Normally if someone asks me a question over e-mail, I just answer it directly. But if I get the same question several times, it lets me know I should post up the answer in a blog for everyone to see.

Over the last week I've had five people send me e-mails similar to this one:

Hey Pat,

Yesterday my friend Jake who is also a big fan of your book asked me if I'd gone and voted for your book for the quill award. I explained to him that you'd already won the quill award. We argued for a while, then, since I was right here by the computer, I thought I'd ask you directly.

I'm right, aren't I? You already won, didn't you?

Suz

P.S. Congratulations, by the way. You rock.

Luckily Suz, this is one of those situations where everyone is right.

You're right because I did win the Quill in the Science-Fiction/Fantasy category. I'll be heading out to New York and you'll be able to see me wearing a tux on NBC.

BUT, Jake is right too, because right now the voting is going on for the BIG quill award: the Book of the Year award.

You see, the winners for the individual categories (Romance, graphic novel, etc.) are voted on my a bunch of booksellers, librarians, and literati. But the Book of the Year is determined by popular vote. Which means you could go over there and vote for me, if you were so inclined.

And by over there I mean OVER HERE. (After you click, you need to click again on the link in that press release that says, "vote here.")

I think a lot of the confusion has come from the fact that they aren't running this award the way that we're used to seeing it. It's not like the Oscars where all the nominees show up and then the winner in each category is a big surprise. The only real surprise at the quills will be who wins Book of the Year.

Hope this clears things up for those of you who have been confused....

pat

Labels: quill award, Quills, voting