Asking for blurbs...

...is embarrassing.
I sent the following blatant begging for help (with slight differences depending upon the person to whom I was writing) to ask some of the writers I know to read the book and provide critiques/blurbs. (If I get any really good -- or really awful, heartbreaking -- responses, I'll post them.)
Here's a barebones version of what most of them received:

(Insert writing acquaintance's name here),
I'm hoping things are going well with (your most recent work of which I'm aware), and I'm hoping you have a couple of nights' reading time open in the near future. No pressure, no obligation. (You know what's coming.) My first "official" novel is in the hands of a small publisher and he wonders if I could wrangle a few blurbs from my circle of contacts. The book is a wacky Southern novel set in the former sawmill town of Century, Florida, and taking place in the week leading up to the town's centennial Sawmill Day celebration in 2001. The publisher calls it a "literary novel," but I think that's only because it's "short" and he doesn't know how else to classify it. Like I said above, there really is no obligation involved here, and I know many writers make it a policy not to do blurbs. But if you're so inclined, let me know if you'd like to see it electronically and I can email it to you. (It really is relatively short -- under 220 double spaced pages.) A dummy cover shot by me is attached just for fun.
(Note to blog-readers: I still haven't figured out how to post that pic here. I will, though. I will.)
Peace.
Tony