Sunday, July 22, 2007

Edge Hill Prize

To the Royal Exchange on Friday, for the award of the first Edge Hill Short Story prize organised by my friend and colleague Ailsa Cox, and presented by AL Kennedy. It was a very pleasant evening - wine was consumed, canapés eaten, shoulders rubbed with the famous. The prize was awarded to Mothers and Sons by Colm Toibin, who made a witty off the cuff acceptance speech, in the course of which he used the throwaway line, "anyone can write a novel". Up to a point, I think...
The associated conference took place the following day, and went well. Two of the short-listed authors, Tamar Yellin and Nicholas Royle, read from their work in between academic papers and experimental pieces. The rain mostly held off, and the Edge Hill ducks performed well, eliciting coos of delight from visitors.