readathon

A Bookish Canadian Readathon

~ Colline ~ Leave a comment

Today is the start of the Bookish Canadian readathon on Instagram which runs until Sunday evening. I may not be able to complete all the books I have chosen for the readathon but I will try to put a serious dent in the stack.

To show Canadian pride, I have chosen three books written by Canadian authors: Joanna Goodman’s The Home for Unwanted Girls has been on my TBR pile for 2 years now; Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale is apparently a classic that many Canadians have read; I received a signed copy of the novel by Ann Lambert, The Birds That Stay, at the OLA Super Conference earlier this year.

As always, I look forward to a weekend of immersing myself in the stories others have created.

What are you reading this weekend?

© Colline Kook-Chun, 2019

Weekend Coffee Share: Reading and Things

~ Colline ~ 12 Comments

If we were having coffee, I would tell you that yesterday was the perfect day weather-wise. This morning was a bit chilly but at least the sun is shining. We are so ready for the warmer weather! The kids too – the weather has been perfect to take them outside to play, and they have eagerly gone outside for longer recess breaks. We have been stuck inside for too long and are now eager for days to take in some sun and feel the warmth of the sun on our bare limbs.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you that last Sunday I took part in the readathon organised by the folks at Harper Collins Canada. I spent the day reading along with others online and taking part in the prompts and discussions on social media. It was such fun to connect with other readers and to see their response to the prompts. Even though I did not finish my novel ( a 400 page historical fiction), I put a serious dent into it. If you want to read more about the event and have a look at my photos, you can go here to see the post.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you that this week has been one filled with assessments at school. I have been testing the children in one area of the curriculum every day as this week as I need to begin writing the report cards. It is a stressful time for us at school and one that I look forward to ending. Once the report cards are done, the atmosphere at school will definitely be more relaxed. In addition, my planned tasks for the year with the children are almost done and then we can move onto more fun things.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you that I have also been practicing for my practical exam which will take place next Saturday. The exam is the final step towards my becoming a group fitness instructor and once that is done, I will have completed one of my New Year Resolutions 😀

If we were having coffee, I would tell you that I cannot believe that it is already June – the months seem to have flown by! This month will fly by too – before I know it, the school year will be over, and my youngest will have graduated from high school. But until then, I will enjoy the passing of days. Enjoy the rest of the weekend, have a wonderful week, and speak to you next Sunday.

What would you tell me if we were having coffee?

© Colline Kook-Chun, 2019

(This post is linked to Eclectic Alli and the Weekend Coffee Share)

A Savvy Readathon

~ Colline ~ 6 Comments

On Sunday I participated in my first online readathon. The event was planned by the enthusiastic group of people at Harper Collins Canada that run the publisher’s marketing. During the session, participants were able to respond to questions and prompts on Facebook, Twitter, and even Instagram.

I chose two books that I would read during the readathon: The Song of the Jade Lily by Kirsty Manning and The Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K.Rowling. The first book I opened was an historical fiction set during World War II; and the second was part of my re-read of Harry Potter’s novels. I was not sure whether I would get to Harry’s story but I wanted to be prepared in case I finished Manning’s novel.

Even though I was participating in the readathon, I still wanted to go to my Sunday morning Zumba class therefore I did a little reading before I left home for my exercise class. The Song of the Jade Lily had captured my interest and I was ready to spend the entire day immersed in the book.

After Zumba I am always hungry and it was not long after arriving home that I made myself a quick lunch so that I could once again immerse myself in the story I was reading.

One of the fun things about the readathon was the questions that were asked on the hour. Around mid-afternoon, participants were asked what were their bad reading habits. I quickly snapped a photo in response. For some people leaving a book open flat while taking a quick break is definitely a no-no!

The readathon ended at 5pm. I did not get to complete my novel but I enjoyed reading along with other readers all over Canada. I enjoyed the conversations on social media and connected with many readers. The activity made me smile and I will definitely participate in the next one!

What has made you smile this week?

© Colline Kook-Chun, 2018

(This post was inspired by Trent’s Weekly Smile, a challenge which focuses on sharing all things positive.)