Challenge Update, June 2017

Summer is finally here! I’m done with classes and as you read this (if you read the day I post), I’m on vacation at the cottage and enjoying the warm weather. I’m hoping to make this next month one for books because this month was a bit slow. You can look at my progress at any time on my challenge page.

Books finished in June:

Murder on the Orient Express // Agatha Christie (4/5)
Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim // David Sedaris (4/5)
Tigerman // Nick Harkaway (2/5)
People Analytics in the Era of Big Data // Jean Paul Isson (4/5) [school read]
Sarah’s Key // Tatiana de Rosney (4/5)

Thank God for audiobooks! I’m struggling to get through print now and I know school didn’t help. I’m pushing to get more print read in July.

When Are You Reading? Challenge

9/12
No new adds this month. It’s going to be a challenge to fit in some of those historical periods so I might have to pick an audiobook that will help me fill them in. I usually get The Future pretty easily but my reading hasn’t gone that way in a while so that may need to be a conscious pick, too.

Goodreads Challenge

27/50
I’m three ahead and feeling good about it. I have a lot of books I’m about to finish that will push this further ahead and I think I’ll be well positioned to finish the year with this one well-done.

Cover image via Goodreads.com

Book of the Month

This month it’s going to have to be Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie. This story was engaging and the ending was unexpected and amazing at the same time. I’m really glad my husband and I decided to audiobook this during a car trip, it was a great read.

Added to my TBR

I’m still at 109, the same as last month. I wish I was knocking it down faster, but there are a number of books that are piquing my interest.

• A House at the Bottom of a Lake by Josh Malerman. I adored Malerman’s last book and I hope this one is equally creepy and amazing!
• The Sellout by Paul Beatty. This is a book club selection for August so I’ll be picking it up in July to have it finished in time.
• How to Speak Midwestern by Edward McClelland. I heard McClelland speak and obviously had to buy the book. Because I’m compulsive that way.
• Commonwealth by Ann Patchett. This is my next book club book and I’ll be picking it up very soon to start reading. Maybe before this post goes up!

Personal Challenge

I mentioned in my challenge announcement post that I had some non-reading goals set for myself in 2017. I figured this would be a good place to keep myself accountable to those as well. Here goes!

• Keep my 4.0 GPA: Still going well! I got my grade pack in my summer class and it was an A so I’ll have this until December at least!
• Knit blankets:  I’m very close to finishing the boy blanket I started last month. No new pregnancy announcements so I haven’t had to send any off. Finishing this one will put me at my ‘stash’ amount and I’ll focus on other projects until I have to make another.
• One race per month: My busy summer of racing has begun! I had two triathlons this month within 5 days of each other. First was a week-night sprint tri and I placed 5th of 8. This is a really competitive field so I’m proud of that one. It was my second fastest time on the course and I could tell the run was rough. The second was an Olympic distance, only my second one ever and the course was much flatter and my time better than previously. I dropped over 20 minutes! Again, I was 5th but out of 10 this time and the run felt great.
• Get my novel out to beta readers: July will be my time to work on this. I’ve heard back from two and I plan to focus on revisions while I’m home in July. Classes start again in August so I have until then.

How were your challenges? I hope you made it. If you love historical fiction, give some thought to my challenge for 2017, it’s fun!

Until next time, write on.

You can follow me on Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. I’m available via email at SamAStevensWriter@gmail.com. And as always, feel free to leave a comment!