Lesley was asked what she thought of Jordan publishing a novel that she had not written herself. Hearing that Jordan (aka Katie Price) comes up with the ideas , Lesley urged her to take the plunge and write the story herself.
The People’s Prize for Fiction is voted for by readers – the best of judges, Lesley said.
She talked about how fiction can offer readers experiences that they may not have had themselves, widening their understanding of life.
Lesley Thomson attended a gala evening in the Stationers’ and Newspaper Makers’ Company Stationers Hall on the 21st July where A Kind of Vanishing was awarded the prize for fiction. David Walliams won the prize for Children’s Fiction. The People’s Book Prize is the brain child of the late Beryl Bainbridge who had been going to present the awards and of Tatiana Willson. Asked by Sky News what she thought of a prize judged by a jury versus readers, Lesley said that all prizes opened up opportunities for writers. Kate Mosse’s Orange prize had expanded the field for women writers.
As a child Lesley’s parents encouraged her to use libraries so she particularly welcomed their involvement in The People’s Book Prize. She expressed the concern that government support for the Public Lending Rights, a valuable source of income to writers like herself, would be affected by the spending review in the Autumn.
Lesley’s publishers are to reprint A Kind of Vanishing and have alerted readers that there are only a few first editions still available.
In her acceptance speech Lesley told the 150 strong audience of writers, publishers, agents and press that she was proud to be the first winner of this new prize. See The People’s Book Prize news page on http://www.peoplesbookprize.com/news.htm
Lesley accepting the Award for Fiction
(For the late Dame Beryl Bainbridge launching the Prize at the 2009 London Book Fair http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itTKF2Y3j3E )
Lesley Thomson - Winner of People's Book Prize for Fiction
My publishers, Myrid Editions have set up a Facebook page for A Kind of Vanishing. Here you can put up your thoughts and see those of other readers. Add images that you think relevant – take part! http://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Kind-Of-Vanishing/120446537988048
As part of Brighton’s unique festival of Open Houses, novelist Lesley Thomson and fellow Myriad authors Martine McDonagh and Robert Dickinson signed books, met readers and read from each other’s books instead of from their own at the Dog House Book Corner Cafe on Sunday 16th May in Hampstead Road. Visitors ate home-made cakes and sipped tea in a ‘home-from-home’ atmosphere while listening to the beginnings of three novels. See website: http://www.artinthedoghouse.co.uk/about-me-events
On April 8th 2010 Lesley Thomson, Carole Hayman (Ladies of Letters) and crime-writer Sue Walker took part in New Writing South’s Crime Salon at the Crypt in Oxford. Lesley talked about the use of photography in fiction (see website for this pictorial essay) and took part in a discussion with the audience.
Lesley will be taking part in a discussion event with writers Sue Eckstein and Robert Dickenson at Hove Libary in East Sussex. Check out this website for up and coming details.
Lesley has completed recording the complete and unabridged version of her novel at the Joyful Productions Studio for Summersdale Publishers. This will be available as as a download later in the year from the Amazon company – Audible.co.uk.
The Firestation Book Swap began its world tour at the Much Ado Bookshop in Alfriston, Sussex on Saturday, May 8th.
Scott Pack and Robbie Hudson hosted this lively and original event in the War Memorial Hall. Entry was £5 or free for those who brought a home-made cake of which there were several delicious examples. The audience were invited to swap books with the panel and with each other. They wrote questions on slips of paper which were ‘lucky-dipped’ for out of a glass jar and fired at Lesley and Mick Jackson. This warm, inclusive event road-shows around the UK – check out Scott Pack’s blog (link below) for more detail and for his review of A Kind of Vanishing.
http://meandmybigmouth.typepad.com/scottpack/2010/05/now-you-see-her.html
L-R: Scott Pack, Lesley Thomson, Mick Jackson and Robbie Hudson
Lesley gave a talk about how she uses her own photography in fiction at the second Creative Network event – held at the Fabrica Art Gallary in Brighton (March 2010).
Lesley is taking part in New Writing’s South’s Crime Salon. It is hosted by the Oxford Fringe . Sharing the salon with Lesley are crimewriter and investigative television journalist Sue Walker and writer and broadcaster Carole Hayman (works include Radio 4’s and now TV’s Ladies of Letters) .
Book now! For details see:
http://oxfringe.com/programme/details/?show=168