tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10583449.post115405160767900809..comments2023-09-23T04:56:51.617-07:00Comments on Forensics & Faith: Question about the Christy Awards~ Brandilyn Collinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04771812607327238979noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10583449.post-1154441090104508322006-08-01T07:04:00.000-07:002006-08-01T07:04:00.000-07:00Phooey. I'm so addicted you, I can't remember that...Phooey. I'm so addicted you, I can't remember that you're taking Monday and Tuesday off.<BR/><BR/>Hurry back.Kristy Dykeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09513637012962943901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10583449.post-1154373645182394442006-07-31T12:20:00.000-07:002006-07-31T12:20:00.000-07:00Great comments, Mark. I was contemplating posting ...Great comments, Mark. I was contemplating posting the judge sheet at ECPA, since I understand there are similarities to it and the sheet used for the Christy's. I didn't see anything there that would give literary writing a significant edge. <BR/><BR/>I see how a lack of media coverage would keep the award winners from receiving a bump. I also think that should be something that could be addressed. I mean, I had a newspaper lined up to cover a book signing locally. I can't imagine that the <I>Denver Post</I> wouldn't cover the Christy Awards when IRCS was in Denver. (Maybe they did and that's as far as the info went).<BR/><BR/>BeckyRebecca LuElla Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06823550402103559922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10583449.post-1154098393750653752006-07-28T07:53:00.000-07:002006-07-28T07:53:00.000-07:00Happy Anniversary!! Have a great time.Happy Anniversary!! Have a great time.Dominohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05698502437170233088noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10583449.post-1154097909656707212006-07-28T07:45:00.000-07:002006-07-28T07:45:00.000-07:00Happy Anniversary! I hope you have a wonderful tim...Happy Anniversary! I hope you have a wonderful time in Kauai.Lynettahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12424933935528963708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10583449.post-1154096586622304362006-07-28T07:23:00.000-07:002006-07-28T07:23:00.000-07:00Happy Anniversary Brandilyn; What happy day is it...Happy Anniversary Brandilyn; What happy day is it?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10583449.post-1154096329132492522006-07-28T07:18:00.000-07:002006-07-28T07:18:00.000-07:00Hi Brandilyn! I agree with Mary -- good comments. ...Hi Brandilyn! I agree with Mary -- good comments. For any writing contest to have an "Oscar effect" on its winners, readers would have to know about it first. How do we find out about the Booker winners? Press coverage. Since no media chronicles the CBA scene, since no juicy judging scandals break onto the front page, and readers (who aren't online) don't have a means of keeping up with what little information is made available (finalists and winner), it's not surprising that winning a Christy creates no sales bump. Most prizes don't, for the same reason. At least this one gives authors a chance to dress in sparkly attire and be as glamorous as they want to be, right? <BR/><BR/>I'm curious about one thing. Looking at the list of past winners and this year's crop, I'm not sure why the Christys are perceived as having a "literary" bias. I freely admit that <I>I</I> have such a bias, but judging on the evidence -- especially in the clearly delineated genre categories -- it doesn't seem that the winners are a gaggle of hoity-toity elitist tomes. I can say from experience that the perception that <I>judging</I> is weighted toward literary writing is false. Good craft matters, but literary pretensions aren't scored. More weight is given to plot, character and the other basics of good writing than to the esoterica of 'art.' If a literary book wins, it will be because it was a better written, more engaging book than its competitors (sometimes by a long shot, sometimes by a thin, subjective hair), not because it was more 'literary' than they were. At least, that's been my (admittedly limited) experience of the process.<BR/><BR/>Also, it's true that the titles in the running are not exhaustive -- i.e., not every book is under consideration -- but still, it's a vast and (it seems to me) representative pool. <BR/><BR/>Personally, I'm encouraged to see publishers and authors participating in the Christys in spite of the fact that it isn't a marketing bonus. The bottom line is important, but it isn't everything, and the fact that the community can value something other than the dollar is a good thing, right? Hopefully as the awards grow, more genres are broken out, and evangelical media expands, the award will help authors find new readers. Until then, I think it's safe to say that the more people talk about it, the better! Sorry for being so long-winded....J. Mark Bertrandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07252756914207435460noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10583449.post-1154070278925135232006-07-28T00:04:00.000-07:002006-07-28T00:04:00.000-07:00Great words, Brandilyn. And I remember being surpr...Great words, Brandilyn. And I remember being surprised knowing a book got a Christy, but it didn't translated into sales. What transfers into sales? Word of mouth and buzz. And folks don't buzz much about a slow-moving book. <BR/><BR/>I think you balance things beautifully in your books. In fact, I think you're my heroine in that aspect. You create lovely, well-rounded characters (and some terrible icky spidery ones) and you have a fast-paced, surprising plot. <BR/><BR/>So, I guess I consider my writing somewhere in there. I love language, but I often put down literary fiction because (to me) it can be pretty boring. <BR/><BR/>That's why Peace Like a River gave me hope. Good writing, great plot. That's my onus for writing. As far as the commerciality of it, for me I'm probably writing about too controversial stuff AND I'm a VERY new novelist. It takes years to build that kind of readership. <BR/><BR/>BTW, you looked maaaahvelous at the Christys, dahhhling.Mary DeMuthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06102710597183711588noreply@blogger.com