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Ellie wrote: "Isn't the idea behind literary archetypes is that all protagonists fit one? So it can be a very easy prompt if you let it be. I would probably approach it like I did with tarot cards this year and ..."



yeah, that's my concern with "literary archetype" - it's basically saying "read a novel" - which is fine, certainly doable, but maybe not my favorite of these ideas.



For example, Buttigieg is a Maltese surname meaning chicken owner>

LOL! I had no idea!!

Great to hear it. Thank you. I initially wanted to use it for some of the Malaysia books on my TBR, but as I read about the other areas, I found many more books.

I want to step up my world reading too Linda. The books I used to like are starting to feel sort of empty. There is a lot of literary talent in the Caribbean and in Africa. I'm reading a book by Aminatta Forna (from Sierra Leone) and I think she's amazing. The reviews on some of the rainforest books were especially interesting.

Thomas wrote: "If it doesn't Robin I would me more than happy to hear alternative ways of phrasing it. It's a down vote for me because the original pitch suggested it had to be variation on the original books. If that's not what was intended I'm all ears"

Thomas the prompt is "A book inspired by Sherlock Holmes" not a retelling or variation. To me that means pretty much any detective mystery could fit. I would probably read something actually related to Holmes but if you don't want to do that, you don't have to.

Pam wrote: "I suggested a novella because I have read some really terrific ones, across different genres, in the last few years doing this challenge. I love an author who can tell a great story and write conci..."

Were you on the Poll 11 results discussion yesterday about Tookie's List? There was an idea to have a prompt(s) based on the categories on her list, but people could read whatever they want. Ghost-managing and Short-perfect-novels relate to the ghosts and novella prompts this round! I like Novellas, and the term is more elegant than a prompt about the number of pages. I recommend Small Things Like These. I can use this prompt for one of the books on the Short Perfect novels list.

/list/show/1...

RachelG. wrote: "A Book Riot article I found titled 10 Fantastic Books with Anonymous Narrators: "

I immediately thought of Rebecca. It fits perfectly.

4 up, 4 down right now.

I really like ghost, Holmes, novella, and tropical setting. We already have 2 geographic prompts but I would vote for one more and I really like that one.

We already have dark (and I agree with those who are tired of dark academia as a prompt), enough W, and an author name prompt so those are likely downs for me. And literary archetypes is too broad.

Nancy wrote: "Thomas the prompt is "A book inspired by Sherlock Holmes" not a retelling or variation..."

Unless the author says something like "I was inspired to write this by my love of Sherlock Holmes" I wouldn't assume a detective story was inspired by Sherlock Holmes. If the prompt was meant to be more "related to", I would have preferred a different phrasing.

That’s my feeling Ellie. Partly why I’m not keen on inspired

NancyJ wrote: "Pam wrote: "I suggested a novella because I have read some really terrific ones, across different genres, in the last few years doing this challenge. I love an author who can tell a great story and..."

Yes, actually I was responding on that thread! Some of my favorite books are novellas. I haven't read any of the ones on Tookie's list so I could start with one of them. My favorite this year is My Brilliant Life.

Ellie wrote: "Nancy wrote: "Thomas the prompt is "A book inspired by Sherlock Holmes" not a retelling or variation..."

Unless the author says something like "I was inspired to write this by my love of Sherlock ..."

So funny, I never even notice if the prompt is worded "related", "inspired", "connected to" etc. That goes totally over my head as I just jump to something the prompt conjures up. You can tell I'm not a detail-oriented person! The good thing about ATY is you can choose your level of specificity. I admire those of you who can see the fine points, it's kind of like how important it is to have people in an organization who work on bylaws, policies, and procedures, while my eyes just glaze over at the thought.

Anastasia wrote: "The geometric shape prompt is interesting. I am reading the Wheel of Time series which will fit. It could also be a setting like th Bramuda Triangle. What about tying it to the Pythagorian Therom? ..."


What I like about geometric shape is you can make it hard or really easy (I'm sure over the course of next year I'll read with a book with a love triangle in it)

Yeah, I'm with you Robin. I see no difference between connected or related, and inspired is just barely different. I just figure any detective novel is probably inspired by Holmes (and Christie) in some way!

NancyJ wrote: "dalex wrote: "Possible upvotes:
~ Geometric shape. There are a million ways to intepret this so it's a super broad prompt but still I like it.
~ Author name is a profession. I found 10 or 12 possib..."

Didn't we do a tropics prompt in 2018? You might want to use that listopia (I'm still voting for it as there are so many choices, it's not repetitive)

Love these suggestions!

First impressions are to upvote:
- geometric shape
- ghost (I feel like it doesn't need to have "spirit, phantom, or specter" in the prompt itself - aren't they all synonyms? The wording makes me think I need to be careful about my definition of a ghost since 4 types are specified. Maybe just leave it at "ghost or spirit" to include the spiritualism stuff?)
- novella
- tropical setting (I like this more than "hot place" because of the 23 connection, and ironically find it easier because it's pretty black and white if a setting is tropical, but I would agonize over if I considered a place "hot")

Definite downvotes:
- A dark academia book (I disliked this prompt during last year's Popsugar challenge. Plus we already have a "dark" prompt that dark academia would fit perfectly into.)
- A book related to comedy (the wording is a bit confusing because does it mean the book relates to comedy but isn't one? but either way, humor is one of my least favorite book genres)

On the fence:
- A book by an author whose name is a trade or profession (I know people have mentioned that there are lots of languages where this works but looking at the list, it's very Eurocentric and not really accessible for people who mainly read authors from non-western countries. I like the idea of the prompt but as someone who is trying to read more authors from non-western countries next year, it seems less accessible. For example, I don't see a single Asian surname on the list.)
- A book featuring a character with a name starting with "W ( I'd prefer to not have to look up the blurb of every book on my TBR to see what the names of the characters are, and I think this is a combo of prompts we already have (this year's character's name starting with ATY, next year's 5 Ws, award starting with W)
- archetypes (feels too similar to the tarot prompt while being even more open because I don't think I know of a single fiction book that wouldn't have one of the 12 archetypes. I could pre-select one, but it wouldn't be fun as drawing a card from a tarot deck)

NancyJ wrote: "Pam wrote: "I suggested a novella because I have read some really terrific ones, across different genres, in the last few years doing this challenge. I love an author who can tell a great story and..."

I would argue a novella is more than a short book, it implies a higher level of artistry to me.

Pam wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Pam wrote: "I suggested a novella because I have read some really terrific ones, across different genres, in the last few years doing this challenge. I love an author who can tell a ..."

Here's Tookie's short book list /list/show/1...

And Ghost Managing: /list/show/1...

Pam wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Pam wrote: "I suggested a novella because I have read some really terrific ones, across different genres, in the last few years doing this challenge. I love an author who can tell a ..."

This looks amazing. It was already on my (ridiculously long) to-read list, and I bumped it up.

My difficulty with the novella is that challenges tend to favor short books already over reading longer books. If there is a prompt that someone is less interested in to begin with short books or novellas are already an easier way to complete the prompt.

I have decided on 3 up votes but still trying to narrow my 8 down votes down to 5.

I guess we are all different. Last year �� a book inspired by something you read last year�� was rejected after several comments suggesting inspired required you to read one because of the other. When it was rephrased as connected it got in

Voting is open:

Maybe inspired means something different in American English than British English.

dalex wrote: "~ Author has published less than 7 books. We already have debut novel and this feels like it overlaps with that. Also, I have probably 100+ authors that qualify."
I had not considered the debut prompt. This could include a debut novel which could be used to satisfy both prompts.

But, if this one doesn't fly, perhaps >7 would work better, as someone else mentioned...

We'll see...

6 up, 2 down (Sorry...Character that starts with a W and Author's Name that is a trade/profession). My favorite upvotes were <7 published books & game, set, match.

Off to settle in for the wait for results...

Sullivan productions which is Canadian used the slogan �� be inspired�� suggesting a similar meaning. I think it’s more about how literally one takes a subject

I really liked this set of prompts on the whole! Only 2 downvotes, and 6 upvotes.

Up

1. A book related to a geometric shape - The discussion around this has been so much fun to read! A lot of really interesting ideas in there.

2. A book related to a ghost, spirit, phantom, or specter - What can I say? I’m a sucker for spooky books. This would be a fun book to read around Halloween next year.

6. A book with a character based on the literary archetypes - Again, I’ve really loved the discussion around this. I think it could be really fun to look into.

9. A novella - I have a lot of novellas on my kindle that I just haven’t gotten around to. This would be a nice chance to pick one of them up

12. A book related to comedy - In this decade I think we could all use a good laugh. Plus, a nice excuse to start rereading Discworld again!

15. A book whose author has published less than 7 (2+0+2+3) books - This is clever! And I really like that it encourages reading debut authors, or authors who are still relatively early in their career.

Down

8. A dark academia book - After so long on the internet (specifically tumblr) I think that I’m starting to develop a twitch whenever dark academia is mentioned.

10. A young adult novel - The list of young adult novels was one of the most frustrating prompts for me to fill this year, to the point where (in my eyes) I technically cheated and read Lord of the Flies for it. I don’t want to read any more Young Adult novels.

For the Sherlock Holmes prompt, I can highly recommend
1) A Study in Honor the first installment in Claire O'Dell's Janet Watson Chronicles
A great job at creating a truly enigmatic female Holmes! Diverse characters.
2) The Beekeeper's Apprentice the first installment in Laurie R. King's Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes series
When I asked King how she came up with the Mary Russell character she told me, "Once in awhile you get really lucky and a character just appears to you fully formed..." I thought that was cool!
3) A Study in Scarlet Women the first installment in Sherry Thomas's Lady Sherlock series
Another female version!
I know there are many more out there, but I read and enjoyed these.

I like the tropical prompt, without even looking at a list. Lots of fiction and non-fiction options from South America, Vietnam, Caribbean islands. I’m always up for location prompts. I like the geometric and ghosts prompts also.

I’m afraid Lynn you are only reenforcing my concern that it would confine me to reading some author trying to rewrite Holmes

Dark Academia was a prompt for Popsugar last year. Really don't want to read another one next year...but I will if it is selected! :)

Other than that, it looks like another great listing of possibilities!

Thomas wrote: "I’m afraid Lynn you are only reenforcing my concern that it would confine me to reading some author trying to rewrite Holmes"
Not at all. I firmly believe each reader should interpret each prompt for themselves. These were just some books that would fulfill the prompt that I personally enjoyed. That's all. :) You do you!

Pamela wrote: "Pam wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Pam wrote: "I suggested a novella because I have read some really terrific ones, across different genres, in the last few years doing this challenge. I love an author who..."

I've only been here a couple years but I'll look for the old listopia. Many use the term loosely (I saw a listopia with a bunch of North and South Carolina books.)

I agree with your definition of novella. I want to read Too Loud a Solitude* which is by the same author as Closely Watched Trains - I loved the film. Also Train Dreams by Denis Johnson. (ha, I just realized why my brain put these three together). I read Ann Patchett's memoir this year and she talked a lot about Denis Johnson and Kevin Wilson. It made me want to read their books.

I read my first Virginia Woolf book last year and loved it, so when I saw it on Tookie's list it made me trust the list more. I read Toni Morrison's Sula this year and loved it. So if the ghost prompt gets in I might read her novel Beloved (which I've been putting off for years).

*I wonder if the loneliness prompt would have done better if it was about "solitude" instead. They're similar, but solitude can be a really precious and positive thing (especially if don't fill up the silence with mindless noise).

Ellie wrote: "Isn't the idea behind literary archetypes is that all protagonists fit one? So it can be a very easy prompt if you let it be. I would probably approach it like I did with tarot cards this year and ..."

@Ellie - thanks for finding (and more importantly sharing) that "Buttigieg" is a trade name in Maltese. Now I have another reason to read one/both of Mayor Pete's books. I read a couple of Obama's books before he ran, and it really helped me know who he IS before elections came up.

Also, I want to thank you here for your recommendation to read Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin (because I don't remember where you mentioned it exactly). It was already on my radar, but I think just to check a box, not because it sounded great. I'm only ~60 pages in and I've already happy-cried twice, and been impressed by a character's creativity. I love it! BTW - didn't know until I searched for the book link here that there are at least 4 other books with this title - two of them by Aldous Huxley and Kurt Vonnegut. I'm assuming this might be the author's inspiration? Don't know the reference in Zevin's book yet, so have no idea.

That was surprisingly hard to narrow down! Some fascinating prompts mixed in with some hatred. (I also do not ever want to have to read any more YA.)

Tracy wrote: "Also, I want to thank you here for your recommendation to read Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin (because I don't remember where you mentioned it exactly). I ..."

Oh yay. I had the same thing, it was kinda on my radar and then someone put it in the BOTM threads and so I read it for that prompt and I am so glad I did. The title reference will be explained at some point. Be prepared for more crying!

Tracy - I read Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow this summer and also loved it! When I told my husband the title, he said , “Oh isn’t that from��.�� (I’ll let you find out in the book.) I had no idea. But, it has another meaning also which makes it the perfect title for the book!

Ellie wrote: "Isn't the idea behind literary archetypes is that all protagonists fit one? So it can be a very easy prompt if you let it be. I would probably approach it like I did with tarot cards this year and ..."

Ok, more thanks for you @Ellie. I have been reading some books from Tor.com (the Monk & Robot duology) and loved them. I knew the books were on the shorter side, but didn't know they were technically novellas, so now I'm MUCH more interested in the Novella Prompt.

Also thanks for the Occupational Surnames Wikipedia link. The other link that was provided for occupational surnames seems like it covers a tremendous amount of names, but I find this one a bit easier to go through (and it also included Buttigieg, which the other did not). I'm assuming that there are names that each one has that the other does not. A wealth of options :)

@Ellie and @Pam - I am SO excited to continue reading Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow. Unfortunately I can't read it straight through because I have two other books going, one with a deadline. But maybe that is good so I can savor the goodness for longer :)

BTW - for those not familiar with this book, it can count for the Games prompt (this year), and for 2023: Match Set Game, Disability, Interracial Relationship, ATY Best Book of the Month 2022-2023. I know at least one of these prompts hasn't made it just, but JIC. And of course there may be more as we don't have all our prompts yet and I haven't finished reading the book!

Lynn wrote: "Dark Academia was a prompt for Popsugar last year. Really don't want to read another one next year...but I will if it is selected! :)

Other than that, it looks like another great listing of possib..."

The book I'm reading for the bunny prompt is a dark academia book, so guess I would shift it there and then find a different bunny book!

Pamela wrote: "Lynn wrote: "Dark Academia was a prompt for Popsugar last year. Really don't want to read another one next year...but I will if it is selected! :)

Other than that, it looks like another great list..."

Curious what book would both be a Bunny book AND a Dark Academia book...

NancyJ wrote: "Pamela wrote: "Pam wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Pam wrote: "I suggested a novella because I have read some really terrific ones, across different genres, in the last few years doing this challenge. I lov..."

LOL... I'm crazy! I can't find it! I swear we had a book using the tropics lines! I thought I knew what I read for it... I need to start putting the prompt in my reviews.

I'm thinking the novella prompt will finally get me to read a Penelope Fitzgerald although I added quite a few from Tookie's list.

Tracy wrote: "Ellie wrote: "Isn't the idea behind literary archetypes is that all protagonists fit one? So it can be a very easy prompt if you let it be. I would probably approach it like I did with tarot cards ..."

I'm reading Tomorrow, etc as soon as I finish my current book! I hope I like it as much as other people have! I'm super happy about it cause I was having a tough time on the game prompt.

Tracy wrote: "Curious what book would both be a Bunny book AND a Dark Academia book"

The Secret History is dark academia and has a character named Bunny. I don't know if that is the one that Pamela is reading or if there is another book that fits.

Pamela wrote: "Tracy wrote: "Ellie wrote: "Isn't the idea behind literary archetypes is that all protagonists fit one? So it can be a very easy prompt if you let it be. I would probably approach it like I did wit..."

I had a book picked out for Games, but then found myself unexcited when I got to it. I was going to save Tomorrow for next year, but when my library hold came up I decided to slot it in for Games this year. SO glad I did, because I haven't been as excited about my book choices this year as I was last year. I think I have save my 2022 reading year now!

6 up and 2 down for me. I realize I like the more targeted prompts. Prompts that have many options like "archetypes" seem to me like they could translate to "read a book". Also, I am getting tired of prompts that feature the letter "W".

Tracy wrote: Curious what book would both be a Bunny book AND a Dark Academia book.."

LOL- Hell Bent, the sequel to Ninth House. I'm assuming since Ninth House is dark academia, so is the sequel. And has a bunny, maybe a dead bunny, on the cover.

If you said "pick two prompts with lots of connections" bunny and dark academia would not have been my pick

Tracy wrote: "I had a book picked out for Games, but then found myself unexcited when I got to it. I was going to save Tomorrow for next year, but when my library hold came up I decided to slot it in for Games this year. SO glad I did, because I haven't been as excited about my book choices this year as I was last year. I think I have save my 2022 reading year no"

I hope I feel the same way! The only book I had penciled in was Joy Luck Club but there is probably a reason I've never read it. I have noticed Tomorrow.. pops up on lots of listopias for next year. But like you, I read as the library gives.

Bunny is the quintessential bunny+ dark academia book!

Pamela wrote: "Tracy wrote: Curious what book would both be a Bunny book AND a Dark Academia book.."

LOL- Hell Bent, the sequel to Ninth House. I'm assuming since Ninth House is dark academia, so is the sequel. And has a bunny, maybe a dead bunny, on the cover.

If you said "pick two prompts with lots of connections" bunny and dark academia would not have been my pick"
This is hysterical! LOL

@Pamela and @Michelle - Wow, TWO books with bunnies and dark academia. Never would have guessed!

dalex wrote: "Tracy wrote: "Curious what book would both be a Bunny book AND a Dark Academia book"

The Secret History is dark academia and has a character named Bunny. I don't know if that is the one that Pamela is reading or if there is another book that fits."
I read that last year and I really didn't enjoy it. Very noirish to me and I do not enjoy noir. I was disappointed since I loved The Goldfinch. You just never know... :)