Michael
Congratulations on the award. I doubt any of us would have turned down the honor, especially with such a cash award.
I haven't had any contact with vanity press or organizations like the ISP, so I'm in no position to criticize or legitimize them. If someone wants to pay $50 to see their name in print, that's their business and I see nothing wrong with it. As long as they're realistic about it. I never doubted a cash award was given to someone. There are federal organizations, as well as state agencies, who keep track of contests and keep them legal.
What does bother me, however, is what can happen to someone who's not aware of how these contests work. Take for example, SnowAngel, the fourteen year old who posted here several months ago, believing herself to be a fantastic poet with natural greatness - and proceeded to tell everyone. After all, she had been named a winner in just such a competition - and been told how she was one of their best poets. Everyone else here, of course, was just jealous...well, you get the picture.
Eventually, I believe, she investigated the contest and realized what it was about. Not only was she hurt, but when she came back here in earnest, few people were willing to take a chance on critting her again.
How many people go through this kind of build-up, only to end up having reality smacking them painfully in the chops? I don't know, but it seems to me that this one was enough.
Do these organizations lie? I highly doubt it. Do they deceive people? Yes. Is it ethical? Each person has to answer that one themselves. It would have been interesting had we critiqued your piece prior to learning of the award. No one, I think, could do it as objectively now.
Being the suspicious sort, I must honestly say I'm curious why someone whom I've never seen post here come on, refer to us as 'fellow Spherians' and announce his good fortune, if not to enlist others to pay up and submit. I hope you will understand that people who don't know you may take it the wrong way.
Enjoy the money, and I look forward to your participation here, which I'm sure will allay any suspicions even the worst of us may have.
Jerry
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