At the risk of stirring controversy

Ah - what they hell! I VERY seldom do so I think I can this one time.

Keep in mind that this post isn't done out of any kind of anger or sour grapes - well, at least I hope it's not sour grapes - although I'm human so one grape might make it's way in.

The BBAW - not to take anything away from those who have been nominated; there are a few I think are well deserving - but I don't like the whole idea. This is only my personal opinion, but it makes me squirmy. I don't watch award shows - of any kind - I don't like them either but I love music and movies and whatnot so it isn't about the blogs in question. I can't emphasize that enough!

But I don't blog to win awards. I do it to connect with other romance readers; to share a large and important part of who I am, and when my husband was diagnosed with cancer and then lost his battle, it was my salvation. And by having it on my blog, I can go back and relive our life together and see how far I've come. I don't want awards for that. I was nominated for one award in this years BBAW and notified by email. I read through it a couple of times but nowhere was I asked to submit any posts, which seems kind of fishy to me seeing as it looks like everyone else was asked to. Even if I had though, I wouldn't have. Not because I'm not in love with some of what I've done. I think the one I did on the adventures of a cat person dog sitting my sisters dog was brilliant. Yes - I do think that. I had such fun writing it. Also the two follow-up posts were also oodles of fun.

And it's been truly a labour of love promoting some of the things I've got all excited about - promoting Dreaming of You, the Cravenators vs Sebastioners rumble (which is still going on *g*), The North and South Crusde, the promotion of Broken Wing and most recently, The Great Western Drive.

I've been blogging for over five years now and while many have come and gone (and damn it - I miss you all!) some are still around; Sybil(who I still rumble with :-), Wendy, Keishon, Rosario were all blogging before I was, yet none of them received awards and they all have GREAT blogs - done out of love. I love Karen's blog - even though we are as different as night and day in style *g* - but then that's what makes blogging so great. She can be the queen of controversy, but she is also wonderful at raising topics that make you think such as her recent posts on health care and previously her posts on AA authors and how they are treated differently. Cindy, while not blogging that much about books, certainly has an eclectic blog and she was the first blogger I met in person - being a neighbour - blog wise.

I look down the list of nominations and none of these bloggers are up for anything so I know I'm in good company. What I do see, are a lot of new bloggers - quite a few I've never seen or noticed before and trust me - I'm always looking to find new bloggers. And I'm not taking anything away from them, I think it's great that people are reading and enjoying their blogs - I do and do too.

But as with award shows, I'm struck by all those who aren't nominated. And no - the answer isn't more awards. There are far too many categories as it is.

This is just my opinion, but reader blogs shouldn't be done out of any kind of agenda - as a way to get ARC's as some are; used as a promotion tool by either authors or publishers. If I promote a book or author it's because I've LOVED that author or a book. I don't get a whole lot of ARC's - very few. I don't want them. What I do - I do out of love and to have fun. And I hope that's what comes across here at Ramblings.

Wendy did a most excellent post recently and she says exactly what I think.

So - now you can have at me - I'll bring out Krisite to take the flack - she's good at that.