I have my name and book name in Google Alert. Anytime my name or book is mentioned in Google anywhere, an email is sent to me and I check it out. Imagine my surprise last night when a Google Alert showed up telling me I was linked to the Giller prize.
Check out this article in Thursday's edition of the National Post.
http://arts.nationalpost.com/2012/08/31/the-giller-deflect/
Okay so a name mention isn't winning, short listing, or long listing (announcement on Tues Sept 4) but to be mentioned as an obscure title along with best selling author, Vincent Lam, in an article about the Giller Prize (One of Canada's prestigious literary awards)...I'll take obscure any day. Am I flying? Oh yeah!
As the article says, after the long list is announced, the other 214 eligible titles could slip into oblivion. I appreciate the fact, as I'm sure do all the other authors, that we are available for viewing on the Scotiabank Giller Prize website,
The past six months of marketing since my book was released has been exciting, yes...but also hard work and not always fruitful. But I keep slogging along because I believe in my story and what I think it has to offer my readers, in the hope that my efforts and that of my publisher, Asteroid Publishing Inc., will pay off.
As a family friend said, "Ironically, having your name mentioned might just bring your book out of its "obscurity". I can't think of a better plug for it." He's so right. So if after the long list announcement on Tuesday, my book disappears into oblivion, I will have had my "mention" in a Giller article. It's humbling and inspires me to keep on writing.
To all my fellow competitors, good luck on Tuesday and keep on keeping on writing.
