Comments on: Lauren Myracle Shines

By: Liz B

Liz B — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 03:15:55 +0000

Paige, thanks for the heads up on the All Things Considered interview.

By: YA ‘Net News: 20 October « Read alert | State Library of Victoria

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 02:40:23 +0000

[...] Burn’s summary of the issue and the great online posts that can be [...]

By: Paige Y.

Paige Y. — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 01:32:04 +0000

Lauren also did an interview on All Things Considered tonight — I thought she did a great job!

By: Liz B

Liz B — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 22:39:04 +0000

Diane, there are a lot of questions and it seems that what the NBF has done just raises more questions. Did you see Myracle’s interview at the Vanity Fair website, link above?

By: Liz B

Liz B — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 22:37:57 +0000

Chloe, some of the anti-CHIME stuff I’ve seen / read really upsets me. I’m stunned they didn’t include authors and publishers in the call. It’s not that unusual to have similar sounding titles in one year.

By: Chloe

Chloe — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 17:39:34 +0000

I actually feel a little sad for CHIME and its author. We may be making her feel guilty over being nominated.

Though the NBF did handle it wrong. They use the phone to prevent online leaks. That makes sense. Why titles only? SHINE and CHIME may sound similar, but FANNY and LAUREN do not.

By: Diane Mankowski

Diane Mankowski — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 15:47:39 +0000

You did an amazing job of summarizing and linking to important news/news blogs discussion of this debacle. I appreciated you including Libba Bray’s thoughtful and emotional response.
The drama has reminded me of the recent Emmy show where Charlie Sheen’s announced the Best Actor in a Comedy Series and it was just awkward or the Kanye/Taylor Swift drama.

All of this year’s nominees and their works are being overshadowed by the drama. I feel bad for Lauren, Franny and all of the nominees that have been caught up in this saga when it should have been a time to celebrate.

And I also think of the judges who were not responsible for making the announcement to the media. Further, do they really all feel that the integrity of their process was being tainted by keeping Shine on the list? Whether it’s yes or no, they’ll be asked to respond. Who will want to serve next year’s selection committee, I wonder?

By: Liz B

Liz B — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 00:54:05 +0000

Paige, I agree that once the decision was made to leave the book in the list of finalists, and that decision was publicized, it should have stopped there. Leave it in.

Elizabeth, I know! I’ve read a bit of that and it really, really bothers me. CHIME is a wonderful book, I’m pleased as punch to see it get recognition, and I don’t think it helps anyone to be negative about the nominated titles.

Janet, what you & Elizabeth said. None of the nominated titles deserve this; and “this” isn’t just the initial error, but the situation the Nat’l Book Awards has created by its very public flip flop.

By: Janet Fox

Janet Fox — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 00:41:32 +0000

Really well said, Liz. You are so right when you say it is how the mistake is handled, not the error itself. And this one is appalling. Lauren is a terrific writer who didn’t deserve this turn of events. Nor do any of the authors of the other nominated books, all of which are outstanding.

By: Elizabeth Fama

Elizabeth Fama — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 23:34:25 +0000

Also lost in the public discussion (although I haven’t followed the Twitter saga, so maybe it’s there) is how Franny has also been wounded, especially since some people have allowed themselves to compare the two books online, which is not necessary or appropriate.