Vote for the Oddest Book Title of the Year...

The Diagram Prize shortlist was announced last week. This is an annual award for the oddest book title of the year. It is run through the Bookseller and you can read about this year's selection- and previous year's if you wish, here.

In the past it has brought us (in 2009) 'Advances in Potato Chemistry and Technology', 'Collectible Spoons of the Third Reich' and 'An Intellectual History of Cannibalism'. But it was eventually won by 'Crocheting Adventures with Hyperbolic Planes' by Dr Daina Taimina (A K Peters).

They say that any publicity is good publicity, so authors (and publishers) in the 2010 shortlist are probably hopeful of a few extra sales by their inclusion- as they don't get a prize.

The 2010 longlist comprised 66 books- here is the shortlist of 6 for this year's judging.

• What Color Is Your Dog?                                          Joel Silverman (Kennel Club)
• The Generosity of the Dead                                        Graciela Nowenstein (Ashgate)
• Myth of the Social Volcano                                        Martin King Whyte (Stanford University Press)
• 8th International Friction Stir Welding Symposium Proceedings                       Various authors (TWI)
• The Italian's One-night Love Child                              Cathy Williams (Mills & Boon)
• Managing a Dental Practice the Genghis Khan Way    Michael R Young (Radcliffe)

You can vote on the home page of The Bookseller.com website. Voting began 18th February and the winner will be announced on Friday 25th March.

My vote went to the Genghis Khan Way- perhaps we all secretly think of dental practices in this way...:-)

Contemplation...

I'm feeling a lot better for resting for the day, but decided I couldn't miss my Friday/Saturday posting, so I went to find an illustration to inspire you.

I like the illustrated pictures by silentstella on Photobucket, simple but with depth- they inspire ideas for stories- well they do for me...

So I've selected one that I particularly liked and added what I thought the person in the picture was doing or thinking. So perhaps it will start you thinking and creating.




By silentstella from Photobucket

The figure could be male or female. You could set the story in another time- future or past. Nothing is impossible with imagination...