HarperCollins Publishers (NZ) apologises to Elizabeth KnoxHarperCollins Publishers (NZ) have offered their humble apologies to author, Elizabeth Knox for omitting to submit her novel, Dreamquake, for the New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children & Young Adults 2008.
HarperCollins are very sorry and deeply regret any embarrassment that this omission may have caused Elizabeth.
They also deeply regret any inconvenience and embarrassment this omission may have caused the administrators of the awards, Booksellers New Zealand.
FOOTNOTE:
Bookman Beattie feels very great sympathy for both author and publisher involved here. In my book publishing days I always worried about inadvertedly overlooking nominatining an author or title. I thought the judges had the power to call up titles that hadn't been nominated by publishers where they thought they were worthy nominations. If this is the case then clearly the judges also overlooked this title. Oh dear........
What a terrible thing to have happened. What incompetence on the part of publishers and organisers!
ReplyDeleteMore award bashing!!
ReplyDeleteThis has nothing to do with the organizers,nor the judges.
It was caused by incompetence on behalf of the publishers.Their press release virtually admits that much, and nor do they attempt to shift the blame.
Bringing the judges in as partially culpable is unworthy.They are not, nor should they be, aware of the entire national output of every publisher in any given year.
Theres is to work with what they are given, and judge accordingly.
But there is an ironic upside- as a book by a Wellingtonian at least this one can't be seen as an anti-Auckland plot- although doubtless some will try.