2011 Indie Lit Awards--Suggestions Needed!

It probably comes as no surprise that I'm a huge fan of the Indie Lit Awards.  I think it's the best idea since...well, since book blogging began?  These awards are like the ultimate opportunity to give a book the recognition it deserves.  I was honored to be on the judging panel for the Fiction category last year, and am thrilled to have the chance to act as director this year.  We have a great team, too...check them out!

Aths (Reading on a Rainy Day)

Carrie (Nomad Reader)

Lyndsey (Amused, Bemused and Confused)

Meg (Write Meg)

Also, get to know Wallace at Unputdownables, because she came up with the idea and she's fabulous.  And if you don't know Ti at Book Chatter, (who is co-chair of the awards,) get to know her too--you won't regret it!  The awards have added some new categories this year, so you can broaden your reading/nominating horizons:

Biography/Memoir

GLBTQ

Fiction

Mystery

Non-Fiction

Poetry

Speculative Fiction

So, What Can You Do??

Read, Read, Read!  It's a tough job, but somebody's got to do it!  Nominations will open in September (not as far away as it sounds) so now is the time to be reading some of those newly published books.  Since some of us are better at finding those new & notable books than others, I thought I would take Trish's idea (from eclectic/eccentric..go there to add to the Speculative Fiction list!) and ask all of you to help compile a list.  What new books have you intrigued or hopeful?  What new books have you loved? Fill out the form below and we'll begin making a list!  Also, head over to the site for the Indie Lit Awards and explore: check out the FAQs and grab a button to put on your blog!  Don't forget to check back for an updated list to see what books people are talking about--you just may find your next read (or even a favorite worth nominating!)

(Please note that this list is for reference sake only, these are not actual nominations.  Also, a book must have been published for the first time in 2011 to be eligible, all entries will be double-checked for eligible release date and applicable genre...if you don't see a book on this list that you suggested, chances are there's a reason.  If you're concerned that I didn't receive it, feel free to email me at melody[dot]spano[at]gmail[dot]com to verify.)

Fiction of 2011 ...a list in progress
  [...here's a link to the Book Blogger Search Engine--find out what bloggers are saying about these titles!]

The Lover's Dictionary, David Levithan--released January 4

The Weird Sisters, Eleanor Brown--released January 20

The Fates Will Find Their Way, Hannah Pittard--released February 1
The Illumination, Kevin Brockmeier--released February 1

Swamplandia!, Karen Russell--released February 1

The Evolution of Bruno Littlemore, Benjamin Hale--released February 2

13, rue Thérèse, Elena Mauli Shapiro--released February 2
Open City, Teju Cole--released February 8

West of Here, Jonathan Evison--released February 15
The London Train, Tessa Hadley--released February 22

The Paris Wife, Paula McLain--released February 22

The Sweet Relief of Missing Children, Sarah Braunstein--released February 28

The Tiger's Wife, Tea Obreht--released March 8

The Four Ms. Bradwells, Meg Waite Clayton--released March 22

Miss Entropia and the Adam Bomb, George Rabasa--released April 5

The Uncoupling, Meg Wolitzer--released April 5
In Zanesville, JoAnn Beard--released April 7

The Bird Sisters, Rebecca Rasmussen--released April 12
The Sojourn, Andrew Krivak--released April 19
The Summer Without Men, Siri Hustvedt--released April 26
Caleb's Crossing, Geraldine Brooks--released May 3
Bright Before Us, Katie Arnold-Ratliff--released May 10

The First Husband, Laura Dave--released May 12

State of Wonder, Ann Patchett--released June 1

Ten Thousand Saints, Eleanor Henderson--released June 7

Untold Story, Monica Ali--released June 28
The Lantern, Deborah Lawrenson--release date August 9
The Art of Fielding, Chad Harbach--release date September 7
The Family Fang, Kevin Wilson--release date October 9

The Marriage Plot, Jeffrey Eugenides--release date October 11

Book Poetry

Chelle, at The Prairie Library, is celebrating National Poetry Month by hosting a Book Poetry Contest and a Poetry Giveaway.  And, well, I couldn't pass up an opportunity to compose a poem from book titles.  I seem to enjoy writing poetry more than reading poetry...what's with that?  Maybe expressing my creativity is simply an entirely different process than appreciating creativity and I create in a different medium than I appreciate.

Enough with the philosophizing, here's my book poem.  The poem must be composed of entire book titles, and while I may have gone slightly too abstract and apocalyptic for my own good, I like it.

          after the quake,
            things fall apart.


          march a thousand acres
            for the children's sake--
              a voyage long and strange.


          snow.
            the blood of flowers.
              small wonder.


          as I lay dying,
            everything is illuminated.