Go vote in the Clive Staples Award

There are so many awards out there where the audience for the nominees in question (whether it's movies, books, or music in question) lament that the board of folks who choose the winners are completely out of touch with what normal people actually like. I think of the Oscars, especially. How many years has the best picture award gone to films that the average film goer watches, wrinkles his nose, and says, "Really?"

Well, this shouldn't be the case with the Clive Staples Award, offered by Speculative Faith and co-sponsored by The Faith and Fantasy Alliance. The Clive Staples Award is a reader's choice award, where you, dear readers, have the chance to give a shout out to your favorite book of 2012. In an effort to keep the contest from degenerating into a test of which authors can get the most voters to show up and click on their book, the contest sets the stipulation that voters must have read at least two of the books on the finalist list. This should end up eliminating the votes from authors' moms and acquaintances who don't really read speculative fiction, but read author x's book because they know him. (Provided folks are honest and don't ignore the stipulation.)

If you'd like to have a say in which book receives this honor, as well as the cash prize to be awarded at this year's Realm Makers conference, head over to Speculative Faith and weigh in.

And not that I'm campaigning, but I would be remiss in failing to note that Curse Bearer is on the list of finalists. If you truly loved it, I would be honored by your vote.