Oh, the furore over the Montanas.
First off, warmest congratulations to all of the finalists - creating a book, of any form, consumes your life. It's like birthing a baby, except, with a baby, everyone says, aw, how cute, they're beautiful, what a bonnie wee thing. With books, they have no qualms about trashing it in a public arena. So for the finalists, the acknowledgment of quality and worth from a panel of peers is huge.
For the rest of us, I can say I am very proud of my first novel, Overkill, and I am sure all of the other people who produced works in 2007 are enormously proud of their work too. I find myself in splendid company in the ranks of those who did not make the cut this year, fabulous company.
As for judging? Please, no one ever, ever, ask me to judge a book awards, ever. Not that anyone is likely to, but I thought I'd get in early and state this. Besides the fact I read too slow to get through the book mountain, well, you've seen for yourselves, its appears to be a hiding to nothing.
There you go - I couldn't resist my 5 cents worth on the subject. And now, I shall go, and proudly work on novel number three.
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5 comments:
Hi Vanda. I had to check that word 'diluent' before commenting. Great word. But, no, diluent you are not.
You are a Vanda machine... working on your THIRD novel, a GERMAN translation of Novel no. 1 out soon, and mother to YOUNG children?
Bloody hell.
Before you know where you are you'll be both rich and famous in Germany. Paul Cleave has made a (ahem) killing over there with his crime fiction. Next stop Vanda Symon.
'Proud', however, proud is good.
Take care.
Thanks Mary, you're lovely!
If I have even a slice of the success Paul Cleave has had in Germany, I'll be a happy girl.
I might be able to afford that new computer then...
From the independent: "Crime and thrillers are going through big popularity at the moment." Apparently if you can churn out two a year the publishers in the UK love you. Do you have any UK bites?
Hi Rachael,
Have you noticed that it's the guys that can churn out two novels a year, probably because they have a wife. If I had a wife, I might be able to manage two a year as well. For now, I'll settle for one a year and all of the housework.
So far no nibbles from Britain. Penguin are batting on my behalf. I don't have an agent. So no six figure advances, yet.
I'm still in awe of one a year! I am TRYING to write this one in a year, but that doesn't include the months I mulled over it in the back of my mind. I can see it taking a lot longer. Too much research. Blah.
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