Gentle Spectrums 2018

 

Welcome back, for “GENTLE SPECTRUMS 2018”, my fifth year!
I created this theme because I love finding books at home, scavenger hunt style.  A lot have colours in them but challenges at that time, requested one book per hue, once per year.  I wanted to keep on adding colours and saw no reason they could not repeat.  Many might contain the same shade or hue but I felt that the point is finding colours in my books and the more, the merrier!  “Limitless Palette” was born and I paired it with a second game:  title associations.

My mission is to relax and broaden content that works.  I like providing a forum for more of our reading, never narrowing it.  In place of a typical list in which we sift for a specific word:  I created ten “Gentle Subjects”, easily found in literature.  The goal used to be filling in one of each and equally, any ten colour titles for “Limitless Palette”.  I soon decided that filling in as many as you can, of any category, is good enough.  If several books fit one category but our reading doesn’t seem to touch in others;  the baskets we do fill are not discounted.  I always want challenges to let our reading guide us.  Keep adding material!  This is what I matched with “Gentle Spectrums” last year.

This year, it occurred to me that my group need not divvy activities.  “Limitless Palette” remains a staple but is combining with the “Gentle Subjects”, as one game!  The only change that eleven subjects make, is choosing one category for each book.  I decide based on the headings that need more books.  I tend to have a million for animals but need a boost in art and music.  Switch as much as you like.  If you need me to correct entries at the review page, simply ask.  Great categories return and I freshen things up as well.  Are we ready for the brand new subjects for 2018?  Let’s go!

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(01)  LIMITLESS PALETTE
Also valid: colourful, colour, bright, light, iridescent, iridescence, dark, shade, hue, spectrum, rainbow, prism.
Veritable shades and hues may repeat limitlessly. With this being so flexible, we target those. “Sky”, “cherry”, “eggshell”, “midnight” are merely name associations. “Lilac”, “peach”, “navy”, “charcoal” are definite colours. How can we tell? If a word is recognizable as a colour by itself, it is a veritable colour.

(02)  TREASURE OR HIGH ADVENTURE
Valuables, equipment for treasure or adventure; very broad possibilities.

(03)  TOYS OR HOBBIES
One could call nearly anything a toy or hobby, so let’s make these well-established toys and hobbies.

(04)  HEALTHFULNESS
Happy feelings, drink, food, exercise, medicine, energy: you decide!

(05)  ANIMALS
I always include birds, fish, and insects. I love them all.

(06)  NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

(07)  THE ARTS
Fine arts, photography, music, film-making, poetry. If our books are about these and don’t have key words in their titles, it is all right.

(08)  FASHION & FURNISHINGS
We needn’t stop at sewing and knitting. We can expand to curtains, doilies, linen, and quilts!

(09)  CANADIAN
Books by and about Canadians and Canada and closely-associated attributes.

(10)  HISTORY
Historic things, places, or heroes. Fifty year-old books or settings too: up to 1968.

(11)  THIRD TIME CHARM?
Anything to do with three.  Don’t forget third visits with authors.  They are not necessarily third volumes.  Additional feedback:  has the third book tired you out, or do you still enjoy this author?  Did they plateau, or grow better?

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How to join!

(1)  Please comment that you are joining.
Make a blog post or page, including our logo and a link leading folks here.  It is all right to combine challenges but a post, or visible display of our group, is appreciated.  If you have questions, email RIEDELFascination(at)gmail(dot)com.

In place of a blog, include the URL to somewhere else you will track reading for our group, like your Goodreads webpage.  Please advertize for us any way you can:  perhaps you have numerous Goodreads or Twitter followers….

(2)  Add your review URLs to our review page, categorized by author.
The entry format to is shown there.  If you don’t review, use the comment box to share a list of titles.  Save several up if you read profusely.  You may also share an URL with updates.   That is all!

(3)  Stay tuned for special events, via a “Headquarters” menu at the top of this blog.
Reading groups are a fun social community for book journeys.  Rules should not narrow books that qualify but motivate them.  Therefore membership is easy:  sign-up and share progress.  Games and discussions are sprinkled alongside:  like desserts you can choose.  Hehe!

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Prizes!
I award a year-end prize the first week of December!  When you join, or any time before December, add yourself to the draw by e-mail or comment box.  It is your choice of a novel from my collection, or alternatively, a choice of nice miscellaneous items.  My draws extend to everyone internationally!

Get your name in the prize bowl twice!  All group members are invited to solve the logo of “My Kind Of Mystery”.  E-mail, if you think you know the author and book title.  Chat to show sleuthing is on!  Activities and discussions especially for “Gentle Spectrums” will appear on the “Headquarters” menu soon.

I draw one year-end winner for all four of my groups, due to low participation and finances.  If membership booms, I could justify offering an additional prize.  If you know readers who favour similar genres, please tell them about us!

I am glad you found my reading group.  I wish you a happy new year 2018!
Sincerely, Carolyn.