Carolyn’s
Annual Noble (Not Nobel!) Prize For Literature
I think we should read great books. Yeah. Hardcovers.
Paperbacks. New ones. Used ones. E-books. But I especially think
we should read Classics. Not necessarily all the time but often
enough to inspire us to stretch just a bit in terms of developing
our literary taste. To learn something from a theme or sample a
voice we haven’t tried. Or even to develop a turn of phrase,
a metaphor, or a simile we can use in our writing or in our speech.
O to better our lives—our perspectives—in some other
way.
I hope you'll use my Noble (Not Nobel!) prize list for reading
suggestions. It appears every January in this column. And my columns
are archived. The Noble is awarded for literary excellence in use
of the English language and for themes or premises that might help
readers recognize and curtail bigotry or explore the human condition
in other important ways.
The contest is free except for the cost of the book. Authors or
readers who would like to nominate a book may reach me at HoJoNews@aol.com
for instructions on where to mail it. I'm also happy to let you
know in advance if a particular book fits my parameters, just in
case there are doubts. Because we don't want to waste even one good
book. On the other hand, I don't want to miss seeing one I might
give an award to!
I also want to thank Leigh Johnson, my daughter-in-law and an avid
reader of new great literature. I am pleased to receive nominations
from other readers, too, but they must be willing to send me a book
or to contact the publisher or author and ask them to send one.
The address is:
Carolyn Howard-Johnson
PO Box 1101
La Canada Flintridge, CA 91012-1101
Please include a short pitch, logline, or blurb about why your
nomination fits the parameters for this prize. And an e-mail address—preferably
two of them. One for the nominator and one for the nominee. And
yes, authors may nominate their own books.
Carolyn’s
2011 Noble List
for Reading in 2012
To
Joan Gelfand for her chapbook of three short stories, Here
and Abroad, published by Cervená Barva
Press, Somerville, Massachusetts. Gelfand’s stories
are rich, thought-provoking studies of life-changing events
and how they are affected by memory—and the memories
affected by settings. ISBN: 9780983104100 $7.00.
|
To
Chris Meeks for Love
at Absolute Zero (White Whisker Books, Los Angeles).
The tension between science and emotion has never been more
keenly felt. ISBN: 9780983632917.
|
To
David Scott Milton for Iron
City (White Whisker Books, Los Angeles). George
V. Higgins says “it’s about the human condition,
and it’s beautiful.” ISBN: 9780983632924. |
|
To
PEN award-winning author Fred Reiss for Blind
Guys Break 80, Santa Cruz’n Press
ISBN: 9780962386947 Nominated by Kim McMillon. |
To
Christine Candland for Topaz
Woman, iUniverse. What this novel lacks in poetry,
it makes up for with the inexorable determination of a young
woman to follow her dreams in the face of societal pressures.
ISBN: 9780595405336. |
To
Andrew P. Logan, Sr. for his Plugging
into Real Worship, Xulon Press. Nonfiction inspiration
for tapping into the power of love and prayer. ISBN: 978162660113.
Also available in Spanish as Conectándose a la adoración
verdadera. |
Tips and Tidbits
(Each month in this box, Carolyn lists
a Tidbit that will help authors write or promote better. She
will also include a Tip to help readers find a treasure among
long-neglected books or a sapphire among the newly-published.)
A Tip
for Writers:
:
Writers
of all patterns and stripes will enjoy the quick tips
and questions and answers format of my blog, The
Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor Guidelines
for submitting questions are in the left column of the
blog. It is inspired by The
Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid
Humiliation and Ensure Success which won USA Book
News Best Book 2007 Award, Reader Views Literary Award
and was a finalist in the New Generations Indie Award.
It is also available for Kindle, www.budurl.com/FrugalEditorKindle.
|
A
Tip for Readers' Tip:
A poetry chapbook that I coauthored
with Magdalena Ball was a popular Christmas gift for
many. Those who missed someone special on their list
and would still like to remember them might find the
$6.95 price tag of Blooming
Red: Christmas Poems for the Rational just
right. It is part of our award-winning Celebration Series
of chapbooks. |
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