Hellow fellow read-a-thon-ers!
Thinking about sneaking a nap in? No way! Grab a cup of tea or coffee (or a Red Bull) because you’re in for the long-haul now. While you’re at it, get out your camera’s for the Hour 8 “Show It Off” Mini-challenge.
Here’s your challenge: I want you to show off a book (or books) from your shelves that you are extremely proud of. The unique, signed or simply dear-to-your-heart editions that you’d grab if there were a fire.
Need some examples? Well, how about that signed, personalised edition by your favourite author? Or how about that shelf of painstakingly-collected of every Jane Austen-related book in existence? Perhaps you’ve an extremely dog-eared copy of a book that’s been passed down through your family? Anything goes – just make it something special to you.
Last year, I showed off by wonderful signed copy of Bill Clinton’s Giving: How Each Of Us Can Change The World. The year before that, I highlighted my near-and-dear to me copies of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit (beautiful editions that have been in the family for decades).
This year I wanted to show you guys two wonderful books I have signed by one of my favourite writers: George R. R. Martin. Seeing as how I chose one of his books for the readathon, it made sense to share these volumes for Show it Off.
Back in 2011, Game of Thrones had REALLY taken off and the Iron Throne was making a tour around the world. I was one of those new fans who rushed to pick up a signed copy of A Dance with Dragons the minute I realised I could. Then, the next year, I got to meet GRRM a few times at Eastercon! It was a thrill and he was the most awesome person in…er… person. Despite con rules (which I didn’t know about until much later), he was the first to sign my Tea poster (to the left) along with a ton of other authors (including Gail Carriger, Tricia Sullivan and 20 others – I think everyone was willing to get on board once they saw his autograph!). He also signed this first edition of his novel A Song for Lya (I adore the psychedelic 1970s cover).
In short: GRRM is awesome.
Now, show off yours!
- Take a picture of a book/books from your library you really want to show off: signed editions, rare editions, obsessively-organized Sherlock Holmes collections – just whatever is special to you!
- Post your photo on your blog, twitter, facebook, flickr, etc. then add your link in the Linky below.
- Use the hashtag #showitoff and #readathon if you are sharing on twitter/instagram
- This challenge will close in three hours (just before hour 11)
- One winner will be chosen to receive $15/£10 gift certificate to Amazon/Book Depository OR this SIGNED COPY of The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa
Challenge closed and the winner is… #49 Elishia! I will be in touch soon with your prize.
Thanks EVERYONE for your FANTASTIC entries – this year was an amazing success! If you’re stumbling across this post months from now, go and check out some of the links above for some beautiful books. 🙂
- Top 10 Books of 2015 - January 6, 2016
- Image comic-book-buying madness - December 3, 2015
- Review: Magic Burns by Ilona Andrews - November 22, 2015
Here we go! This is my matched numbered set (all published to this point) of the Dresden Files signed limiteds from Subterranean Press. They are gorgeous! Love love love.
http://instagram.com/p/uThPEJkJEn/
Cammycat recently posted…#Readathon mini challenge: Show It Off! These are Subterranean…
Can’t take a picture since I have the book at the apartment, not where I am at the moment, but the book would most certainly be play Antigone by Slovene author Dominik Smole. I like it, because it contains the play, the play redesigned as an radio play, and another play that was made after this one (much like that one was made after the original, Greek, Antigone). After that it’s 600 pages of critical responses to it. Which I really like. 🙂
600 pages of meta is a DREAM when it is a book/play you really like! Sounds like a fantastic edition!
Kay recently posted…Read-a-thon Mini-Challenge: Show It Off 3.0!
My Harry Potter collection of books and trinkets
Tweeted the wonderful and deeply personal signature by Irving Stone on my beloved Deluxe edition 1963 copy of The Agony and the Ecstasy. My parents gave me this wonderful edition that had gorgeous color plates as a Christmas present because I loved the book so much; I was about thirteen. I read that book every year for ten years straight. It was ritual. The only time I ever met him was maybe a year before his death when he came to town for a book signing. I told him how the book had gone through a fire and a flood but I still had it and continued to read it. He wrote a lovely message. When I got into my car I shut the door and cried. It was one of the most moving book experiences of my life. I had no idea it was going to impact me so much. Over the years, I realized that he taught me so much, about writing, about creativity, and about life.
Thanks for the opportunity to share this with a wonderful group of book lovers.
Vikk Simmons recently posted…Dewey Readathon – Opening Meme
How about this one? https://twitter.com/goronska/status/523557194059755520?s=09
Finally posted 🙂 A little internet trouble here at home but alas… it is complete 🙂
Sheila (Book Journey) recently posted…Dewey Read A Thon – Update Post
I had two worthy contenders for the title of My Bookish Pride And Joy, and I felt I could deny victory to neither. So my entry (here) features Issue #1 (variant cover) of True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys, signed by Becky Cloonan and Gabriel Ba when I met them both; and Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb, signed by the author herself and given to me by a dear friend.
Maria Stanislav recently posted…Read-A-Thon – Hour 9 Update
I cheated, because I have a ton of books I want to show off, that are signed. But they’re currently buried. So here’s my author signature book, that I’m way proud of!
http://instagram.com/p/uTqQs_idVv/?modal=true
Here is my showoff: https://twitter.com/Nenafunk/status/523583215345623041
Oops, didn’t realize Twitter had a link — or forgot. Here’s the link from my post a couple of hours ago. https://twitter.com/VikkSimmons/status/523556516733784064