Aug 052011
My husband passed me a magazine today and mentioned there were several pages in it which featured books and authors. He wanted to know how folks get their names in the magazines. Paid advertising, I’m sure. After all, the magazine had advertisements on every page. Heck! His company has advertised in it.“What about the page with all the authors”, he asked. “I’ve never heard of them.”
I flipped to the page. I’d never heard of them either. Then again, they didn’t write in the genres I read or write. So that didn’t mean much of anything. So I looked up a few names. One was a NY Times Best selling Author. Another was a “Best selling” author… of what, I couldn’t tell you. She also had the label “Award Winning.”
It seems like every time I turn around, some book has one of those labels on it. It’s the oddest thing. I’ll get a Twitter follow request and will see the label. Oh cool! I run over to Amazon and look up the person’s books and find their best selling book has an Amazon ranking of like 873,201. What? Exactly when were you a best seller and how come you haven’t sold a book in like… FOREVER.
I’m not calling anyone out, but you know who you are.
Sure Amazon isn’t the end all and be all. I have no idea if I got that saying right. Oh well.. too lazy to look it up. But still, wouldn’t a best selling author have better sales. After all, Amazon is HUGE!!!!
Then there’s the guy who mentioned putting “Award Winning Author” on all his novels because he received honorable mention in a contest he entered. Really? What do the “Best seller” and “Award Winning” labels mean these days?
My short story, Control Freak, has hit the Amazon UK top 100 list in Erotica. Shadow Cat has received honorable mention in a contest. Guess that makes me award winning and a best selling author, right? Stop laughing. I’m trying to be serious here.
Since folks have managed to cheapen awards, I figure we all deserve one. Fair is fair, right?
Here’s how this award works.
- Do not accept the award unless you want to see your book on the NYT Best Sellers list and have never been (no posers, only wannabes!!!)
- You CANNOT give it to yourself (after all, it only counts if you win the award)
- You CAN give it to as many or few people as you want
- If you receive this reward, you may put Award Winning on your book (a label such as “Winner of the WSB Award” would be AWESOME!)
That’s it. 🙂 Simple enough.
Hmm… so whom should I bestow this great award upon? Definitely Stacey Wallace Benefiel, cause she totally knows what I’m talking about here. Valerie Maarten, cause she works hard enough to be on the best sellers list. Benjamin Jones, cause he’s cool enough, I think he can appreciate an award such as this. Callie Norse, cause she’s such a quiet one, I think she could use a bit of recognition. Mark Fassett, cause I love his software! Anyone who simplifies a writer’s life like him, deserves to hit the best seller’s list.
If I missed you, it’s not because I don’t love you. It’s just if I give out all the awards, who will other folks give it to?
Grab the button and share with your buddies.
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