thucydides at age 9? 10? it is yet another to be heart-broken when Thucydides’ Athenian compatriots (representing to your mind the epitome of rationality and civilization) follow their logic to the bitterest of conclusions thus displaying it’s empty heart when they slaughter all the males on the isle of Menos and sell their women and children into slavery because the people of Menos refused to swear loyalty and subservience to Athens.
You, at such a young age, 9? 10? were able to see the equality of the Athens and Menos peoples, even the parity of their respective logic (ATHENS: Exceptions would weaken us in our enemies eyes; MENOS: Acquiescing to slavery is cowardice and worse than death.) As head-shaking stunning as that achievement, it is as nothing compared to the way in which you saw your own beloved Abuelo (Grandpa) through new eyes and found him wanting in some unnameable crucial thing when he attempted to explain that ancient conflict as pragmatism (ATHENS) vs. idealism (MENOS) clearly favoring pragmatism.
The only explanation is that you were born with the soul of a poet.
Oh that we had a few such as you living in our generation.
If I could ask you to answer one question for me, it would be: Why, as an adult, did you choose to enter a cloister and take not only the vows of a nun but a vow of silence as well? Based on the reason suffused with heart you exhibited as a pre-teen, I cannot believe it was simple expediency. Not even the expediency of protecting your own life.
Your awed admirer from beyond the ‘Unstable Margins’
Joy Renee
note: I’m reading Hunger’s Bride by Paul Anderson
http://trishsbooks.blogspot.com/2009/04/read-thon-hours-11.html
Since people are copying and pasting theirs, here is mine:
Dear Mr. Abagnale (from Catch Me If You Can),
You’re story is simply amazing. I loved all of the details about your different escapades and I am convinced that you are a genious. It does make me wonder, though, that if you were such a brilliant con-artist, are you pulling the wool over my eyes? I sincerely hope that you have not conned your readers into believing something that is not true. For two reasons–because I spent a good chunk of the ‘thon on your story and because I so thoroughly enjoyed it.
Sincerely,
Trish
Dear Sam,
You are smart. You are educated. You had high enough reasoning skills to dump that jerk in Mexico. So why do you keep letting yourself be alone with unknown men when you know someone is after you? Right after you have been warned not to be? I want to like you really, I do. I want to buy in to you character motivations. And I don’t remember it bothering me that much last time I picked up your book. Maybe I’m getting tired and cranky, but please! Act like the intelligent, independent woman I know you can be. I know we are trying to build sexual tension here, but can we do it in a more believable way? Thank you. Other then that, love the story line, and the suspense is definitely building. Keep up the good work.
Lissa
PS. Always go with the ‘bad boy’
@Reader’s Corner: Sounds like an awesome book!
@Staci: Oh dear. Yet another of those books I think I’ll pass on. But great letter!
@Joy Renee: Another book gets added to my wishlist! Awesome letter!
@Trish: I have a soft spot for con artist narrators. You have me intrigued.
@Lissa: Oh dear. What book is this?
My letter is here: http://kbpinkbookmark.blogspot.com/.
Thanks for the fun challenge! I’ve never written to Shakespeare characters before.
@Karen Beth: That’s my favorite Shakespeare play. I love tBeatrice and Benedict.
[...] here: Readathon Hour 11 Mini Challenge | Flight into Fantasy Tags: acquiescing, athens, being-pressed, children-as-unvaccinated, enemies, equality, [...]
[...] I powered through, because that’s what I do! LOL. I entered one challenge over at Flight into Fantasy and the challenge was to write a letter to the protagonist of a novel you read and I WON! I wrote [...]