Rose-coloured: Blogging the NMAs

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Blogging the NMAs

Right off the bat, I'll tell you that my short story "Linh Lai," originally publishing in The New Quarterly did not win the National Magazine Award for which it was short-listed. But Friday night's shindig was still an amazing good time, not least because I got to sit with the TNQ crew, and chat with assorted other cool folks.

Rosalynn Tyo (left) and Katia Grubisic were nominated for their work on TNQ's Montreal Issue (they didn't win, either, I'm afraid--boo! it's a fantastic issue!)

The TNQ table, from left: Chair of the Board Kathy Berrill, editor-in-chief Kim Jernigan, Managing Ed Rosalynn, me giggling with Katia.

My and my glamourous friend Corinna vanGerwen, nominated for editorial work in Style at Home.

Other highlights include the food: chocolate fountain, smoked salmon wraps, spicy popcorn (not in that order, but in that order in my heart!) The crazy cool opening video collage of magazines--I wonder if that will eventually be available somewhere... Also, The Carlu where it was held was really glam (watch that link, though; borderline porny music plays when you open it!)

Although I can't say I was 100% thrilled not to win, the fiction winner Andrew Tibbetts brought the percentage up into the 90s with his acceptance speech, which ended with "and thank you to transsexual sex workers, just because." He rightly received an additional award, for best acceptance speech. Way to represent, Mr. Tibbetts!

Find the river
RR

2 comments:

August said...: Aren't the TNQ crew great? I know Kim and Rosalynn pretty well, actually. I hung around the offices a bit when I went to school at UW, and had a bunch of classes with Rosalynn. I was pretty close with former postcard fiction editor Gary Draper, too (he hasn't been with the mag for some years now). I always try to stop by the office when I'm visiting family in KW, and they're the first people I say hello to at festivals and such here in town. Great folks.; June 8, 2009 at 12:38 AM
AMT said...: i would like to point out that while you look beautiful in all pics, you also always look like you are about to fall over in one direction or another. since i know the culprit here cannot for you be alcohol -- are you returning to your previous listing stage? beware!; June 8, 2009 at 11:49 AM

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Rebecca Rosenblum...

is a writer and editor who likes a lot of stuff. This is a blog about that stuff, and also her writing. Rebecca is the writer-in-residence at Jean Vanier High School, and was a juror for The Journey Prize 21. Her work has been short-listed for the Journey Prize, the Danuta Gleed Award and the National Magazine Award. Her first book of short stories, Once, was published by Biblioasis and was one of Quill & Quire's 15 Books That Mattered in 2008. Rebecca's stories are occasionally seen in Canadian periodicals and her second collection, *The Big Dream,* is forthcoming from Biblioasis.