Monday, May 14, 2007

Mom's Cancer Wins the Blooker

More than a word that sounds as if it were made up by Mel Brooks, a "blook" is a book that originated as a blog or similar online content. Such as mine. Lulu is a print-on-demand publisher that each year awards Lulu Blooker Prizes to blooks in fiction, nonfiction, and comics. Such as mine.

As announced this morning, Mom's Cancer has won the Lulu Blooker Prize for comics. Judge Paul Jones said, "Mom's Cancer takes web comics beyond science fiction parodies and fan boy remixes of superhero comics. The story telling is engaging. The story is important, as well as fun, surprising and rewarding to read. Well-drawn and a real winner." The other judges on the panel were Arianna Huffington, author Julie Powell, philosopher/writer Rohit Gupta, and journalist Nick Cohen.

The nonfiction and overall first prize winner is Colby Buzzwell's My War: Killing Time in Iraq, which began as a series of blog posts from the front. The fiction winner is Andrew Losowsky's The Doorbells of Florence, whose subject appears to be exactly as described--photos of ornate Italian doorbells accompanied by short stories about the people or events behind them. That sounds just odd enough to check out.

This is terrific recognition that I appreciate very much, and not just because it comes with $2500 (wow, that's like ten college textbooks for my kids!). Blogs are increasing in literary, cultural, and journalistic importance at the same time print-on-demand publishers such as Lulu have the potential to transform the publishing world. It feels like a vital, interesting place to be tangentially connected to, even if my book was not self-published (which was not a prerequisite for the prize).

All my thanks to the judges and others involved with the Blooker, I'm very grateful. This is nice.

11 comments:

shrinking indigo said...

NEEEEEIIIIIIGH!

(Oh - and congrats!)

-Amanda

Sherwood Harrington said...

Congrats, Brian!

As you say, online works "are increasing in literary, cultural, and journalistic importance." They're doing so precisely because of things like Mom's Cancer.

ronnie said...

Congratulations! Another well-deserved honour.

Anonymous said...

Wow!
I was just thinking how happy & proud Mom would be right now. I can hear her saying, "Well that's a real feather in your cap".

I just started to laugh out loud as I'm beginning to wonder how many feathers your cap can have sticking out of it? >>>>: D

Hopefully, a few more!

Congrats once again,
Nurse Sis

ming said...

Congrats! thanks for paving the way for future comic blooks!

now i have something to aim for, winning a blooker!

Mike said...

Very cool. It's good to see recognition for a story that was told because the author needed to tell it. Of course, the fact that he told it so very well was a contributing factor ...

Anonymous said...

"That sounds just odd enough to check out" - I was thinking the same about your own undoubtedly fine tome. I'll read yours if you read mine :) Congrats for the win - no kids this end yet, so I guess the money will have to go on loose liquor and hard women. Hic.

Anonymous said...

I just found out via Mike Lynch's site!! Fabulous!! Big fat congratulations!!

Oh when will the accolades end?

Hopefully never...

Brian Fies said...

Thanks, everyone, much appreciated. Andrew, you've got a deal.

Jeff Kinney said...

That's awesome, and very well deserved!!!

Anonymous said...

As promised, I finally picked up a copy in Forbidden Planet in New York, and loved it. I've already passed it on to my girlfriend, and will be passing it on to many others, with my highest recommendations. A wonderful piece of work, many congrats.