World's Sexiest Writer 2007

[Vincent Holland-Keen]

UPDATE: Daniel's now added the poll to the main Crimespace page. Either select from the options given or use the links at the bottom of the poll to add a writer of your choice.

After pondering this idea on my blog, I've decided to poll Crimespacers on who are their top three sexiest writers. I'll then collate the results into a definitive list.

Why? Because as this post by Kevin Wignall points out, publishers are often remiss in exploiting the marketability of their authors. This isn't about book blurbs or literary reviews, it's about harnessing the same shallow appeal that puts vacuous celebrities onto the bestseller lists.

As to what constitutes sexy, that's up to you. It could be down to the author photo or the appeal of their writing or simply because someone having the syllable 'wig' in their name turns you on.

Example response:
1. Jane Austen - All that repressed sexuality? No-brainer. [Polls as 3 points]
2. Ernest Hemingway - It's the beard that does it. [Polls as 2 points]
3. Britney Spears - Well, she did write a book with her Mum, but thinking about it, she then went wacko and shaved her head and that's not sexy at all... [Polls as 1 point]

Reasons for selection optional and this example selection wouldn't be valid, because for an author to be eligible they must have published a work of fiction in 2007 (this hopefully excludes all possibility of celebrity chefs making the list).

And, because this might not be as easy as it appears, you can nominate one or two writers, instead of the maximum three.

[Daniel Hatadi]

Looks like people want to be anonymous on this one. I can set up a poll similar to the Post-Of-The-Month one, but people will also be able to add their own answers. As soon as the current poll's finished, I'll stick up the next one.

And I'll put in a vote for Leigh Redhead and Tara Moss.

[Vincent Holland-Keen]

Excellent. Thanks Daniel. I was looking at free polls online, but none of them seemed to quite handle the results properly.

[Daniel Hatadi]

Polldaddy.com is where the ones on Crimespace are from. Did you check them out? They seem to have everything you could want (although I have to use tinyurl.com to fit all the links in).

While I'm at it, I'm thinking that because it's Crimespace it should be crime writers only, and I was also thinking to have the men one week, the women the next. Do you think that's too limiting?

[Vincent Holland-Keen]

My inclination is to keep it open. Once all the votes are in, it could then be split down into men and women or by genre. The thing I haven't found on any of the polling sites I've looked at is an option to allow the user to put in their own answers - they all look to offer variations on the theme of offering up predefined answers and allowing the visitor to choose between them.

[Daniel Hatadi]

Well, I just threw the poll up with the option to add extra answers, but it doesn't seem to show what those answer are. I've taken it down until I can figure out what's happening.

For whatever reason, only the poll creator can see the 'other' results. I think that makes the poll favour the names that are already there.

Damn, I should have tested this first. Not sure what to do now. I'll have a play around.

[Daniel Hatadi]

And now I'm replying to myself ...

I've sorted out another option. It's not quite as neat, but it works.

[Vincent Holland-Keen]

It looks like it's working really well. Though I notice that some wag has added Stephen Hawking to the options and he has more votes than the likes of Alex Barclay. Which would be fine, except that he hasn't written a work of fiction and therefore isn't eligible.

Can any extra text be added to the poll to make that clear? Can we take off ineligible writers if they get added?

[Daniel Hatadi]

Yeah, I had to keep the poll totally open so anyone could add names. I'll just have to keep an eye on it. I'm tempted to remove some more names because I think someone's just seen them on the front page and added them, but I'll leave it for now. It's bedtime for me.

[DADavenport]

No, Sandra, I've already got an "L" Word pick! But that curly look IS kinda cute! My Canadian pick is definately male, a brooding type, no less. At least in the jacket photo.

Okay, my woman crush is Rita Mae Brown...I feel okay saying it since I have already met her and she is absolutely gorgeous. I am not crazy about the Sneaky Pie Brown stuff, but all her other writings are fabulous.

And the other one I've met, the crazy, cranky and too cool Californian is Harlan Ellison. His stories wipe me out and scare the hell out of me.

The others I will remain mum about. The net has ears!

[Sandra Ruttan]

LOL. I was partially teasing you. All the sexy Canadians leave the country, and I actually have a guess as to who your Canadian is, and it is a guy. If it's the one I'm thinking of, I've met him and he is fine.

But I will not admit to that one on the record. The rest of you might occasionally visit but I have to live here. ;)

[DADavenport]

You are too funny, Sandra! My husband is wondering what all the laughter over here is about, and I don't dare tell him! I think you've guessed my Canadian pick and it is nice to know appearances are not decieving in this instance.

[Karen from AustCrime]

Well as those of us who shared a table with their assorted men at last year's Ned Kelly awards will attest, we have a winner. Leigh Redhead - a cold Melbourne night - a tiny little black frock - legs that didn't end anywhere as far as we could tell - and a debate contribution that derided people who couldn't write good sex scenes - or at least I think that's what she was saying - the panting by aforementioned males at our table was making it hard to hear much from the stage.

Stephen Booth - I think any man who wears red socks is sexy - anybody got a problem with that!

Shane Maloney - slightly rumpled / vaguely bemused does it for me everytime.