Hey everyone! I hope you’re all having fun reading. I’m busy working on the back end of the read-a-thon, making sure everything runs smoothly, so while I’m not reading right now, I WILL be reading later!

Welcome to this hour’s mini-challenge! I thought it would be fun to see where in the world all of the readers are! Even better? Pinpointing ourselves on a map!

I’ve set up a Google Map so we can do this. This map is NOT public, which means it won’t be brought up in a search engine. The only way you can find the map is by having the link. However, this blog IS public and searchable, so it’s possible that someone could stumble across this. However (again), you won’t be entering your actual street address; you’ll just pinpoint your city. I know some people are concerned with privacy and won’t want to pinpoint their location. That’s okay! You could also pick a very close city if you don’t want to get too specific or if you live in a small town.

To enter this mini-challenge, you’ll need to do two things:

1. Go to this link and enter in your location (use either your blog name or your first name or whatever name people know you by online).

a. You’ll need to be signed in to your Google account. If you don’t have a Google account, you can sign up here. You won’t need a gmail account to sign up. You can use any email for “Your current email address.”

b. If you click the link and it doesn’t have other pins in it, check the bottom of left-hand sidebar.

c. Zoom, click and drag as needed to get a closeup on your city.

d. Then, click Edit, at the top on the left.

e. Grab and place your pin, and label it appropriately, with your name and URL, for instance.

f. Click OK, then click Done on the left side (after it has saved).

2. Come back and leave a comment letting me know you pinpointed your location. It is from the comments that I will choose a winner.

The winner will receive a $25 gift card to the bookstore of their choice. This mini-challenge will end after 2 hours, at 9:59am PST.

I just want to thank everyone for doing such a great job of supporting the read-a-thon today! It’s with a little bit of melancholy that Hannah and Nymeth and I run this read-a-thon, because it’s the first read-a-thon without Dewey. Dewey was such an inspiration to all of us as she was one of the people who brought book bloggers together into a community. You never realize what you have until that something’s gone, and it’s very apparent as we work on this read-a-thon what we’re missing.

We’re comforted, though, in knowing that in continuing events like the read-a-thon and weekly geeks that not only does Dewey live on in our memory, but we’re passing her on to other people who’ve never met her. She will be talked about for years to come.

Thank you for all your support!

I know people have been waiting to hear about the read-a-thon, and after some work, the read-a-thon has it’s own site and a date for 2009! Mark your calendars for:

April 18, 2009

We wanted to let you know the site is up and running and plans are underway for (the newly renamed) Dewey’s 24-Hour Read-a-Thon. We can’t wait!

I’m totally speechless and want to talk with you guys about this.

HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT DEWEY’S GONE??

And how do I tell people that I want to go cry, even though I’ve never met her? Who will understand that she was a friend like any other friend “in real life” and that I can’t imagine the world without her?

Dewey gave me something to live up to as a blogger and as a human being. We talked a lot during the Read-a-Thon, and while she did mention some health problems, I had NO IDEA they were life-threatening.

But our chats! Oh, it was like a long lost friend! You’d never know we’d never physically met, she was just the kind of person that opened up and showered you with sunshine.

I just don’t know what to say. I’m not eloquent, and I’m trying not to cry here at work. I’ll mourn for her the same way I’d mourn for any friend: with grief and sadness now, slowly turning to fond memories and a warmness in my heart.

I know there’s more I want to say, but I’m speechless.

I love you, Dewey. And always will. You will not be forgotten, and you have left an indelible mark on me, and also on the world.

I can’t do it. Sorry! Once I finished working my brain shut down and has been begging for a rest ever since.

I can barely see straight.

And if I quit now, i’ll actually be able to read coherently tomorrow. Good luck to the rest of you and good night!