Note: this is a completely self-serving post, with nothing but by own selfish interests at heart. So, it’s pretty much like most posts you’ll find on the blogosphere.
As many of you may know, a few years ago I published a little tome entitled Shelf Monkey (hey, that’s the title of the blog! Drink!). It was fairly well-received, had a nice shelf life, and now gets me into parties with a good opening line. “Yeah, I wrote a book once…”
Well, I’d like to extend my fame a little farther, if I may. Some would do this by, oh, writing another book (which is definitely coming — more later!). But right now, I’d like to get a little more recognition for my debut, praised by a cousin as being “pretty good. I wouldn’t read it again, but…yeah.”
Here in the great wilderness of Canada, we have what has quickly become an annual tradition of arguing over and then reading the same book from coast to coast. It’s called Canada Reads, and normally, the books nominated for debate are chosen by that year’s celebrity judges. Very often, famous books are chosen, and well-deserving publications by smaller presses fall by the wayside. However, this year, the rules have altered, allowing me one slim chance of sliding through to victory.
This year, the public can vote.
That’s right: this year, anyone (meaning all of us) can write in with our personal choices (limited to the last ten years). From that list, the top 40 will be proclaimed as “the Top 40 Essential Canadian Novels of the Decade.” Heady stuff, but there can be only one. From those forty, the five judges will choose one novel each to argue over on national television and radio, resulting in one novel to rule them all.
Whoa, Highlander and LOTR references, both in one paragraph!
So, please, vote for Shelf Monkey. I don’t ask for much, God knows. I hold no illusions as to winning, but to get in the Top 40 would be a coup.
Click here to vote. And win prizes, did I forget to mention that? Awesome prize packages are available.
Good luck with this, Corey. However, for those of us who don’t know your work and don’t have easy access to it (sorry, you haven’t made it to the shelves of “Kyobo Mun-go” yet), would you be willing to post some excerpts of your fiction? Would be interested to check it out.
Hmmm… I’ll consider that, although I haven’t read your novel yet and that feels a bit like cheating… I can’t even win the prize since I’m a French living in Ireland; I was still happy to hear I was allowed to vote; better than nothing!
Good luck to you sir! And someday real soon, I’m going to read your novel, I swear and promise!
Just wanted to clear something up. I think you skipped a few steps in the Canada Reads process. The panelists first narrow it down to an essential top 10, and then to a top 5 which they debate, and finally the victor.
Thanks, John. I was aware of that, but the essential point remains the same: I want in the Top 40. Yes, I’m craven and greedy and opportunistic. But, I have a glorious smile which moves clouds and makes every day a good one. So, six of one…
Okay, I voted for you, but only because you begged. Well that and I want the prizes. Well that and I have read your book and thoroughly enjoyed it. Good luck with the top forty!
I have good vibes coming for you…my word verification is “hearties” which sounds so lovable. Or maybe that’s hear ties? Or perhaps he arties. Hmmm…
Hearties works for me.
Congratulations, Cory, you made it!
Congratulations on making the top 40 and what great reviews you got from readers!