The Girl of Ink & Stars has been long listed for the Branford Boase Award! This is an especially special award, because it’s not only me acknowledged, but my editor too. Rachel Leyshon nurtured GOI&S through five (of a total of ten) enormous re-drafts, putting up with my cycle of rejecting her suggestions, before trying them and sheepishly emailing to say ‘That works much better actually’. It’s because of her it’s in the first person, and her and Barry Cunningham that Lupe has such a central role – plus Miss La was bulked out their insistence! In short, my book would not and could not have been what it is without her, and it’s lovely to be up for an award that values that.
Chicken House has three books up for the prize: James Nicol (ed Kesia Lupo) for his beautiful tale, The Apprentice Witch, MG Leonard (ed Rachel L and Barry C), for her bug-tastic success Beetle Boy, and me (ed Rachel L)! Plus my wonderful agent Hellie has three authors in the running: Amber Lee Dodd for We Are Giants, Nat Luurtsema for Girl Out of Water, and me. Full list and more details here.