Congratulations!

Just a quick blog post to say a HUGE congratulations to my great friends and fabulous writers (and Salt authors) Carys Davies and Susannah Rickards - Carys is the winner and Susannah one of two runners-up (with Frank O'Connor award-winner Simon Van Booy) of the highly prestigious Society of Authors Olive Cook award!

To read more of Carys' stories, get hold of her book, Some New Ambush (Salt). Susannah's collection will be published by Salt later this year. (Read a review of Simon Van Booy's Love Begins in Winter on The Short Review)

Brief news from me: A lovely lovely meeting with the Clifton Library Book Group where I heard that wonderful line which I never tire of hearing: "I never normally read short stories, but now that I've read your book...." They bought 6 copies, which is an added bonus, it is just wonderful to sit and chat about stories in general with such an interested and fascinating group of readers. 

I also had a great time at the Bristol Festival of Nature - the University asked me to write two flash stories, one for each of the University tents at the festival - and they printed them out with spaces for kids to illustrate the stories. An interesting experience; I don't write for kids so tried to at least make it not unsuitable for children. I hope it was vaguely successful! I was there at the Festival, encouraging kids  - and their parents - to do some drawing. It was fun!

And I forgot to mention the excellent Waterstone's Brighton event for 100 Stories for Haiti last week (long long week) - it was a moving occasion, a true tribute and proof of how one man -in this case Greg McQueen - can and is making a difference. If you don't have your copy, find out more here. All proceeds to the Red Cross efforts in Haiti.






I've had some interesting invites in the last two days but can't say anything yet. More soon!