C h a z z W r i t e s . c o m

Cover of The Best Laid Plans

CBC’s Canada Reads winner is Terry Fallis,

author of The Best Laid Plans.

Congratulations to Mr. Fallis

for his well-deserved victory.

You know what’s really great about this story, right? Mr. Fallis submitted his manuscript to agents and publishers everywhere and was turned down flat.

Next, he podcasted his book.

Then he self-published his book.

That would have been the end of it, but when he won the Stephen Leacock award, finally McClelland & Stewart paid attention.

Now Best Laid Plans is celebrated.

(I wonder, are any of the publishers who passed up on the opportunity to publish the book questioning their judgment today? Of course not. That’s a rhetorical question.)

Shrill British paint guru Debbie Travis defended The Birth House (poorly). She might have fared better if she understood that (a) she should have read all of Best Laid Plans instead of dismissing it with such disdain, and (b) she might even have won if she wasn’t so damn cranky. When she dismissed other contestants’ objections as “ridiculous” I knew she already lost.

The Birth House might be a good book, but after Debbie Travis’s poor representation, I’m sure I’ll never give that one a chance. It’s kind of important to be likeable, even in debate. No, it’s not fair to the author, Ami McKay, (sorry Ms. McKay!) but it’s clear it’s more diatribe than novel.

Note to CBC Radio‘s Q host Jian Ghomeshi: Maybe she’s good for ratings but she’s no good for books. A judge who doesn’t read all of the books, and then has the temerity to condemn it without reading it all, shouldn’t be back on air.

Related Articles

• ‘The Best Laid Plans’ by Terry Fallis wins Canada Reads (theglobeandmail.com)
• Best Laid Plans tops Canada Reads (thestar.com)
• Canada Reads names 2011 winner (cbc.ca)
• Terry Fallis wins Canada Reads competition (arts.nationalpost.com)
• How authors and other experts can use audio products (trafcom.typepad.com)
• Jeff Lemire’s graphic novel out of competition (windsorstar.com)
• Essex County by Jeff Lemire makes final five on Canada Reads list (windsorstar.com)

Filed under: authors, Books, Contest announcement, podcasts, Publicity & Promotion, publishing, Rant, self-publishing, writing contests, Ami McKay, Best Laid Plans, Canada Reads, CBC, Debbie Travis, Jian, McClelland & Stewart, Terry Fallis, The Birth House