I dunno. Tara Reid? « Tingle Alley

11/8/2004

I dunno. Tara Reid?

Filed under: Writers & Writing — caaf @ 5:39 pm

Any ideas as to the identity of this National Book Award-related blind item over at Beatrice? Please comment or email. I’m stumped.

Comments (13)

13 Comments

I don’t know who they mean, but I’m not surprised. Not all, but for many of the book awards the publisher has to actually submit entries, and if they don’t, there’s no way for a book to win. Even if it’s J Franzen. Some publicists might forget to submit a book. Some publishers may not want to spend the money if there’s a fee, and some awards have a limit on how many books each publisher can submit. In any case, the author is never really sure whether or not his/her book has been taken care of or not. (I don’t speak from any sour grapes here…really. I have a lovely publicist and a happy relationship with publisher. But I’ve heard some first-hand horror stories.)

Comment by christian bauman — 11/8/2004 @ 5:48 pm
That would be horrid. Esp. with no recourse.

But now, Chris: Think, think! Someone who’s had a novel and a collection of short stories come out this year. I feel all stoopid that I can’t think of who that might be. I can think of short story collections and I can think of novels but not an author who had both come out in 2004.

I am also really bad at crosswords.

Comment by CAAF — 11/8/2004 @ 6:27 pm
Percival Everett has both a novel and a book of shorts out (and the Strom Thurmond book), but it doesn’t sound like him. Different publishers for all.

Comment by Rake — 11/8/2004 @ 7:41 pm
Jim Shepard?

Comment by Rose Gowen — 11/8/2004 @ 7:42 pm
Ooh, good guesses. The Jim Shepard seems part. on as he’s been claiming more attention this year. I would judge Everett as holding steady in reputation.

But what do I know?

Comment by CAAF — 11/8/2004 @ 7:53 pm
Surely it’s not Lethem? Not after Motherless Brooklyn… but both books from this year did come out from Doubleday.

Comment by gwenda — 11/8/2004 @ 9:33 pm
Um, please delete that… because of course Fortress came out LAST year. Oops. Haven’t read that one yet.

I’m stumped.

Comment by gwenda — 11/8/2004 @ 9:39 pm
Hey dearie, I won’t delete. And for the record, there are two other votes for Lethem. So not a silly guess at all.

Comment by CAAF — 11/8/2004 @ 9:49 pm
I’d initially thought Lethem as well, but his book was published last September and the eligibility year starts December 1. So….Shepard? OK, works for me.

I’m not surprised at all. There are just too many damned books to keep track of, after all. But one thing that the NBA *should* do is have a list of books submitted, which is something the Mystery Writers of America began doing a few years ago. It’s great to cross-check if you’re a publisher or author who wants to know if the book’s been submitted to the committee, and it’s great for readers to know what books they forgot to read this year.

Comment by Sarah — 11/8/2004 @ 10:02 pm
Well, anytime I can further gossip about Lethem (kidding)… I’d then thought maybe Tom Perotta, but now I’m thinking Shepherd as well since there’s no story collection for TP. (TP, do you think he got that a lot as a kid?)

Comment by gwenda — 11/9/2004 @ 11:46 am
Dan Chaon? They reissued his book of stories last year, I think. Probably a stretch.

Comment by Jimmy Beck — 11/9/2004 @ 1:10 pm
Ah, Dan Chaon. That’s another excellent one, esp. with all the positive notices for You Remind Me of Me.

But Among The Missing, the book of shortstories, was a finalist for the NBA in 2001.

Comment by CAAF — 11/9/2004 @ 1:45 pm
I’d thought of Chaon too. But must confess that I like the stories much more than the novel. You Remind Me of Me was an extraordinarily depressing book and I never really felt that I got as much out of it as I put in, perservering in the hope it would come together and dazzle at the end… but there are beautiful bits in it.

Comment by gwenda — 11/9/2004 @ 1:51 pm

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