Dry January

Well I did Dry January - almost! The champagne at the Costa Books Awards was a temptation too far, and I confess that I made up for the other thirty days of abstention with several glasses, and then several more.


It was a fabulous evening at Quaglino's, and I was delighted to be awarded third prize in the Costa Short Story Award. It was wonderful to meet my fellow shortlistees as well as many other talented writers. 

L to R - The CSSA winner Caroline Ward Vine, CSSA judge, Kit de Waal, CSSA runner-up Sophie Wellstood, and myself

What with the all the publicity material in the room, and the huge picture of me up on the stage screen, I think I've had my fifteen minutes of fame now!

There was a respectful hush when the Costa Book of the Year was announced - a unanimous decision by the judges. The Cut Out Girl by Bart van Es was a worthy winner, and the emotion in the room was palpable.

 

'The Cut Out Girl by Bart van Es, professor of English at Oxford University, tells the story of Lien de Jong, who as a young Jewish girl was sheltered by the author’s grandparents in Nazi-occupied the Netherlands during the Second World War. Lien later became estranged from the van Es family, and the author set out to find out why.'

So that's January over already, and I have to admit it was much more interesting than the average drab January - even without alcohol (mostly!). February's not shaping up too shabby either, as my publisher, Retreat West Books, has nominated one of my short stories, 'Barefoot Girls & Corner Boys' for Sonder Press's Best Short Fictions. 

And today I was thrilled to see my short story collection, Separated From the Sea, displayed on the counter of The Book Corner in Halifax, a beautiful bookshop in the restored Piece Hall building.