Speculation, Fact and Fiction

Here's a book chain promotion with a bit of a difference. Borders in the USA select what they're calling Original Voices - one each in fiction, non-fiction, young adult, children's illustrated, and also music categories.

According to the press release, he nominees in each category are chosen by store and HQ employees with the winners selected by a panel of judges at the corporate HQ, who volunteer to read each book and listen to each CD and take part in group discussions about them.

Here's the full press release.

Then, and here's the thing, the winners also get $5000, which is a very usefully non-trivial sum towards helping a writer or musician buy in whatever they might need to help them keep on producing good stuff, be that studio time, childcare, or, say, food.

Is there anything comparable in the UK? Not that I'm aware of. If anyone knows different, please, speak up.

By contrast, according to most reports, publishers have to pay the chains to get their titles in most* of the big front of store promotions.

*As far as I know, no-one can buy their way on to the Richard and Judy list.