Young Quill Award Evening

HERE can be found an extra-special review of Song Hunter.

It's extra-special, first because it's both thoughtful and intelligent, and, second, because it was written by Jacob, who is young enough to one of the people for whom Song Hunter was written.

HERE, written by one of the organisers of the Young Quills Award, is another very kind review. It talks of 'deeply complex subject-matter', and, you know something? When I was writing Song Hunter I spent a long time thinking about the beginnings of creativity, and I'm deeply grateful to know that someone has noticed.

I received my Young Quills Award on Wednesday evening. Song Hunter won the youngest category, my friend Catherine Johnson was there to receive the senior one, and the only disappointment was that trouble with trains meant that Geraldine McCaughrean couldn't be there to receive her prize for the middle age group.

The Young Quills Award is run by the Historical Association, which is concerned with history education at all levels. As well as the Young Quill Awards there was a dissertation prize, and various awards of fellowships, and lastly Prof Sir Richard Evans, Regius Professor of History at Cambridge University, was awarded the Medlicott Medal and gave an illustrated talk on the origins of WW1.

I felt extremely proud indeed to be part of it all.

Young Quills Award.

I am very pleased and dead proud to announce that Song Hunter has won a Young Quills Award.

(Please insert some vaguely chimp-like hoots of triumph here, and reflect upon how narrow the gap between humans and chimps is, and has always been.)

I had a marvellously stimulating and interesting time researching Song Hunter, and I'm delighted that the Historical Association have given the book its stamp of approval.

I'm going to collect my prize on Wednesday.

Account to follow!