I had the enormous pleasure of attending the award ceremony of the Dudley Teen Book Award a few days ago. I met Ally Kennen, shortlisted for Midnight Pirates, and Marie-Lousie Jensen, who’s novel Smuggler’s Kiss had made the shortlist as well. And I got to meet a nice big crowd of fantastic young people who very graciously and politely listened to my blather and queued up to get their copies of Poison Boy signed. It was a great occasion. Mostly because I won! The Poison Boy pipped a whole bunch of brilliant books to the post, and I’m delighted.
Thanks to everyone who organised the event and all the kids
who took part for making the day so special.
Coming up are a few more awards for which I’ve been lucky
enough to be shortlisted:
The Leeds Book Award has an amazing shortlist in three
categories and a killer website – where kids can vote for and review the shortlisted books. I'm getting trounced, but what the hell. The winner will be announced on
May 22nd.
On June 18th, The Calderdale Children's Book of the Year will be
announced, and the longlist is waaay good. PB's an outside bet at the best, I reckon.
The Staffordshire Young Teen Fiction Award is open for
voting now – you can vote up until the end of June. Go!
And I’ve also been lucky enough to be shortlisted for the
North East Book Award. Details to follow on this one.
I know what you’re thinking. ‘Hey, Fletch – surely Poison
Boy on the Branford Boase Longlist was a mistake, right?’ Well, it’s certainly a
wonderful turn-up for the books. I get booted off when the longlist becomes
shortlist, so expect my name to be missing when the announcement is made in early
April.
Right. Back to work…
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