I am very excited to announce that my PhD novel for young adults The Networked Wonderland of Us has been long listed for The Times Chicken House Children's Fiction Prize 2020. The novel has undergone quite a few revisions since I optimistically posted I'd finished the manuscript some time back, but it would appear all that work wasn't in vain. There were a record number of submissions too this year - thanks to the Covid pandemic lockdown - and was selected in a list of 18 whittled down from just under 1000 submissions. Pretty chuffed. You can read Senior Editor Kesia Lupo talk about the process here. There is nothing quite so rewarding as having someone else finally see the story you have have been trying to tell for so long. I am keeping everything crossed for the short list. Now wouldn't that be something!
A word about the book cover art rough i've included here. It's by the the brilliantly talented Libby Scott, recent Illustration graduate from Cambridge School of Art. I asked her to come up for a few ideas, and this was my favourite. It captures the heart of the story about how technology brings us together, whoever we are, even in the most tragic and difficult circumstances.
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