From: anonymous

I have seen the nominees for the Book Critics' Circle Awards, and I am pissed. Before I saw the fiction shortlist, I read "two of the fiction selections are from the Nan A. Talese imprint at Doubleday" and I thought, All right! But then I saw which two they were: "Atonement" and "Nowhere Man" and I felt sick to my stomach.

I've reviewed Ian McEwan's "Atonement" elsewhere, so I won't rant here, but three of the other four titles share its faults. (I can't include the fifth, Templeton's "The Darts of Cupid...," because I haven't read it.)

Let me just say that if "Stay" were up against this miserable bunch, it would kick butt. Man, I'd love to send e-mail to those judges, with the newsflash that shovelsful of detail, slow ponderous movement, thin characters - like characters from the TV or movies but with layer after layer of really useless ornamental irrelevant detail added - fancy writer footwork (of the "Yo, dude, look what I can do - uh, no, here, over here, look at this, right, that thing I already told you three times" variety) and the occasional sweet image don't, they DO NOT, make a fine novel. A fine novel sings, godammit, it changes the reader, startles him or her into a kind of shock that makes him sit up and appreciate life all over again. And then start the book again at the beginning. Man, I wish I were one of those judges.

I wish you were, too . For those of you who are curious, the NBCC Fiction nominees this year are:

• Jeffrey Eugenides, Middlesex (Farrar, Straus & Giroux)
• Alexander Hemon, Nowhere Man (Doubleday/Nan A. Talese)
• William Kennedy, Roscoe (Viking)
• Ian McEwan, Atonement (Doubleday/Nan A. Talese)
• Edith Templeton, The Darts of Cupid and Other Stories (Pantheon)

And in other award news, Stay has been short listed for the Lambda Literary Award. Here's the full list of Best Lesbian Fiction nominees (if you want to see nominees in other categories, check out the Lambda Literary Foundation website):

• Fingersmith, Sarah Waters, Riverhead Books
• Lucky in the Corner, Carol Anshaw, Houghton Mifflin Company
• Godspeed, Lynn Breedlove, St. Martin's Press
• Stay, Nicola Griffith, Doubleday
• This Place Called Absence, Lydia Kwa, Kensington Publishing

From: anonymous

A suggestion for your possible resources page:

Cunt: A Declaration of Independence by Inga Muscio

This book addresses various aspects of being female (sex, health issues, self defense, etc.) and has at the end a list of various resources for women including women positive clinics, sex shops, books, films, etc. I believe that a new edition has recently come out with an expanded list of resources. I would guess that if you contacted her she’d be happy to have you post her list of recourses, or at least part of it, at your site.

Thanks. I'll track it down. Anyone else read this? Anyone out there know the author?

From: anonymous

Orginally I wrote to you in November and you did reply however I have been remiss in responding, for that I apologize. I got caught up in the life and work game. Not only does the boss expect me to be here for 7 1/2 hours a day but judging by the projects that have been dumped on my desk they expect me to work too; go figure!

I would like to thank you for your response. I was impressed that you took the time to look up my URL. Unfortunately I am from the office in Ontario. I know the chances of you coming to Ontario are slim at best, I may just have to go to the west coast one day.

I have been quite surprised by the lesbian literature that I have read. Like beer, some are great, some are okay and not many are really bad. To discuss in any depth all that I have read would be futile via this format because I could go on for days and I know that you have better things to do. Besides I converse better while sipping a beer and I think they would frown upon it here at the office.

Thanks again for your response and allowing me to intrude on your time. I look forward to reading your next book.

Ask Nicola questions are never an intrusion. They're the lifeblood of this website. So what's Ontario like? I've never been, and I have no picture of it in my head at all. Lots of bookshops? Traffic? Fine people? Crime? Personally, I think it's criminal to expect employees to work for a living. One of the reasons I became a writer is that I'm bone lazy and hate being told what to do. Terrible combination. I was never very good at having a real job.

From: anonymous

This is not a question but just another fan, this time from Melbourne, Australia. I have just finished your book, "the blue place" and like others, stayed up all night finish it. Today I felt compelled to read more about you. My sister-in-law has had MS for nearly 20 years and is forever positive. I shall now track down "Stay" and look forward another long night. At the moment it is stinking hot in Melbourne with bush fires virtually ringing the State of Victoria.

I do love to hear of readers staying up all night to finish books--any books, not just mine. Every now and again I go through these drought times when it appears that there will never be a good book written ever again, and I despair. I range from bookshelf to bookshelf, picking things up and tossing them aside, longing to burn again with that need to Find Out How It All Turns Out in the End. So it gives me hope when people tell me: I read this great book! and their eyes are wide, their cheeks pinked, their hands curling with excitement. It's contagious. It makes me more zealous in my search for Something Good. It also makes me more determined to do a good job with the book I'm working on now. I want someone to finish the last page, sigh with absolute contentment, clap the book shut and fall asleep with a smile on their face. Then wake up in the morning and begin the book again at the beginning. And then go out and tell all their friends.