Comments on: BBAW: My Own, Personal Shortlist

By: Amy @ My Friend Amy

Amy @ My Friend Amy — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 22:54:13 +0000

Hopefully our new plans for next year of self-registration will enable each blogger to feel they have a chance to be nominated in the right genre!

By: Amy @ Passages to the Past

Amy @ Passages to the Past — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 15:07:06 +0000

You’ve really made my day Jen, thank you! I have to admit being a little bummed about not making the shortlist, but honestly it doesn’t matter now. I’ve been getting so much love from my fellow bloggers and to me there is nothing better. Medieval Bookworm and Tanzanite’s blogs were the first blogs I followed and they inspired me greatly and still do!

Thanks again Jen!

By: Veens

Veens — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 07:02:14 +0000

I felt bad that Passages to the past didn’t make it! I love her blog!!!!!

I did an interview with Daphne for BBAW! I found her blog like yesterday and I am glad I did

By: Daphne

Daphne — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 01:41:51 +0000

Aw, thank you so much! I agree with you about the short list for historical fiction/history. Hopefully the process can be tweeked a little next year to give some guidance or criteria as to nominations, especially in the genre categories.

And the term that Housewife is referring to is “mosaic”. I use the covers of the books I own to make a mosaic of historical figures.

By: Literate Housewife

Literate Housewife — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 23:36:54 +0000

Yes, yes, and yes! You and I are thinking along the same lines. I highlighted Meghan and Amy today as well, but I love Tanzanite’s blog. The feature that I love the most is when she takes a historical portrait and mashes it up. The technical term for that completely escapes my mind, but I love it.

I will never, ever forget the post you wrote about my blog last year. It continues to mean the world to me. You are one of the greatest and I hope that someday I’ll get myself to Chicago so I can finally meet you in person. I also would love to give Daniel a hug. He’s the cutest little thing!

By: Kathy

Kathy — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 20:27:26 +0000

I do think the shortlisting process needs to be tweaked some, but it is definitely an improvement over last year. Your shortlist is great!

By: Heather J.

Heather J. — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 15:08:31 +0000

Yes, I think we’re on the same page here. And thanks for your kind comments – they are much appreciated!

By: devourerofbooks

devourerofbooks — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 14:34:19 +0000

Yes, you were one of the two I was talking about and I agree 100% with what you’ve said. You’re right that you write fantastic reviews, about historical fiction as well as everything else and if it was seen as ‘who writes some good reviews of historical fiction’ then you definitely deserve to be nominated. I definitely think you should be shortlisted, even if I’m not sure this is where you should be.

By: Sandy

Sandy — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 14:27:34 +0000

You are getting some serious love out there Jen! You are on everyone’s short list! You would get my vote on many counts as well! Thanks for the recommendations…I’m off to check them out. My reader is smoking!

By: Heather J.

Heather J. — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 14:24:05 +0000

As one of the shortlisted blogs for this category (and I think, one of the two you’re talking about), I can completely agree with you. Although I was THRILLED to be nominated, I don’t consider myself an historical fiction/history blogger (the category includes both of those genres). I do love the genres and I do review quite a few books that fit that description but I wouldn’t say that’s all I do. In fact, I counted up my reviews that could be considered for this category and found that they make up 24% of all my book reviews.

In defense of the whole process though, I don’t think it was clear to nominators if they were supposed to only nominate blog whose sole focus was historical fiction/history or those blogs who wrote the best reviews in those genres. If the latter was true, then I’d like to think I do fit into this category – or at least, that my readers and the judges think so. If the former is true, then I definitely don’t fit – and that’s ok with me.

You’re right that the awards process is better this year than last year and you are also right that there are still things that need improvement. I’m glad to have been shortlisted but I will completely understand if I don’t win – and I’ll happily celebrate with whoever does. AND I’ll also continue to help out with BBAW next year as I did this year* to ensure that things only get better from here on out.

*full disclosure: I helped to get author guest posts this year and set the daily blogging themes (so no one thinks I had anything to do with the awards process) .
.-= Heather J.´s last blog ..BBAW: Welcome! ***sticky post *** =-.