This is kind of a silly challenge, but I can’t get it out of my head so I’m going ahead and announcing it. I’m not sure if anyone else will want to participate because it’s kind of loosey goosey, but if you do want to participate, I’d love to have you!

This challenge started in my head because I was thinking back in November 2009 about what I wanted to read in 2010. I knew I wanted to be more deliberate in what I read, and part of that would include making sure I read more Joyce Carol Oates. That also included reading Margaret Atwood, specifically The Blind Assassin, because I’ve tried three times to read that book, and three times I’ve given up. However, I think I can do it!

So then I was thinking, Oates…O-A-T-E-S.

O for Joyce Carol Oates, A for Margaret Atwood…maybe I could come up with other authors to fit T, E, and S!

Immediately Ernest Hemingway came to mind, and even though he doesn’t fit the rule that it’s the author’s last name that has to fit the acronym, he can slide since it’s ERNEST HEMINGWAY. Then Twitter came to my aid and it was decided that T could be Leo Tolstoy (yes, even *I* am cringing as I write that), and S can be for John Steinbeck.

I’ll lay it out easier for you to see:

O – Joyce Carol Oates
A – Margaret Atwood
T – Leo Tolstoy
E – Ernest Hemingway
S – John Steinbeck

I’m nothing if not a fan of changing things up, so if there’s a literary author on par with any author already on this list, and their last name begins with A, T, E, or S (come on, this is the O.A.T.E.S. challenge, you can’t substitute anything for Joyce!), then you can substitute that author in. For example, if you wanted to substitute George Eliot for Ernest Hemingway, you could. Or if you wanted to substitute Mark Twain for Leo Tolstoy, you could and I would probably even encourage you in that! Because I think Tolstoy’s shortest book (not including short stories, because duh, those are short) is a million pages.

Here’s the rules/details:

• The challenge goes from January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2010.
• Anyone can participate! You do not need a blog!
• Challenge books can overlap with other challenges.
• You do not need to pick your books in advance.
• You can change levels mid-challenge!
• Levels:
  • Instant OATES – 1 book
  • Old Fashioned OATES – 2 books
  • Rolled OATES – 3 books
  • Steel Cut OATES – 4 books
  • Whole OATES – 5+ books

Woohoo! Some really nice bloggers made some buttons!

Heidenkind made this one, which I love. Thank you so much!!

McVane tweaked heidenkind’s button…pretty cool, huh? McVane, you’ll never know how much I appreciate this!

Caribousmom made this one, which I love. Totally goes with the theme!

Thanks for helping me out you guys! If anyone else ends up making their own button, let me know so I can add it in.

Have fun with me! Sign up using the Mr. Linky below.

This second Mr. Linky? This is where we can put the links to our reviews, so there’ll all in one spot. And that way we can see which books people totally loved.

Earlier in 2009, I was thinking about my reading habits and how they’ve changed since I started blogging. Of course, I’ve been reading more, which is fantastic. But a downfall of blogging (and being on Twitter) is hearing about REALLY FANTASTIC BOOKS. I know. Terrible problem.

But seriously, that IS a problem. Because as a reader? I hear about a new book and I want to have read it YESTERDAY. It’s not just that the book goes on to that ever-expanding list of books I want to read. Rather, I either mooch the book, buy the book, or check the book out from the library IMMEDIATELY. And I read that book! And just as I finish that book, another book catches my attention and I’m immediately distracted by this new book, like a two-year-old distracted by something shiny.

Don’t get me wrong! I read some AWESOME books in 2009, many more than I read in 2008. It’s just…well…

What got me thinking about this back in 2009 was the fact that I’ve been wanting to read more Joyce Carol Oates for a LONG TIME. Like, since before I was blogging. And yet I’ve only read one book by Joyce Carol Oates since I’ve been blogging. I decided that reading like a two-year-old distracted by something shiny is not how I want to read. I want to read more deliberately.

What kind of books do I want to read in 2010? I want to read more literary fiction. That doesn’t mean that I don’t want to read YA. It just means that I want to read more of what I’m passionate about, and I’m passionate about literary fiction.

Sidebar: If I read more literary fiction this year, that means I’ll also read more crime fiction/mystery/thriller/suspense books, because those are my snacks in between hearty meals.

Does this mean I won’t do blog tours or accept review copies? Absolutely not! Reading deliberately isn’t about cutting back on anything, really. It’s just about being deliberate about what I *do* accept. In fact, I think I did well on accepting only books I was really interested in in 2009 (mostly literary fiction and a random YA), so I don’t necessarily need to cut back there. Reading deliberately is, well, just that: reading deliberately.

Since I’ve been planning this out, I have a couple of challenges that I’ll be unveiling. They’re not fantastic or amazing, they’re just challenges that will help *me* achieve my reading goals. If they happen to interest you, then I’d love for you to join in!

Here are some authors I plan on reading deliberately in 2010:

• Joyce Carol Oates
• Margaret Atwood
• Leo Tolstoy
• Barbara Kingsolver
• John Irving
• Ernest Hemingway
• Thomas Trofimuk

I haven’t laid out all the books I’ll read this year, as there should be room for spontaneity. But part of reading deliberately will include reading more of what I already own, and less of what I can acquire immediately. Another part of reading deliberately will include having more of a balance in books that challenge me and books that are pure entertainment.

Might this mean that I won’t read AS MANY books as I did in 2009? Or that I won’t reach my goal of reading 100 books in 2010? Perhaps. But I think my quality will make my quantity moot.

Many bloggers are taking up reading deliberately. The term was coined on Twitter after Jennifer from The Literate Housewife, Vassily from 1330v, Rebecca from The Book Lady’s Blog, and Michelle from Galleysmith were chatting on Twitter about this very topic. Here are some bloggers who are making 2010 The Year of Reading Deliberately:

The Book Lady’s Blog

The Literate Housewife

1330v

Galleysmith

Nomadreader

Books and Movies

Care’s Online Book Club

Shelf Love

Rebecca Reads

Linus’s Blanket

Medieval Bookworm

What are your reading goals for 2010? If you’re a non-blogger, what are your reading habits? How do you choose your next book? If you’re a blogger, does blogging help you with your reading goals or hinder you?