tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32919353.post7389933286372994383..comments2023-06-03T08:43:27.731-04:00Comments on <center>Shelf Monkey</center>: Canada Reads 2011 - preliminary thoughtsCoreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18287835957314437176noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32919353.post-78566162208274942862010-11-06T12:07:48.892-04:002010-11-06T12:07:48.892-04:00Writers these days must be their own strongest adv...Writers these days must be their own strongest advocates. An innovative, literary writer doesn't get nearly the push from publishers and publicists that a popular author does--compare the advertising budget of a talented dude like Corey Redekop to an inveterate hack like Dan Brown and the disparity is pretty obvious.<br /><br />Canvassing and self-promoting is a fact of life for authors these days and no apologies are necessary on that front. <br /><br />That said, I personally have no interest at all in making ANY top ten, top 100 or top ten thousand list of Canadian writers. And if, by some miraculous act of God, I was ever selected for the "Canada Reads" series, I would ask to be removed. I detest the format of the program, voting authors on or off, holding them up in comparison to each other like varieties of fruit. I despise most of the twits they feature--Canadian "personalities"-- advocating on behalf of their favorite books. The "Survivor" mentality. I shudder at the very notion. Kim Mitchell or Randy Bachman or Sean fucking Cullen extolling the virtues of one of my novels? I'd rather drink hemlock laced with strychnine.<br /><br />Good luck with your endeavors because, truly, you're a guy who deserves a larger profile in the Canadian literary community (infested with a whole lotta hacks, cultural whores and wannabes). We need authors like Corey Redekop showing younger writers/readers that there's fine fiction being published in this country, work that's off the beaten track, edgy and thoroughly literate.<br /><br />Yer one of the good ones, kid...Cliff Burnshttp://cliffjburns.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32919353.post-70916168043228189382010-11-04T20:20:48.836-04:002010-11-04T20:20:48.836-04:00Whore!
Just kidding. But I actually like the diss...Whore!<br /><br />Just kidding. But I actually like the dissent. A discussion on what it takes for an author, in the computer age, in Canada, to get some recognition is yet another worthwhile discussion stirred up by Canada Reads.John Mutfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08730205221787092204noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32919353.post-3628759540923711652010-11-02T08:22:55.743-04:002010-11-02T08:22:55.743-04:00Much thanks, miss Whittall. With luck, I shall mee...Much thanks, miss Whittall. With luck, I shall meet you soon on the field of battle. Prepare to be shelved.Coreyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18287835957314437176noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32919353.post-22595189161486696272010-11-01T10:48:05.529-04:002010-11-01T10:48:05.529-04:00Great post! I totally agree.Great post! I totally agree.ZOE WHITTALLhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11440627490860823287noreply@blogger.com