Made the first cut

[altivo]

Some of you will remember that I entered a book manuscript in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award competition a few weeks ago. The first cut was announced today, and my work is still in the running. The number of entries has now been reduced to 1000, and the next cut, to 500, will be announced in about a month. Making that next cut means at the very least you get an evaluation from reviewers at Publishers Weekly.

Spinning study group had its monthly meeting this afternoon, where I found myself coaching others on spinning cotton. This might seem odd, but most spinners begin by learning to spin wool. From there they branch out into other animal fibers such as alpaca, mohair (goat,) llama, etc. Cotton requires techniques that are almost contrary to those used for the animal wools, and it's often a difficult transition for a beginner. I had considerable trouble with it myself three years ago, but managed to break through and now find that I enjoy spinning cotton just as much as I like wool. This has made me a sort of evangelist of the vegetable fibers or something like that.

In other news, the 2010 edition of the Furry Survey is out, with all the same defects it has always had, but probably still a good idea to register your inclinations and opinions.

Comments

[kint.livejournal.com]

Congrats on making it through round one!

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I really want to make it one more level at least. I'm not trendy enough to get to the finals: no vampires or anything like that.

[hellmutt.livejournal.com]

*snerk* Ain't that the truth!

[schnee.livejournal.com]

Good luck with the award there — I'll be keeping my claws crossed for you. :)

[altivo.livejournal.com]

This takes months. You'll have cramps if you stay crossed that long. ;p

[schnee.livejournal.com]

*chuckles* OK — in that case, I'll just recross them regularly. :)

[animist.livejournal.com]

Best of luck in making the next cut!

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Thanks. At least this time they're reading the actual book in part.

[avon-deer.livejournal.com]

Best of luck with the remaining cuts. I wish you the best of luck.

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately with that many entries, luck is probably necessary. Thanks.

[hellmutt.livejournal.com]

Congrats and good luck!

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Thanks, I could do with some luck for a change.

[hrrunka]

Good luck with the novel.

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Thanks. No leopards, alas, it's all North American species. But there's a pretty cougar girl. XD

[herefox.livejournal.com]

Congrats!

I've tried cotton a little and you're right, it's completely different. Haven't quite gotten the hang of it but I've been pretty spotty about spinning in general lately.

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

Cotton on a drop spindle is a really tough way to start. For cotton, you should have a supported spindle like a tahkli, one that stands on a tabletop and you twist it with one hand while drawing out the fiber with the other. They're pretty cheap (under $10) and can be used for other fine yarns, like silk, or short fibers, like cashmere or camel.

[herefox.livejournal.com]

*nod* I actually do have one but I don't have a good place to set it up usually so I don't use it often.

[altivo.livejournal.com]

I used one of those brass coin tahklis to spin cashmere and cotton a couple of years ago. I found that it worked quite well just by standing it on my thigh as I was sitting normally and wearing blue jeans. The point is just sharp enough to grip and stay in place, without drilling through the denim or attacking the skin.

That said, I soon learned that in spite of advice to the contrary, you really can spin short fibers on a drop spindle as long as the spindle is very light in weight and you move slowly to get enough twist into the thread before it needs to bear the weight of the spindle. I just plied about 150 yards of cotton singles spun that way on a Bosworth micro (<0.5 oz.) and, frankly, I don't plan to do any more. It was to prove a point, and I consider it sufficiently proven. The single thread came out to about 58 wraps per inch, like sewing thread. Plying it without kinking was very difficult.

[mondhasen.livejournal.com]

The number of entries has now been reduced to 1000...

Yow! How many were there, and who had to screen through them all?

Congratulations! :o)

[altivo.livejournal.com]

There are two categories: YA and General fiction. Each category accepted up to a maximum of 5000 entries this year. The general class was cut off when it reached 5000. The YA class didn't get to 5000, but they never announced just how many entries were received. My guess is probably over 3000 but obviously, less than 5000.

They cut it down to 1000 based on a 300 word "pitch" like you'd put in a letter to a publisher or agent. The next cut goes down to 250 entries in each class, and will be based on readings of the first 5000 words of the book. Both of these first two reductions are done by Amazon staff. The 250 quarter finalists in each class will then be read by Publishers Weekly reviewers, who cut the numbers again to 100 of each. Those semi-finalists go to editorial staff at Penguin Books, who will select three finalists in each of the two groups.

The next cut will be announced a month from now. =:D

[cabcat.livejournal.com]

Is it a good idea this survey? Does it actually do anything?

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Do any surveys actually do anything? This one collects bad data about the furry fandom by asking loaded questions of a poorly selected sample. In essence, it's like most surveys.