On July 3rd last week I headed
down south on the train to London for a few days. In the evening I went to
Crime in the Court at Goldsboro Books in Cecil Court, in celebration of
Independent Booksellers Week. This was only the second year for this event, but
it has all the feel of a long established tradition, with a lovely, friendly
atmosphere. It was a great privilege
finally to meet and chat with the extraordinarily generous Mike Ripley. I was also
pleased to meet Gordon Ferris, and run into Laura Wilson and Stephanie Merritt
(S.J.Parris) again – both of whom I’d met before. All three were also on the
shortlist for the CWA Ellis Peters Historical Fiction Dagger Award. There were
so many people I talked to that it’s impossible to mention everyone here. I
look forward to going again next year. Thanks to David Headley for holding the
event – and for all his support for writers.
The last time I won a prize was
when I was seventeen. I was wearing a sword at the time (playing Imogen in
Cymbeline) so it was a shock to win an award now. The CWA Daggers Awards
ceremony on Thursday July 5th was an elegant affair held in the library
at one Birdcage Walk. A special evening, meeting new people, catching up with
others, accompanied by my editor Kate and my agent Maggie.
For a full list of the winners –
and the long lists for the CWA Gold Dagger, the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger
and the CWA John Creasey (New Blood )
Dagger , click on this link: http://www.thecwa.co.uk/
Thanks to everyone for all the
congratulations I’ve received. I hope by now I’ve got back to everyone
individually.
On a personal note, the thing
that has given me most delight is my three year old grandson saying
congratulations on Skype and offering to fence his wobbly pirate’s cutlass
against my dagger.
