Carolyn’s Annual
Noble (Not Nobel!)
Prize For Literature
I
hope many MyShelf visitors have come to rely on my annual
Noble (Not Nobel!) prize as a guide for good reading by literary
authors who go unsung or are—in my estimation—under
appreciated. When speaking about literature, we hear the words
"human condition" a lot. I look for books that inspire
or stretch readers a bit. I also like to look at books that
dare to take on subjects many prefer to ignore. And, of course,
because I'm a poet, I like to include books of poetry when
I can. I also won't ignore nonfiction, though that genre must
reach beyond helping readers in a practical way and beyond
the purely "inspirational" category.
I hope
you'll read books with my Noble (Not Nobel!) prize list in
mind for 2014. And, of course, explore this year's choices,
as a guideline for the kinds of things I select and for the
sheer good reading they offer. My list appears every January
in this Back to Literature column. And my columns
are archived.
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
if they have questons. 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!
Authors,
publishers, and readers are invited to send nominations along
with the book you would like me to consider to:
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.
Winners feel free to capture a banner
for your website!
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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:
It's not too early to be thinking
of the Valentine you might send to your literate
and literary friends. Magdalena Ball, the guru
behind compulsivereader.com,
and I collaborated on Cherished Pulse,
a chapbook of unsyrupy poetry—the kind you
won't find on the racks at Rite Aid. Won't you
explore the possibilities of sending it to friends
and loved ones in paperback or as an e-book at
budurl.com/CherishedPulse
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To
Christina Schwarz for All Is Vanity
(Doubleday). The author takes some risks with
this book. Nominated by my daughter-in-law Leigh Johnson,
I fell in love with it in spite of the fact that it
did not garner the attention of her bestselling Drowning
Ruth. (ISBN 0385499728)
