For the first time, my young daughter (known online as
Little Miss R) is old enough to follow and enjoy the Olympics. She has already told me she wants to learn luge, ice hockey, and "fancy skating"--her word for the figure skating and ice dancing.
Poor kid; she's got a klutz of a mother who can't identify at all with the desire to zoom down an ice track at 80 miles per hour. But if reading were an Olympic sport--now, that I might have a chance at. Imagine how this could go:
Short-track speed reading: when you pull out a book while
you’re waiting in line at the post office.
Relay reading: loaning a favorite book to a friend.
Cross-country reading: taking books on the road. Always the best part of traveling!
What other book-related versions of Olympic sports can you think up? To one random commenter, I'll give a signed advance copy of my May historical romance, TO CHARM A NAUGHTY COUNTESS (which doesn’t include much
reading, but does have a significant game of billiards).
US mailing addresses only, please. I'll choose the winner at noon ET on Thursday, so check back!
* * *
CAN A RECLUSIVE DUKE…
Brilliant but rumored mad, Michael Layward, the impoverished Duke of
Wyverne, has no success courting heiresses until widowed Lady Stratton takes up
his cause–after first refusing his suit.
WIN LONDON’S MOST POWERFUL COUNTESS?
Caroline Graves, the popular Countess of Stratton, sits alone at the
pinnacle of London society and has vowed never to remarry. When Michael–her
counterpart in an old scandal–returns to town after a long absence, she finds
herself as enthralled with him as ever. As she guides the anxiety-ridden duke
through the trials of society, Caroline realizes that she’s lost her heart
. But if she gives herself to the only man she’s ever loved, she’ll lose the
hard-won independence she prizes above all.
* * *
Historical romance author Theresa Romain pursued an impractical education that allowed her to read everything she could get her hands on. She then worked for universities and libraries, where she got to read even more. Eventually she started writing, too. She lives with her family in the Midwest, where she is working on her next book.
Website: http://theresaromain.com
Twitter: @TheresaRomain
How about curling using wallbangers and books that failed to deliver an HEA as the stones?
ReplyDeleteExcellent idea, Mia! And books of different sizes would just add to the challenge.
DeleteThe Biathalon: Successfully reading your book while shooting down all the patronizing comments about your reading choice.
ReplyDeleteThe Giant Slalom: Reading your book while dodging whiny children and other would-be interruptions.
vlettel at cox.net
Virginia, you get a gold medal just for that "shooting" play on words. Love it! And that sort of giant slalom is beyond my skills, but something to aspire to.
DeleteThank you, Theresa. Here's an Olympic sport: marathon reading. Getting through "War and Peace" in one sitting.
ReplyDeleteMary Anne, that would truly be a marathon! I love the idea of marathon reading--probably the only marathon I will ever complete.
DeleteIce Dancing: Reading two books at the same time!
ReplyDeleteI'm game! Extra points for eating Twizzlers? Every time the ice-dancing commentators talk about twizzles, I start wanting candy.
DeleteMia and I were thinking along the same lines as I was going to suggest book discus or shot book, where you use books that made you upset. Or there could be a speed reading instead of speed skating, but with a catch, you would also have to recall what you read.
ReplyDeleteI can hardly wait for this book, especially since you told us about the hero months ago.
Sarah, "shot book" or "book discus" can be the summer Olympics version of "book curling." :)
DeleteYou're so kind--so glad this book sounds like your kind of story! Michael has a different way of looking at the world, which made him fun to write. I loved getting into his head.
Marathon book shopping- The shopper who buys the most books at the most bookstores wins the gold.
ReplyDeleteCrystal, nice one! And what if the gold medal is actually a bookstore gift card? This is a sport that could continue on…and on...
DeleteA book reading marathon of a certain genre' of books or books by the same author, to see who could read the most books in a 48 hr. period. LOL I love regency and romance with steamy love scenes myself!
DeleteBogimom, that sounds like my kind of marathon too--though I'd probably conk out way before 48 hours. Excellent choice of Regencies and steamy romances. :)
Delete"Curling" up with a good book :) - fun post lol.
ReplyDeleteCatslady, you win the Golden Pun Award. :)
DeleteFreestyle skiing: or rather Freestyle Reading I rather find myself jumping from one style to the next and I love where the authors imaginative mind as well as mine takes me on this journey. So you see, it is rather in the eye of the beholder, to put it one way. I love just about any book that can get my imagination running.
ReplyDeleteAmy, that's such a fun comparison! Especially with those lovely athletic figures of speech--journeying, getting the imagination running. I am really wishing some of these book sports would turn up in the 2016 Rio games now.
DeleteLove this post! How about the TBR balance beam, where you try to balance books from your nightstand in front of you while you walk the beam? :-)
ReplyDeleteHa, Shana! How far would you get? I think I'd topple--or the books would.
DeleteHi Theresa,
ReplyDeleteTalk about a funny post! Have you figured out "bobsled" reading? Thanks for giving us a little humor this morning.
Hi, Gina! Hmm, bobsled... You and a friend (or three friends) all quickly leap onto a couch for story time? The first person up steers the story by reading it aloud to others. The last one up gets to put on the brakes by declaring snacktime. :)
DeleteNot to give Little Miss R any ideas, but I remember watching an old interview with a speed skater. She had a specially made piece of waxed linoleum that she would practice on. She would move side to side on the slick surface in her socks.
ReplyDeleteAs for the Olympics, how about strapping a pair of books to your ski boots and speeding down the mountain. That would truly be speed reading.
Kim, ha! Speed-reading indeed. Better pick a big coffee-table book to fit under your skis. That was a clever athlete to think of skating on linoleum. I won't tell Little Miss R, though--she already loves to run and slide in her sock feet.
DeleteI've probably been hearing way too much Olympics coverage...How about these:
ReplyDeleteReading Combined--Like Nordic Combined, which requires expertise in two athletic disciplines, this features reading two books in different genres at the same time.
Luge Reading--Reading while you are reclining on your back.
Skeleton Reading--Reading while you are lying on your stomach.
Perfect, LSUReader. I'd been trying to think of how to get luge and skeleton involved. I'm sure I'll never do luge or skeleton, but I can read both of these ways.
Deletedeadlifting as many books as you can at one time
ReplyDeletebn100candg at hotmail dot com
bn100, nice! A good excuse to dig into that TBR pile.
DeleteCross-country reading, love that one! There are some nice ideas from other commentors :) I would participate for sure!
ReplyDelete50km Reading: Read as long as you can until you pass out.
Lexi, ha! I like it. In fact, I give that one a try almost every night. :)
DeleteSynchronized swimming...or rather reading. Where you and your friends are all reading the same book together.
ReplyDeleteBarbara, that would be so fun--like book club taken up a notch.
DeleteI guess there can be Bobsled reading, or maybe Ice Reading instead of Ice Dancing.
ReplyDeleteIce reading would be a true test of balance, Sheryl! I'd love to watch people zoom around the rink with a book.
Deletemogul reading -- reading as you move about the house going around & over various obstacles (furniture, pets, etc)
ReplyDeleteHa, gamistress66! I've done that before--now I can give it an athletic name.
DeleteMary, isn't this fun? Weight-lifting reading sounds great! Now I'm wishing for an all-book Olympic event. It would fit in well with the Smart Bitches romance novel workouts.
ReplyDeleteIt's a lost art now that there are e-books, but it used to be an art to see how many books I could pack into a suitcase when we went on trips (and still leave room for a couple of outfits). Congrats on the upcoming release and thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteELF, I used to do that too. Actually, even with my ereader, I still toss a few books into my suitcase.
DeleteWhat could we call this sport? Maybe it's the training program for cross-country reading, because you've got to have the books with you before you can read them.
I'm laughing at everyone's suggestions - they are all good! I can't think of a good name, but pairs ice reading - reading your book while your hubby reads his magazine, all the while nicely pretending you are still spending time together. :)
ReplyDeleteSusan, spoken as if from experience? :) Mr. R and I do pairs reading all the time. And that's exactly what it is: me with a book, him with a computer magazine.
DeleteHow about snow-bored-ing - who can read the most while they're snowed in and bored. (Not that I only read when bored - I'll take any chance I get!) For extra style points you can do some creative flips off the couch and wear super flashy pajamas.
ReplyDeleteMonica
Hee! I like your suggestions for style points, Monica. This is the perfect winter for snow-bored-ing. Lots of indoor days.
DeleteThanks, everyone, for your comments and your excellent ideas about new Olympic sports! The winner, as chosen by random.org, is Kim from February 18, 2014 at 1:37 PM.
ReplyDeleteKim, please email me at theresa @ theresaromain.com (without spaces) with your preferred mailing address, and I'll get the book to you. Thanks!