Publisher takes out ad to blast review of novel

This sounds so interesting. And I know of the bad review story, but I don't know who it is. The only BG I can think of right now is Bar_ _ _ _ Gou_ _? Who else?

Der?

Oh, Willie...I just tried to find that review to figure this out and I found you on Wikipedia as a STUB. You can edit your page, you know...

Spill the beans...I want to know who's following you around in their car shooting spit balls at the back of your head.

Scrawler said:

I'm going to do this for myself!!! Give myself a poor review then place an ad to refute it. More PR than PR!
In fact, I'll skip the bad review all together (saves time). Instead of a regular newspaper advertisement, I'll simply refute!

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I'll give you a bad review to help PR.

You suck!

Let the controversy begin!

Oh man...now I'm conflicted. I love Eggers and Chabon and Lethem and Lennon. I love those authors and eat them up like crazy. Am I allowed to love Gilmour? He's an old Canadian. (I wouldn't call him old to his face, but in relation to this article I suppose he is.) I agree with so much of the article. One of the Giller finalists, Alissa York, was the breakfast speaker at our October Brekkie...she's young, hip, etc. I sort of dug her book. But there is something about a lot of Canadian fiction that disallows one to laugh...I agree with that. Sadly, I agree with this line: "The popular novels here are generally ponderous, draped in sanctimony over suffering and history, melodramas in exotic settings." But I don't base my reading on books up for awards. I never do. I read stuff that appeals to me...like Willie's book. Like God help me...Miraim Toews. Yes...I love her work. But who the heck is this B.G.? Canadians...on the whole...do take themselves seriously. I would love to find more quirk in Canadian fiction...but, man...I do find it. There are treasures out there.

No I didn't.


So, one would say that she may have a white bone to pick with a certain person?

illiterwrite said:

Oh, and here's the article about CanLit:

http://www.thestar.com/sciencetech/Ideas/article/268644

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unfortunately, I have to agree with the article.

I love my country, but I know that I'll never be accepted as a "legitimate" Canadian author when all I do is set my stories in Toronto and have great fun stories.

You know what novel set in Toronto I loved...Sarah Dearing's Courage My Love. Great book.

Sadly, the novel I submitted this week is set in....wait for it...Toronto. But maybe it could be considered exotic...it's Toronto of the 70s. hehe.

Which reminds me...Gilmour manages to get Toronto into his books...even if they are only part of the setting.

illiterwrite said:

Well, I agreed with his take on plot & storyline here in Canada. I certainly think there are young(ish), exciting writers though.

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I agree generally, but it's such a cliche, and there are so, so, so many exceptions that it's not really that accurate anymore... And as far as young writers go, Canada is VERY open and accessible for new voices...

illiterwrite said:

Any chance I can steal you away for a beer when you're here for the Gillers?

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Sure, that sounds great. My dance card is getting pretty full, though...

KTC said:

One of the Giller finalists, Alissa York, was the breakfast speaker at our October Brekkie...she's young, hip, etc. I sort of dug her book.

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What's ironic about that article, though, is that his sweeping generalization of CanLit style and formula, occasioned by the Giller shortlist, actually only applies to a single book on that list - Mercy - and only vaguely. And Alissa is by far the youngest writer on that list. And it's the best book on the list. And it's published by a major house.

Which shoots all kinds of holes in his theory, doesn't it?

Sheryl Nantus said:

unfortunately, I have to agree with the article.

I love my country, but I know that I'll never be accepted as a "legitimate" Canadian author when all I do is set my stories in Toronto and have great fun stories.

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I wouldn't get too discouraged - this piece is basically just a rehashing of the same old trite cliches, and doesn't actually have a whole lot of real-world data to support its points. Fact is, I'll never be accepted as establishment CanLit either -- I write *gasp* stories, in which *wait for it* things actually happen. I'll settle for selling books, and actually having a readership (which seems to be developing...). You can keep your rural/historical/anguished CanLit -- it's a whole new world out there, just waiting for writers to fill it up, writers who readers actually want to read, rather than feeling a cultural imperative to support...

Yes it does shoot a big whole in the theory. And, yes...I will be rooting for Alissa.

KTC said:

So, one would say that she may have a white bone to pick with a certain person?

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Quite.

http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/story.html?id=f4ba673d-2886-461e-9071-ffbdb4ecb773&p=2

KTC said:

Yes it does shoot a big whole in the theory. And, yes...I will be rooting for Alissa.

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If all goes according to plan, I should be sitting with her... We worked together when she lived out here, and she's kept in touch. I've felt, for a long, long time, that she was one to watch -- it's nice seeing her get the attention she deserves.

She read a couple excerpts at the breakfast meeting...crowd was totally in her palm. I think it will be exciting watching her career.

Oh...and thanks for the link.

KTC said:

Oh...and thanks for the link.

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That's page 2, apparently. Go back one at the bottom of the page to get the whole thing...