Are you ready for Orange July 2012?

It’s that time of year again – time to celebrate phenomenal fiction! Orange July is here!

What’s Orange July?

Orange July (and its sister month, January) are biannual events where people around the world commit to read at least one Orange Prize for Fiction winner or nominee. That’s it – just one book!

There are hundreds of books to choose from. Click on these links below to see eligible books:

List of Orange Prize winners

List of Orange Prize shortlisted books

List of Orange Prize longlisted books

You can also learn more about Orange books on the Orange Prize Project. This blog contains readers’ reviews of Orange Prize winners and nominees. And while you’re there, consider posting your own reviews to the blog!

And if you blog about Orange July 2012, please use the shiny new Orange July 2012 badge – posted on the top right of this blog post. Thanks for your help in spreading the word!

Orange July 2012 Giveaways

As part of the Orange July festivities, I will be hosting giveaways on my blog throughout July. I have more than 20 books to give away, including the entire 2012 short list! Giveaways will be open to everyone – no matter where you live – and you can enter to win more than once. I will post the giveaway books and rules/tips on a later blog post – be sure to subscribe to my blog so you don’t miss this big announcement!

June 24, 2012 UPDATE: Here’s the link to my blog post that lists the 2012 Orange July Giveaways!

Facebook and LibraryThing

Enhance your Orange July experience by participating on our Facebook page and LibraryThing group. While this is not a requirement for Orange July, most participants have fun discussing books and getting to know each other through these sites.

How do I sign up for Orange July 2012?

For this Orange July, I am requesting all participants sign up using the Mr. Linky widget below. Click on the Mr. Linky graphic to add your name and link. Feel free to link to your blog, LibraryThing or Goodreads profile, Facebook profile, Twitter account, etc. It can  take a few minutes for your name to appear – don’t despair!

(This is my first time using Mr. Linky, so fingers crossed that it works! LOL!)

10 Things You Need To Know About Orange January 2012

Orange January starts tomorrow! Here are 10 things you need to know!

1. You only need to read one book that was an Orange Prize winner or nominee. That’s it!

2. The book giveaways (21 in all!) are open to all Orange January participants – no matter where you live!

3. The best way to keep track of the book giveaways is to subscribe to my blog. Just look for the black “Sign Me Up” box in the top right corner of this page.

4. Giveaways will also be announced on our Facebook page.

5. The Orange January/July LibraryThing group is very active. Come join the fun!

6. Not sure what to read? Stop by the Orange Prize Project blog, where there are a ton of reviews on Orange books.

7. And, while you’re there, consider joining the Orange Prize Project blog so you can post your reviews too!

8. It’s not too late to jump in! RSVP on the original blog post or on our Facebook Event page.

9. Have too many Orange books on your shelf? We do this all again in July!

10. HAVE FUN!

Orange January Graphic

Special thanks to Her Royal Orangeness at Only Orangery for creating this wonderful graphic for Orange January. And double thanks for letting me share it with the world!

Feel free to download and use on your blog posts! Available in two sizes, feel free to link it to the Orange January 2012 blog post:

500 x 333 pixels

250 x 167 pixels

The Orange January 2012 Giveaways

Who’s ready to win some books?

It’s now a wonderful tradition to host book giveaways to spruce up Orange January. These books are from my personal collection, and it’s my pleasure to share them with readers from around the world.

Rules and Tips:

1. Giveaways are open to all Orange January 2012 participants.

2. When a book is up for grabs, I will write a blog post about it. In the blog post, you’ll be asked to answer a question or complete a short task. Please comment on the blog if you want to be entered into that day’s drawing. Drawings close at 9pm eastern, unless otherwise noted.

3. Open to all people, no matter where you live. I ship books all over the world, from South Africa to Switzerland!

4. The books I’ve chosen for the giveaways include Orange Prize winners, nominees and books by female authors that I like. It’s entirely subjective.

5. The giveaways are all used books – hardcovers, paperbacks and Advanced Reader Editions.

6. You can win more than one giveaway.

7. Books will be shipped once Orange January concludes so I can bundle up multiple winners’ books.

8. The best way to keep track of what’s up for grabs is to subscribe to my blog. Look for the big black “Sign Me Up” button on the top right-hand side. I will post links to the giveways on our Facebook page too.

Without further adieu….

We have winners:

When I Lived In Modern Times by Linda Grant (2000)
The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver (2010)

And some shortlisters:

The Magician’s Assistant by Ann Patchett (1998)
Homestead by Rosina Lippi (2001)
Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (2004)
The Observations by Jane Harris (2007)
Lottery by Patricia Wood (2008)
Scottsboro by Ellen Feldman (2009)
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel (2010)
Great House by Nicole Krauss (2011)

And plenty of longlisters too:

Gilgamesh by Joan London (2004)
Case Histories by Kate Atkinson (2005)
Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld (2006)
A Mercy by Toni Morrison (2009)
The Personal History of Rachel DuPree by Ann Weingarber (2009)
Swamplandia! by Karen Russell (2011)
The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives by Lola Shoneyin (2011)

Finally, other books (maybe a future Orange Prize nominee?):

Abide With Me by Elizabeth Strout
Caleb’s Crossing by Geraldine Brooks
The Last Nude by Ellis Avery
Untold Story by Monica Ali

Sound like fun? I hope so! I’ll host my first giveaway on January 1, 2012. Until then, please join us on our Facebook page, LibraryThing group and Orange Prize Project blog.

All About Orange January 2012

Welcome to Orange January- an annual event celebrating the Orange Prize for Fiction. This blog post will tell you all about the Orange January event, but if you have any questions, please drop me an e-mail at jillceleste AT hotmail. I hope you will participate!

What is Orange January?

Orange January is a personal reading challenge. You make the rules. The only requirement is to read at least one book that has won or been nominated for the Orange Prize for Fiction. Some participants read just one book; others devote the whole month to reading Orange books. Some people write reviews; others do not. It’s up to you on how you want to celebrate Orange January.

Is there a list of Orange Prize books?

Rest assured, if you’ve never focused on the Orange Prize before, you’re in for a treat. There are hundreds of books to choose from by many great female authors, including Toni Morrison, Hilary Mantel, Kate Atkinson and many more. Here are some links to help you out:

Orange Prize Winners
Orange Prize Short List
Orange Prize Long List

You can also learn more about Orange books on the Orange Prize Project. This blog contains readers’ reviews of Orange Prize winners and nominees. And while you’re there, consider posting your own reviews to the blog!

Orange January prizes!

Throughout January, I will be hosting book giveaways. A complete list of books will be posted tomorrow*, but here are a few titles to whet your appetite:

The Observations by Jane Harris
Great House by Nicole Krauss
The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver
Homestead by Rosina Lippi
A Personal History of Rachel DuPree by Ann Weisgarber 

*UPDATE: List of book giveaways has now been posted!

How do I enter to win prizes?

Entering is easy! On days when a book is up for grabs, I will announce the book title and a short activity you’ll need to complete to be entered into the random drawing. The announcement will appear on my blog between 6-8am eastern, and participants have until 9pm eastern to complete the activity. Once you finish the activity, mention it in that day’s blog comments so I know who to enter into the random drawing.

The activities are quick – usually answering a question – and won’t take more than a few minutes of your time. Additionally, if you still want to participate in the question – but don’t want to be entered into the book drawing –  just let me know in your comment.

Prizes will be shipped worldwide, and the giveaways are open to everyone!

Facebook and LibraryThing

Enhance your Orange January experience by participating on our Facebook page and LibraryThing group. While this is not a requirement for Orange January, most participants have fun discussing books and getting to know each other through these sites.

I want to participate in Orange January!

Great! If you’re on Facebook, RSVP on our Orange January Event page or let me know in the comment section below. Also, please spread the word to your friends about Orange January. The more, the merrier!

Edited to add: We now have Orange Prize graphics! Check out this blog post for more info.

October Spooktacular Books

I’ve selected some wonderful books to read in October – a combination of ghost stories, Gothic fiction and general “who-done-its.”

What’s on your reading shelf for October?

My Orange July 2011 Reading Wrap-Up

What a great reading month! I am proud that I finished nine books for Orange July! As you can see from my book pile, I read an eclectic group of Orange Prize winners and nominees. Here’s the summary:

Swamplandia! by Karen Russell (review) – 4.5 stars

Great House by Nicole Krauss (review) – 4 stars

Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (review) – 4 stars

When I Lived in Modern Times by Linda Grant (review) – 3 stars

The Personal History of Rachel DuPree by Ann Weisgarber (review) – 4 stars

Scottsboro by Ellen Feldman (review) – 5 stars

The Magician’s Assistant by Ann Patchett (review) – 5 stars

The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives by Lola Shoneyin (review) – 3 stars

Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld (review) – 4 stars

And thanks to my LibraryThing friend, Darryl, I have accepted his challenge to read at least one Orange book every month until Orange January – when we do this all again! I hope you’ll join in our Orange madness! =)

10 Things You Need To Know About Orange July 2011

Orange July starts tomorrow! Here are 10 things you need to know!

1. You only need to read one book that was an Orange Prize winner or nominee. That’s it!

2. The book giveaways (18 in all!) are open to all Orange July participants – no matter where you live!

3. The best way to keep track of the book giveaways is to subscribe to my blog. Just look for the black “Sign Me Up” box in the top right corner of this page.

4. Giveaways will also be announced on our Facebook page.

5. The Orange January/July LibraryThing group is very active. Come join the fun!

6. Not sure what to read? Stop by the Orange Prize Project blog, where there are a ton of reviews on Orange books.

7. And, while you’re there, consider joining the Orange Prize Project blog so you can post your reviews too!

8. It’s not too late to jump in! RSVP on the original blog post or on our Facebook Event page.

9. Have too many Orange books on your shelf? We do this all again in January!

10. HAVE FUN!

Decision July 2011: What to read for Orange July

Orange July is less than a week away, and I still have to make some decisions on what I plan on reading. During Orange January, I was so busy planning the event that I didn’t get much reading done. This will not be the case for Orange July with 18 Orange books waiting on my shelves.

The Choices

Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Scottsboro by Ellen Feldman

The Concise Chinese-English Dictionary for Lovers by Xiaolu Guo

The Clothes on Their Backs by Linda Grant

When I Lived in Modern Times by Linda Grant

The Mammoth Cheese by Sheri Holman

The Invention of Everything Else by Samantha Hunt

What I Loved by Siri Hustvedt

Great House by Nicole Krauss

Black Water Rising by Attica Locke

The Magician’s Assistant by Ann Patchett

Swamplandia! by Karen Russell

Afterwards by Karen Seiffert

Larry’s Party by Carol Shields

The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives by Lola Shoneyin

Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld

The Earth Hums in B Flat by Mari Strachan

The Personal History of Rachel Dupree by Ann Weisgarber

The Definites

I will start Orange July with Swamplandia! and Great House. I usually read 4-5 books a month, so that leaves me a few choices to make. What do you suggest I read? Please leave your comment in the space below – and thanks for your help!

UPDATE: Book giveaways for Orange July

Earlier this week, I posted the details for this year’s Orange July event and mentioned that I would be be back to list the books up for grabs. Well, here I am! Without further adieu, here are the books that will be given away during Orange July:

Orange July 2011 Book Giveaways:

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

Room by Emma Donoghue

The Siege by Helen Dunmore

A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan

Haweswater by Sarah Hall

Coventry by Helen Humphreys

Mr. Chartwell by Rebecca Hunt

The Summer Without Men by Siri Hustvedt

The History of Love by Nicole Krauss

The Tiger’s Wife by Tea Obreht

State of Wonder by Ann Patchett

Wench by Dolen Perkins-Valdez

Doc by Mary Doria Russell

Afterwards by Rachel Seiffert

Let The Northern Lights Erase Your Name by Vendela Vida

Disclaimer:

• The books are all used but in good condition.
• Some books are hard covers and others are paperback.
• Some books are advanced reader’s editions.
• My selection of books to offer is purely subjective.

Want to join the fun? Orange July is open to all readers. Visit my previous post and leave a comment to let me know you’re participating, or go to our Facebook page and RSVP there. Thanks for joining Orange July!