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Sunday 8 July 2012

Cutlasses and Daggers


On July 3rd last week I headed down south on the train to London for a few days. In the evening I went to Crime in the Court at Goldsboro Books in Cecil Court, in celebration of Independent Booksellers Week. This was only the second year for this event, but it has all the feel of a long established tradition, with a lovely, friendly atmosphere.  It was a great privilege finally to meet and chat with the extraordinarily generous Mike Ripley. I was also pleased to meet Gordon Ferris, and run into Laura Wilson and Stephanie Merritt (S.J.Parris) again – both of whom I’d met before. All three were also on the shortlist for the CWA Ellis Peters Historical Fiction Dagger Award. There were so many people I talked to that it’s impossible to mention everyone here. I look forward to going again next year. Thanks to David Headley for holding the event – and for all his support for writers.

The last time I won a prize was when I was seventeen. I was wearing a sword at the time (playing Imogen in Cymbeline) so it was a shock to win an award now. The CWA Daggers Awards ceremony on Thursday July 5th was an elegant affair held in the library at one Birdcage Walk. A special evening, meeting new people, catching up with others, accompanied by my editor Kate and my agent Maggie.

For a full list of the winners – and the long lists for the CWA Gold Dagger, the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger and the CWA  John Creasey (New Blood ) Dagger , click on this link: http://www.thecwa.co.uk/

Thanks to everyone for all the congratulations I’ve received. I hope by now I’ve got back to everyone individually.

On a personal note, the thing that has given me most delight is my three year old grandson saying congratulations on Skype and offering to fence his wobbly pirate’s cutlass against my dagger.