Happy 2015!

It's been a disgracefully long time since I've written a blog but I haven't been shirking. The long list for the Exeter Novel Prize is up and all the one page reports sent out. Hence the fireworks. Thank you so much for the appreciative emails. It's always hard reading criticism and trust me, it's very difficult writing it too. 
So now that our reading and report writing is over, we're turning our attention to organising the award ceremony. It will be on Saturday 28th March in the beautiful St Stephen's Church in Exeter High St, where we were last year. I do hope that those shortlisted will be able to attend. It will be an afternoon event so that there will be time to travel. Exeter Writers who have so generously donated the first prize again will be there and it's hoped much networking amongst writerly folk will take place over tea, wine and cake etc following the announcement. 
Margaret and I are working hard on our new text book which will be a companion workbook to The Creative Writing Student's Handbook concentrating on the different types of short fiction. We haven't got a publication date yet, but we will let you know when we have. It should be this year and hopefully earlier rather than later. 
Next time I blog, I will include a pic of the new trophies we've just ordered for the Exeter Story Prize and the Trisha Ashley Awards. They are very smart indeed. Entries are coming in now. You can write a story of up to ten thousand words and if it's humorous we'll send to to Trisha and you might be in with a chance of winning her award.

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