I have to admit that I'm a literary snob. I have no real affection for genre fiction and I tend to think that the best literature is underappreciated by the masses. That said, when I heard a segment on NPR about the Quill Awards I actually thought it was good. The Quills Literacy Foundation is sponsoring award that is for the most part judged by the public at large. We can guarantee that the winners here will be different from the National Book Award winners, but I don't think it's a bad thing.
It is good for all writers when interest in reading is high. If a more populist award can draw more readers to the bookstores, I think we all benefit. Sure, Harry Potter won book of the year, but we also had winners we're liable to see on more prestigious lists (Sue Monk Kidd, Langston Hughes, and of course the crew at The Daily Show).
I'm still looking forward to the other awards being announced so that I can add to my reading list.
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