The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion

20.1 - Most Improved Player - Putterpal's Task: There's a 1st Time for Everything

My husband's favorite number is 13 so we are very excited for the year 2013. To finish this year off with a bang and get ready for the new year, our family is headed to Disneyland for the very first time.

Read an author's debut book, that is the first published stand-alone book written by any author. This list may help: Best New Author Debuts, as well as this GoodReads feature - Debut Author Snapshots.

When using either resource, however, be careful that the book you choose is the first published book by that author. Some authors may have published books in other areas (non-fiction, childrens' books, etc.), and their first published adult novel would not work for this task.

Approved Books:
by David Eagleman

by Brenna Yovanoff

by Sarah Addison Allen

by Michael Koryta

by Salman Rushdie

by Rachel Joyce

by Karen Russell

by Eowyn Ivey

P.A. Lupton

Beth Hoffman

Matthew J. Kirby

Siobhan Fallon

by Elizabeth Kostova

Richard K. Morgan

Kami Garcia

Reserved

This thread is now open!

I looked up Sum: Forty Tales from the Afterlives. It's publication is Feb 2009 and he is second author on another book that came out June 2009. Will SUM work?

Hi! Thanks for creating this task! I want to read The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff, published in 2010. On GR, she is listed as a "contributing author" for a few compilation books that were published before 2010; however, according to the School Library Journal, this is her debut novel. See review below. Would this book be acceptable?

From School Library Journal
Gr 9 Up–In this grim debut novel, the Doyles hide the terrible secret that 16-year-old Mackie is a changeling who was swapped for their real son when he was a baby.

I look forward to finding a book for this task. Enjoy your trip to Disneyland!

I think that I want to use The Journal of Best Practices: A Memoir of Marriage, Asperger Syndrome, and One Man's Quest to Be a Better Husband for this task. This is his first published book, however he also had an essay published in the New York Times, which became the basis for his book. Will this work?

Will Garden Spells count? This is a quote from her goodreads profile:

Her big break occurred in 2007 with the publication of her first mainstream novel, Garden Spells, a modern-day fairy tale about an enchanted apple tree and the family of North Carolina women who tend it. Booklist called Allen's accomplished debut "spellbindingly charming."

Can I just double check when you say stand alone you mean the book can't be the first in a series? For example I couldn't read Michael Koryta's first bookTonight I Said Goodbyeas it is part of a series

yikes that's a good question sam! I assumed stand-alone meant, excluding any anthologies etc that might have written in

Yes I was coming to inquire about the stand alone stipulation as well. Was also wondering if it meant it can't be the first of a series by same author?

JenniferJ wrote: "Yes I was coming to inquire about the stand alone stipulation as well. Was also wondering if it meant it can't be the first of a series by same author?"

I suggested this to Marie so that we wouldn't have an issue with people whose first book was preceded by short stories in an anthology. GR lists those when you pull up the "all books" by an author and to include someone who had a short story published before their first book would rule out an awful lot of authors! Dee was absolutely correct.

Sandy wrote: "JenniferJ wrote: "Yes I was coming to inquire about the stand alone stipulation as well. Was also wondering if it meant it can't be the first of a series by same author?"

I suggested this to Marie..."

Ahhh, that makes more sense. I thought the stand-alone meant not in a series, which is why I asked my question above about The Replacement.

I'm thinking of reading Grimus, which is Salman Rushdie's debut book. He had nothing else published before this that I know of. I hope that works, Marie.

I would like to read St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves for this task. However, this book is a collection of 10 short stories by the author but it is the first book published. Would this be acceptable?

hello! I'd like to use "The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry" by Rachel Joyce. It says this is her first novel, however she's written over 20 radio and television plays. Would this still count?
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13...
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...

I'm sorry- we have been in Disneyland this week and I forgot to check and see when my task was posted. Will get to work answering your questions!

April wrote: "I looked up Sum: Forty Tales from the Afterlives. It's publication is Feb 2009 and he is second author on another book that came out June 2009. Will SUM work?"

Yes, this will work.

Meghanly wrote: "Hi! Thanks for creating this task! I want to read The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff, published in 2010. On GR, she is listed as a "contributing author" for a few compilation books that were publis..."

Yes, this will work.

Amy W wrote: "I think that I want to use The Journal of Best Practices: A Memoir of Marriage, Asperger Syndrome, and One Man's Quest to Be a Better Husband for this task. This is his first published book, howev..."

It looks like David Finch did the writing and art for some comic books by himself before this book was published. Batman - The Dark Knight Vol. 1: Golden Dawn by David Finch so your book wouldn't quite work.

Lahni wrote: "Will Garden Spells count? This is a quote from her goodreads profile:

Her big break occurred in 2007 with the publication of her first mainstream novel, Garden Spells, a modern-day fairy tale abo..."

Yes, that works. This is one of my favorite books.

Chaitra wrote: "I'm thinking of reading Grimus, which is Salman Rushdie's debut book. He had nothing else published before this that I know of. I hope that works, Marie."

Yes, this works.

Bekka wrote: "hello! I'd like to use "The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry" by Rachel Joyce. It says this is her first novel, however she's written over 20 radio and television plays. Would this still count?
..."

Yes, that will work.

Wanda wrote: "I would like to read St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves for this task. However, this book is a collection of 10 short stories by the author but it is the first book published. Would this ..."

I think this would work since the whole book is by the same author.

Marie wrote: "Wanda wrote: "I would like to read St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves for this task. However, this book is a collection of 10 short stories by the author but it is the first book published..."


Thank you

I'd like to use The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

KSMary wrote: "I'd like to use The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey"

That works. Looks like a good one.

Marie wrote: "Bekka wrote: "hello! I'd like to use "The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry" by Rachel Joyce. It says this is her first novel, however she's written over 20 radio and television plays. Would this..."

thank you!

I would like to read by P. A. Lupton. Checking to make sure this is ok. I didn't find any other titles by her....

I'll ask about tons of books at once so I can decide what I'm in the mood to read. :)

According to the GR profiles, these two are their respective author's debut novels:


First book according to author's website:

http://www.melissawestauthor.com/Abou...

These are self pub books and they seem to be debut novels (the authors are not talking about any other books on their sites!)

http://www.traceygarvisgraves.com/

: http://www.bjustinshier.com/

This one looks like it would fit this task.

Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman

Would The Clockwork Three work for this task? Thank you :)

Kristine wrote: "Would The Clockwork Three work for this task? Thank you :)"

OOOPS...just noticed an earlier publication but it seems to be more of a research paper? Does that count as a book? Not sure though....oh the confusion, lol.

~Melissa~ wrote: "I would like to read by P. A. Lupton. Checking to make sure this is ok. I didn't find any other titles by her...."

I don't see any other books written by her either.

Bea wrote: "This one looks like it would fit this task.

Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman"

Yup

OOOPS...just noticed an earlier publication but it seems to be more of a research paper? Does that count as a book? ..."

Kristine wrote: "Would The Clockwork Three work for this task? Thank you :)"

Looks like The Clockwork Three is his debut.

D.G. ~Shameless Hussy~ wrote: "I'll ask about tons of books at once so I can decide what I'm in the mood to read. :)

According to the GR profiles, these two are their respective author's debut novels:
[bookcover:A Most Scandalo..."

Any of those will work. Good luck choosing one :)

Thanks, Marie. I want to read them all so it will be difficult to choose! :)

Marie wrote: "~Melissa~ wrote: "I would like to read by P. A. Lupton. Checking to make sure this is ok. I didn't find any other titles by her...."

I don't see any other books..."

Thanks! I've been meaning to read it for a while now.

Hi, does You Know When the Men Are Gone work? It looks like her other book was part of a compilation, but with only one other author so I wanted to double check. Thanks!

Jayme VA wrote: "Hi, does You Know When the Men Are Gone work? It looks like her other book was part of a compilation, but with only one other author so I wanted to double check. Thanks!"

Yes, that will work

Thanks Marie!

I'm going to read The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova.

Just wanted to check and make sure Altered Carbon works. The author has published lots of books but it seems that was the first.

Riona wrote: "Just wanted to check and make sure Altered Carbon works. The author has published lots of books but it seems that was the first."

Yes, that one works

Marie wrote: "Riona wrote: "Just wanted to check and make sure Altered Carbon works. The author has published lots of books but it seems that was the first."

Yes, that one works"

Awesome, thanks!

Does Beautiful Creatures work? I haven't found any earlier books by either Kami Garcia or Margaret Stohl.

Maria Helena wrote: "Does Beautiful Creatures work? I haven't found any earlier books by either Kami Garcia or Margaret Stohl."

That looks to be the debut novel for both authors.

Marie wrote: "Maria Helena wrote: "Does Beautiful Creatures work? I haven't found any earlier books by either Kami Garcia or Margaret Stohl."

That looks to be the debut novel for both authors."

Thanks!