Weird Westerns discussion

This thread will be to announce upcoming group reads, polls, and other group read bits and bobs.

Still a few weeks to vote but it's looking like the next group read for July/August will be based around demons. Voting ends on July 1st.

Howdy, folks! Things have been awfully quiet this summer. It's about time to start voting for the September/October group read, so I figured I'd put out a few questions.

1) How have you liked reading based on themes?

2) Would you rather go back to voting on specific books or authors?

3) Any suggestions for themes or books you'd like to see the group discuss?

1. I've liked reading based on themes, because:

a) if some folks only like one book or have time for one, they can jump in but other people can feel free to get carried away reading more than one;

b) folks can show up with more book recommendations, so if you choose one and hate it, you just catch n' release and try again, and;

c) there's more room for a greater number of topics.

2. Nope. See above.

3. Can we look at some of the other active topic threads for suggestions for themes? What if one theme was Weird Weapons, or First Weird West Reads, or Cover Stories? And steampunk. So. Much. Steampunk.

I am all for bringing in new suggestions. I will happily add them to the poll when I put it up. In fact, it might behoove us to use steampunk because there is so much overlap. We could even make certain themes yearly if folks wanted. Like Steampunk September for instance. Y'all throw me ideas and I'll use the ones everyone likes best.

I like the idea of continuing the themed reads, as well as the active topics for ideas. I think they have been good for expanding the knowledge pool of what's out there to read.

Maybe this time I'll post an all write-in theme. Everyone can suggest stuff and whatever wins, we read.

So far, Steampunk seems to be the clear choice for the next group read but there's still a week to go and Comic Books is only behind by 1 vote.

Given that November and December are busy times, with holidays and finals, I was debating declaring the next froup read a free-for-all or going ahead wwith using a pure write-in vote. Thoughts?

If anyone has any suggestions for the March-April read, feel free to make them here. I think given the activity, we could probably just drop back down to one book instead of a theme, unless everyone wants to keep themes still.

I like the one-book (or 2! or 1 plus a short story!) idea better than themes, but I'm open to either. If there is interest in doing a book together for the next round, I know a few folks on here have read or are interested in reading The Half-Made World. Since there also seems to be strong interest in Comic Books, what about Half-Made World plus something like Copperhead, Vol 1?

That is certainly an option. I mostly just make things happen for y'all, so I'm happy to set it up. If anyone else has any suggestions, join in and then I can put it to a vote.