Big news...a change of venue!

Hi there, challenge participants! I just wanted to dash off a quick post to let you know that we are changing venues. I have created a new community reading site which will be the home of all my long term and perpetual reading challenges (and any other reading challenges I might dream up).

The new site is called Gather Together and Read. You will find all challenge info pertaining to The Stephen King Challenge in the page dedicated to the challenge...found in the sidebar menu.

While you're there, check out the new perpetual reading challenge I just kicked off, 13 Ways of Looking at The Lifetime Reading Plan. I hope you will consider joining me for that as well.

If you have any questions about the new site, click the contact me button in the sidebar over at teh new site and send me a message.

Thank you for being a participant of The Stephen King Challenge!

Salem's Lot Read-a-Long

Here we go with Salem's Lot! I’m excited! It's October now and officially scary time! Perfect for Stephen King.

I’m going to split it up in two parts and so we'll have two discussion check-ins\

• Start reading on October 1
• Read Prologue - Chapter 9 (pp. 1 – 218)
• Come back here on October 19 to discuss the first half
• On October 19, start reading Chapter 10 – Epilogue (pp. 219 – 439/the end)
• Come back here on November 1st to discuss the second half/the book as a whole

I hope you will be joining me. If you are, I hope you’re looking as forward to it as I am. 

The Mega Perpetual Reading Challenge Read-a-Long - Salem's Lot

In order to increase group interaction (and participation) within this reading challenge, as well as the three other perpetual challenges I host, I've decided to host this MEGA read-a-long event. For The Stephen King Challenge part of the read-a-long, which is coming in October, I chose Salem's Lot. Feel free to join in on the other read-a-longs. You do not have to sign up for the other reading challenges to join in on the read-a-longs.

The hub for the entire event will be at my The True Book Addict blog but the individual read-a-longs will be hosted at their respective blogs (I will list those below). The Salem's Lot read-a-long will be hosted here at The Stephen King Challenge blog. Look for a page in the menu at The True Book Addict which serves as this MEGA read-a-long's hub.

So, here is the schedule of read-a-longs and their respective blog urls:

June 2015: A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray - hosted at The Fantasy Project blog (read-a-long schedule is posted there) and in Goodreads group.

July/August 2015: The Covenant by James A. Michener - hosted at The Michener Challenge blog.

September 2015: The Wolf Gift by Anne Rice - hosted at The Never-Ending Anne Rice Challenge blog.

October 2015: Salem's Lot by Stephen King - hosted at The Stephen King Challenge blog.

The reading and discussion schedule for Salem's Lot will be coming soon. Please leave a comment if you have any questions or comments.

This Read-a-Long that has been Tweaked to Death!

The EPIC Dark Tower read-a-long has been tweaked and reconfigured so many times, it really has become EPIC! When I decided to host this read-a-long, I did not realize the ramifications. Number one...I do not like to read a book series one right after the other. I like to take breaks in between. Number two...I did not plan for all the personal issues that happened in my life over the past six months (a separation, a major move, bankruptcy, being sick twice in the past two months, filing for divorce). Yeah, it has been fun times...not! So, what I have decided is not to cancel the read-a-long, but to extend it to however long it takes (note the new button, "Estimated date of completion? Who the hell knows!). I know some who are reading along are reading ahead (Hi, Heather *wink*), which is perfectly fine, so I think a less stringent approach will work best. If you are extremely organized and scheduled and reading along, I do apologize. Some of us kind of just fly by the seat of our pants. It can be a cross to bear.

I will post links in the sidebar below the button to discussion posts when I post them. Also, if you're subscribed to the blog, you'll also know when I have posted something. I am halfway through The Waste Lands right now. Hopefully, I can finish it this month. *fingers crossed* The next book is Wizard and Glass and it's HUGE so no telling how long that one will take me.

I want to thank everyone in advance for understanding and I hope you will still be with us.

EPIC Dark Tower Read-a-Long--Reconfigured Reading Schedule

I am having to reconfigure the reading schedule for the read-a-long due to some recent circumstances in my personal life.  I'm separating from my husband and my sons and I are moving in with my mom.  It's a big move so I have little time for reading.  I haven't even made it a quarter of a way through The Wastelands because of all the emotional upheaval.  I do apologize and I hope that you all will stick with me.  If anyone else fell behind, this might help you to catch up so feel free to jump back in any time.  Here are the reconfigured dates:


September--The Gunslinger, Book 1
October--The Drawing of the Three, Book 2
January--The Waste Lands, Book 3
February/March--Wizard and Glass, Book 4
April--The Wind Through the Keyhole, Book 4.5
May/June--Wolves of the Calla, Book 5
July--Song of Susannah, Book 6
August/September--The Dark Tower, Book 7

I've updated the button with the appropriate dates as well, if you want to change it out.

Thank you for understanding and bearing with me during this trying time.

The Waste Lands: Halfway point check-in

I'm behind on the reading...again, but I thought I would post these discussion questions for you to share your thoughts, if you are up to date.  Some of the questions may pertain more to the entire book so use your discretion on which ones you answer.  I'll be back in a few days with my thoughts.

1. The Waste Lands is loaded with widely disparate cultural signifiers, from early-career Paul Newman to speed-metal bands to Frodo Baggins to Germany's Weimar Republic to Sugary Ray Leonard to King Arthur's Court. What is the effect of this kind of "kitchen-sink" referencing? Describe the tone of Stephen King's novel. 
2. How would you characterize Eddie Dean's emotional health in this third novel? What is the nature and provenance of his mysterious connection with Jake Chambers? How does their wordless affinity play out over the course of this novel? 
3. What is the nature of morality in Mid-World? Does King encourage a traditional good-and-evil reading of his novel? Explain. What fates and fortunes ultimately meet the novel's "evil" or immoral characters? What of the benevolent characters? 
4. Upon finding the metal ID tag and learning that the giant bear was called Shardik, Eddie is struck by a faint twinge of recognition. The name Shardik triggers in Eddie a seemingly inexplicable association "with rabbits." What is Stephen King's sly joke here? 
5. How might the work of Richard Adams, both his classic Watership Down as well as the lesser-known novel Shardik, relate to some of the larger themes—of cultural decay, of societal conflict, of nature versus civilization—that run through The Waste Lands? 
6. In his bizarre dreamscape early in the novel, what book is Eddie holding in his hand as he walks along Second Avenue? What is King up to here? 
7. Explain the elements of the great paradox—rooted in the events of The Gunslinger and The Drawing of the Three—underlying Roland and Jake's "doubled" memories and burgeoning madness. 
8. Recount what happens at the campsite in the "Bear and Bone" section after Roland tosses the jawbone of the man in black into the flames. What do the three pilgrims see in the fire? How does this episode spark the events by which Roland and Jake finally reconcile the paradox that is driving them mad? How do the images of the key and the rose come to inform the ka-tet's quest? 

EPIC Dark Tower Read-a-Long: The Waste Lands Reading Schedule

Details:

• First half of the book will be read the first half of November and the second half from mid-November until the end.
• You can do a post and leave your link in the comments, or you can just post your thoughts in the comments of the week's discussion post.

Reading schedule:
I realize that you may be reading from a different edition than me so the page numbers may be off. 

• Argument and Book One:  Jake, pages 1 thru 213--discussion on January 15.
• Book Two:  Lud, pages 217 (actual text starts on 219) thru 422 (end of Author's note)--discussion January 31.

Hope you're still reading along! Happy Reading!