Tuesday, April 14, 2009

WINNER

My novel Go-Go Girls of the Apocalypse has won the Bookspot Central book vs. book march madness style smackdown tournament.

I bet you're all glad this tournament thingy is over, so you can stop hearing me beg for votes. Hey, I'm glad too. I was getting sick of myself. I think I e-mailed ever person I ever met to get them in on the action. So it's over. No more harassing you. (At least not about this.) And man, this tournament lasted a MONTH. At first I was all like, "Hey, maybe vote for me if you have the time." But by the end it was "Oh, God help! I Need votes NOW!" So it feels good not to be so manic about it anymore. Yeah, time to calm it down. Breathe, Gischler. In through the nose and out through the mouth.

And it's also time to thank some folks. For everyone who voted in any round (many of you in every round): Thanks. I mean it. I really appreciate your taking the time. It's quite likely some of you logged into the Bookspot Central website specifically to vote for me and don't plan on ever going back again. Understandable. But it's a good website, full of entertaining reviews and commentary, so I hope you'll go back for a visit now and then.

One of the purposes of the tournament was to get people talking about books and maybe put readers onto authors they haven't read before. It worked. I've ordered Goblin War by Jim Hines and plan to order The Way of the Shadows by Brent Weeks. And while I do think some folks will order Go-Go now that might not have before, I think this strategy has backfired a bit too ... at least to some minor degree.

The tone of the competition seemed to change slightly in the last two rounds. I suspect some people will be resentful their pet book didn't win and will avoid my book at all costs. Indeed, some of the comments in the final round were a bit sad. One voter said that we should all vote for Brent Weeks since he was the "underdog" because Gischler has "published 25 novels." Did I? Did I black out for a decade? If so, then some publishers owe me a shitload of back royalties. I haven't published 25 novels. Not even close. And I assume that most of Weeks' reader are upstanding decent folk. Anyway, it's only a slight blemish on an otherwise positive experience.

But the fact remains that it is very damn cool that I've won. Hey, I lost an Edgar Award and an Anthony Award. So it's about time we scored one for the Gischler

Again ... you guys. YOU guys. Thanks.

11 comments:

Sandra Ruttan said...

See, you aren't a total loser!

Seriously, congrats! It's great to see people who actually get the point of the tournament. Get people talking about books, expose them to books. When the tourny was announced Brian was called sexist right off the start, so I'm sorry that extended to your book, but that kind of crap makes me roll my eyes. Those people just don't get the point. It's for fun, and to drum up interest in reading, so as far as I'm concerned if even one person comes away saying they've ordered/read a new-to-them book as a result, it was time well invested.

(Same with the Spinetingler Awards.)

John D said...

Congratulations, Victor. You da man.

As for those 25 books you've written, I think it's time you come clean and own up to the 20 or so Harlequin romances you've written under a pseudonym.

Unknown said...

Way to go! My OU boys and girls were both knocked out of the NCAA tourney so at least one of my horses went all the way.

Seriously, tho, congrats. I also ordered one of Hines' books. I ordered "Goblin Quest" and plan on ordering "Engines Child" and "The Way of the Shadows" as well. So yeah, I'd say the tourney was a success in more ways than one. But you winning was the cool way.

Jim C. Hines said...

Congrats on the win! I know what you mean... In some ways, it was a relief when you knocked me out of the tournament. I didn't realize how invested I was starting to get until it was over and I no longer felt the urge to refresh the votes every 30 seconds :-)

There are always going to be a handful of people who get carried away with competition, but most of the people involved seemed pretty cool about it all. My guess is that thing was good word-of-mouth for both of us, on the whole.

Jeff Shelby said...

So we can finally stop all the lying about how "great" your books are?

And I just assumed that guy was counting the LaSalle books as yours...

Unknown said...

John D said...
Congratulations, Victor. You da man.

As for those 25 books you've written, I think it's time you come clean and own up to the 20 or so Harlequin romances you've written under a pseudonym.
------------------------

Haven't you heard? He goes by Victoria Gillette. Long flowing red hair, pouty lips, beer belly.

Bryce

JD Rhoades said...

Oh, don't worry, I was sick of you LONG before this.

Seriously, congratulations! And you're right, it is an interesting site, and I'll hang around a bit more, so you win, they win, everybody wins!

JD Rhoades said...

Victoria Gillette? Wait a minute. Wasn't that that girl I met in the bar at...

Oh, SHIT.

Victor Gischler said...

Thanks, everyone.

And Jim, I've heard from a few folks who are picking up your books as a result of the contest.

JD, I left my purse in the backseat of your car. Please return it.

VG

Jerry House said...

Go-Go Girls is on my TBR pile, right near the top.

Mike Cane said...

The reason why someone stated you published 25 novels is because 1 Gischler is better than most any 5 other books.