Here is a selection of fiction titles published in New Zealand during 2007 from which a fifth title could have been selected:
For Everyone Concerned - Damien Wilkins
Miss Me A Lot Of - Louise Wareham Leonard
Acts of Love - Susan Pearce
Ribbons of Grace - Maxine Alterio Lazy Boys - Carl Shuker
On An Island With Consequences Dire - Kelly Ana Morey
Overkill - Vanda Symon
Cutting Caleb Keys - Glenn Bowden
Trendy But Casual - Paula Morris
The Totem Hole - Paul Shannon
Black Earth/White Bones - Chris Else
How to Stop a Heart from Beating - Jackie Ballantyne
A Secret Mind - Kaye Kelly
Mr.Allbones' Ferrets - Fiona Farrell
Playing Friends - Marilyn Duckworth
Turbulence - Maggie Rainey-Smith
Wild Latitudes - Barbara Else
Rocking Horse Road - Carl Nixon
Coming up Roses - Sarah Laing
Drybread - Owen Marshall
Lucky Bastard - Peter Wells
Dreamquake - Elizabeth Knox
This is by no means a complete list but for my money it serves to show what a nonsense it is for the judges to say the four titles shortlisted were "outstanding books and, while there were other great books, we did not want to dilute the Montana (finalist) sticker by promoting a fifth.
Those four books were just so good that they really merited the finalist sticker."
What sort of message does that send to the above authors and others not listed but nominated?
Stop your sour grapes - this eltist attitute from you and the authors who have complained is a
ReplyDeletedis-credit to the arts community. If you engage in lusting over competitions such as these for fame and sales - take the ruling of the judges gracefully. I will now hold this competition in higher regard beacuase of the rigor demonstrated this year.
You got that everyone!
ReplyDeleteRepent, Sinners!