Lauren Myracle

Outrage is growing over the National Book Foundation‘s super-incredible totally unbelivable mega-fuckup in announcing that Lauren Myracle had made the National Book Award shortlist for the best children’s book of the year with her novel Shine, then announcing they’d made a mistake and forcing her to withdraw.

“Author Viciously Jerked Around By National Book Awards” was the headline on one report, while another on the Huffington Post highlighted Twitter rage, or Twage, from writers (although the incident hasn’t inspired them to eloquence, particulary. “I think the National Book Award can suck it,” says one. “I repeat: suck it.”) Meanwhile, there’s more at #isupportshine, and the book has exploded on Amazon, where it is as of this writing at number 234, and out of stock.

For those of you who spent yesterday under a rock, our story so far: Last Wednesday, the NBF announced the short list for the prize, and there was Shine — a book about a violent incident against a gay youth — as one of the five finalists. A day later, it was announced that a sixth book, Franny Billingsley‘s Chime, would be added to the list of five titles. It was weird. Had the judges changed their mind? Had the NBF decided to override the judges? No one reported any more than the fact of the additional title (although numerous reports yesterday, such as this one, said there was lots of unreported discussion about why a sixth book was added).

So what happened? According to a Publishers Weekly report by Jim Milliot, Myracle — who has numerous best-selling and award-winning books to her credit — got a call from the NBF asking her to withdraw from the award. Why? “Harold Augenbraum, NBF executive director, confirmed Monday that NBF staff had originally misheard Shine for Chime when the list of nominees was read by the judges over the phone.”

In a statement, Myracle explained why she went along with it:

“I was over the moon last week after receiving the call telling me that Shine was a finalist for the award. I was later informed that Shine had been included in error, but would remain on the list based on its merits. However, on Friday I was asked to withdraw by the National Book Foundation to preserve the integrity of the award and the judges’ work, and I have agreed to do so.

… When I received the initial call about Shine being a finalist, I was humbled and honored to be in the company of such amazing authors. I was also deeply moved that in recognizing Shine, the NBF was giving voice to the thousands of disenfranchised youth in America—particularly gay youth—who face massive discrimination and intimidation every day. So that something positive may come of their error, I have strongly suggested that the NBF donate to the Matthew Shepard Foundation.”

Of course, much remains fishy about the story. Really — the judges just told someone their decision over the phone, and no one ever asked who the author was? Given the subject matter of the book, was some kind of political correctness — or its opposite — at play? And why embarrass Myracle before a national audience, rather than just leave her in the running and let the judges vote? And why did she let them?

Some hint of an answer to the last question may be gleaned in the fact that the NBF has announced that it will indeed make a $5,000 donation to the Matthew Shepard Foundation. Maybe that’s how Myracle made the best out of a bad situation. But as for the other questions, we may never know.

Although a Publishers Lunch report hints that whatever was behind it all, one person may be about to take the fall: Asked whether he’s going to resign because of the incident, NBF director Augenbraum says simply, “I can’t comment on that.”