Literature Ability Media International Award

Laura Summers has won the Literature Ability Media International Award run by Leonard Cheshire Disability and supported by Orange for her book, Desperate Measures.
The AMI Awards identify creativity that encourages a more inclusive world for disabled andmarginalised groups of people. Covering every aspect of the arts, the winners have beenchosen for producing work that positively represents, involves or assists people facing majorphysical, mental, emotional or social challenges.
Laura Summers who was chosen by the judges for her creative excellence received theaward at a ceremony held at London Studios on 21 November.
Laura Summers produced this critically acclaimed first novel so readers could understand andhopefully be more tolerant towards those seemingly “different” from themselves. Regarded bymany as "affecting, honest, and totally gripping" this tale of a pair of twins – one of whom wasbrain-damaged at birth – which follows their lives after they are told their foster parents can'tcope and the family will have to be split up, is both moving and totally life-affirming.
Laura Summers said: “It is an absolute honour to have won this amazing award, althoughcreating a fictional heroine with a learning disability didn't seem an unusual thing for me tochoose to do. I wanted to show what I have learnt over the years - that we're all individualsand whatever our abilities or disabilities, we all want and need the same things - family,friends, to be treated decently and to reach our potential - a life basically.”
Wayne Drew, Chairman of the Ability Media Creative Board, said: “Today’s winnersdemonstrate outstanding creativity and are all socially and culturally of the highest importanceand Laura Summers is a perfect example of this. Desperate Measures is destined to promotea more fair, just and inclusive society, for the benefit of us all.”
Jane Jutsum, Leonard Cheshire Disability Innovative Projects Director, said: “It is a particularhonour to recognise Laura Summers as a worthy winner. Desperate Measures is an inspiringtestament to how disabled people make the world a more inclusive and better place. We hopeto ensure that disabled people will be better represented in the media industry and have moreinfluence on society as a result.”
This award, designed to identify outstanding achievement is one of 25 categories who rewardexcellence across the creative industries. The Ability Media Centre, run by Leonard CheshireDisability is a state of the art facility in London providing courses in production and postproduction, animation, graphic design, music technology and interactive media.
Visit: www.amiawards.org, www.abilitymedia.org, Facebook; the Ability Media Centre and
Twitter; @AbilityMediaLCD

yet more on the library cuts

Last week saw news break of widespread proposed cuts to the nation’s library services – from Buckinghamshire’s reported plans to close Great Missenden library, beloved by Roald Dahl and credited as providing inspiration for Matilda, through to the privatisation of Wakefield’s entire library service.
There is so much news on this subject it would be difficult to list, so click here to visit Alan Gibbons’ Blog, and scroll down to Nov. 13th for his Campaign for the Book newsletter, which lists some examples.

Costa Book Prize

Costa Children's Book Award Shortlist
Flyaway by Lucy Christopher
Annexed by Sharon Dogar
Bartimaeus: The Ring of Solomon by Jonathan Stroud
Out of Shadows by Jason Wallace

The winner of this category will be announced on 5 January 11 and the overall category winner (chosen from fiction, biography, first novel, poetry and childrens) will be announced on 25 Jan.

Quentin Blake and Francois Place drawing duel

(photograph by Rosa Bianca)

The Children’s Book Show 2010 (http://www.childrensbookshow/) came to a triumphant end last night (17 November) with a sell out event at L'Institut Français, London. The popular event was also part of the Youth Festival.
Quentin Blake, the inaugural Children’s Laureate who has also been referred to as a ‘national institution’ and one of France’s most highly acclaimed illustrators illustrator Francois Place (best known in the UK for his illustrations for Michael Morpurgo’s War Horse) talked about their work, showing exquisite examples, and then treated an enthusiastic audience to an amazing drawing duel.
The artists took it in turns to transform each other’s drawings, keeping the audience guessing what would happen next. Much laughter later a splendid wordless story had been created on one sheet of paper. At the end of the show there was a round of applause when one young person asked the artists to do another drawing. The artists took up the challenge and picked up their pins, giving the audience another chance to see two masters of their craft at work.

Roald Dahl Funny Prize 2010

Louise Yates is the winner of the Funniest Book for Children Aged Six and Under with Dog Loves Books (Jonathan Cape). Louise Rennison is the winner of the Funniest Book for Children Aged Seven to Fourteen with Withering Tights (HarperCollins Children’s Books).

The shortlists for the Roald Dahl Funny Prize 2010 were:

The Funniest Book for Children Aged Six and Under
Angelica Sprocket's Pockets by Quentin Blake (Jonathan Cape)Dogs Don’t Do Ballet by Anna Kemp, illustrated by Sara Ogilvie (Simon & Schuster)Dog Loves Books by Louise Yates (Jonathan Cape)The Nanny Goat's Kid by Jeanne Willis, illustrated by Tony Ross (Andersen Press)One Smart Fish by Chris Wormell (Jonathan Cape)The Scariest Monster in the World by Lee Weatherly, illustrated by Algy Craig Hall (Boxer Books)The Funniest Book for Children Aged Seven to Fourteen The Clumsies Make a Mess by Sorrel Anderson, illustrated by Nicola Slater (HarperCollins Children’s Books)Einstein's Underpants and How They Saved the World by Anthony McGowan (Yearling)The Incredible Luck of Alfie Pluck by Jamie Rix, illustrated by Craig Shuttlewood (Orion Children's Books)Mr Stink by David Walliams, illustrated by Quentin Blake (HarperCollins Children’s Books)The Ogre of Oglefort by Eva Ibbotson (Macmillan Children’s Books)Withering Tights by Louise Rennison (HarperCollins Children’s Books)

Workshop for Writers

Legend Press are delighted to announce a unique workshop event, including the opportunity to meet some of publishing's top commissioning editors, agents and marketers, and will include discussion of writing and editing, how to getrepresentation, submitting to publishers, the publishing process, how to market your book, and general tips for writers.
The event will be on Saturday 29th January 2011 at the Phoenix Artists Club, CharingCross Road, London from 12-4pm.
- Tom Chalmers, Managing Director, Legend Press and Paperbooks Publishing- Kate Lyall-Grant, former Commissioning Editor, Hodder & Stoughton and Simon &Schuster UK, freelance editor- Hannah Sheppard, Commissioning Editor, Teenage Fiction, Headline Publishing Group- Darin Jewell, Author and Managing Director of The Inspira Group, literary agency- Gareth Howard, Managing Director, Authoright, UK leading book-marketing company
Cost: £59.99 (plus VAT) – Early Bird Rate if you book before 4th December of £49.99(plus VAT). Places will be allocated on a first to book basis and so those wishing tobook their place just need to email conference@legend-paperbooks.co.uk
Lucy Boguslawski, Publicity Director of Legend Press, commented, “Legend Press hasan excellent reputation for being approachable, and with a fantastic panel we think this event is the perfect opportunity for new writers to gain a valuable insight into the publication process.”

Chance to win an original Jackie Morris drawing

On November 27th, from 5pm, Solva Woollen Mill, Middlemill, Pembrokeshire will be having a book launch for The Ice Bear (published by Janetta Ottter Barry Books at Frances Lincoln)
Jackie Morris will be there signing books. During the evening each book bought will have a raffle ticket with it and at the end of the evening a ticket will be pulled out of a box or a hat and the winner will get an original drawing by Jackie Morris (see the drawing on her website - http://drawingalineintime.blogspot.com/ The drawing is an original sketch in pencil of the Ice Bear Mother, on board. To make this fair for people who live a long long way from Pembrokeshire this will also apply to all books bought from the mill's online shop - http://www.solvawoollenmill.co.uk/estore/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=38.

Booktrust Teenage Prize 2010

The winner of the Booktrust Teenage Prize 2010 is Unhooking the Moon by Gregory Hughes.
This debut novel tells the story of two Canadian orphans on an eventful road trip to New York in search of their long-lost uncle. The Prize, which celebrates the best contemporary writing for young adults, is in its eighth year. Chair of Judges Tony Bradman comments:
‘The standard of entries for this year’s Teenage Book Prize was very high, and we judges felt spoilt for choice – our shortlist is a reflection of this quality. But all of us felt that Unhooking the Moon stood out from the beginning of our discussions. As a writer Gregory Hughes has a genuinely unique voice. Unhooking the Moon is original, poignant and funny and full of terrific characters and gripping storytelling, while also managing to explore the kind of themes teenagers will find engaging. It’s also a first novel, so Gregory’s achievement is all the more astonishing. I have no doubt that this debut marks the beginning of a great career.’