Bulgarian Vick prize

       The Vick Prize for the Bulgarian Novel of the Year seemed like a pretty good idea, supporting local literature -- and giving local talent some international exposure. Alas, Edward Vick has pulled the plug, as he explains in an interview with Svetlana Dicheva at BNR:

The patron of the competition itself, the English businessman Edward Vick, explains his decision to stop the contest with the fact that his idea of promoting Bulgarian novel both inside and outside the country was met with resistance by the Bulgarian literary lobby, which closed in its elitist circle and propagated only intellectual works disliked by the general public.

       Who knew there was a 'Bulgarian literary lobby' ? (Though I suppose we all sensed that, if there was one, it was elitist and "propagated only intellectual works disliked by the general public" .....)
       Given how little Bulgarian literature is translated especially into English (it does a bit better into, for example, German) I would have figured everyone even vaguely associated with anything literary in Bulgaria would be doing everything possible to see that this thing continued -- note, for example, that Open Letter has/is publishing both 2009 winners, Thrown into Nature by Milen Ruskov, and 18% сиво (forthcoming as 18% Gray) by Zachary Karabashliev (see the Open Letter publicity page).

       The situation isn't entirely bleak in that corner of the Balkans -- there's still the admirable Elizabeth Kostova Foundation -- but it's certainly a loss for Bulgarian literature abroad (specifically: getting it there ...).