Crack open the bubbly for Kathryn & winners Teri Terry and Dave Cousins

Three cheers for Kathryn! Hip Hip...
 It’s been an exciting week for SCBWI writers but first, I’d like you to join me in saying a massive thank you and hip hip hooray to Kathryn Evans, our lovely Celebrations Editor here at Words & Pictures. She’s been unflagging in cheering on the brilliant SCBWI successes since Words & Pictures started in March. Kathryn says: “I'm really sorry to be stepping down as I've had so much fun sharing everyone's news but I'm taking on a new SCBWI role and there just won't be time to do this one justice as well. So drum roll please.....here's Tania Tay!!!!!” 

Yes, that's me... I’m taking over the Celebrations column for a bit so please send me all your successes and let’s carry on toasting everybody’s amazing news!



Teri Terry's a winner in Leeds

For my first piece of fabulous news, you may remember a few weeks ago we told you that Teri Terry was nominated for the Leeds Book Awards among a host of awards listed here. Well, I’m delighted to announce that last week her brilliant book, Slated was the winner for the 14-16 category. Teri says: “I was very excited when Slated won the Leeds Book Award in the 14 - 16 category in Leeds on 23rd of May!” And we were all extremely excited too… 
 Photo: Nicky Busby@Yorkshire Images
In Teri's own words... pretty awesome! The Leeds Book Awards winners are voted for by young readers through schools and libraries in Leeds – and as we all know, it’s ultimately the readers who count. Teri tells us that the Leeds Book Awards ceremony was held at the Leeds Civic Hall. The event was MC'd by writer Dave Cryer and there were 10 short listed authors present, five from the 11 - 14 and five from the 14 - 16 categories. Each author spoke for a few minutes about themselves or their books, then answered questions from a packed audience of readers from schools across Leeds. Finally, a golden envelope was opened by a volunteer student to announce each winner. The winner for the 14-16 category was Teri for Slated, and the 11-14 category was won by Mark Lowery, for Socks are not Enough. 

Megan Larkin, Teri’s editor said: "Slated is a remarkable debut; it completely gets under your skin, and lingers in your mind long after you've finished reading it. It's haunting, tense and thought-provoking. We're thrilled to be launching such an exciting new author on the Orchard Books teen list." And at Words & Pictures we’re thrilled to bits that it’s got under the skin of all the teenage readers in Leeds who voted for Teri to win… 

Teri’s busy promoting Fractured the sequel to Slated, and doing final edits for the third in the trilogy... the title of which was just revealed on Teri's website as... drum roll!!.... Shattered.




Congratulazioni Dave Cousins!

Photo by Jennie Younger

The amazing Dave Cousins is back... This time, the Italian edition of 15 Days Without a Head…. Quindici Giorni Senza Testa – published by San Paolo in Jan 2013 - won the Andersen Prize for Best Book for readers over 15 years. The Andersen Award is the most prestigious Italian award given to children's books, their authors, illustrators and publishers. Each year they select the best works, with particular attention to the most innovative and original. Fresh off the plane, Dave tells us: “I had a great couple of days in Italy. The people from Andersen and San Paolo were wonderful hosts, and the audience at the award were very gracious in their applause after my attempt to give an acceptance speech in Italian!” 


The Italian edition!
Just in case you missed it, Jan our Editor chatted to Dave last week  about winning Undiscovered Voices and his journey to the 2013 SCBWI Crystal Kite Award for the UK and Europe, which many of us will have voted for. But his remarkable book keeps scooping up the nominations and awards. 15 Days Without a Head has been long-listed for both the Carnegie and Branford Boase this year. It was also shortlisted for the North East Teenage Book Award, The James Reckitt Hull Children's Book Award, The Grampian Children's Book Award and the Lancashire Book of the Year Award. Dave tells us: “It is also on a number of other shortlists, but the winner hasn't been announced for those yet, so I'm still keeping my fingers crossed!” 


Woooohooooo!!!!! Applause please!!!!

I hope you’ll join me in giving Teri Terry and Dave Cousins a ton of applause and hip hip hoorays for their inspiring wins. Ciao from me until next week! 



Tania Tay is an ex-advertising copywriter and has been published in Sable LitMag. She is writing MG and YA fiction, and is on the editorial team at Words & Pictures.

10 comments:

  1. Yay for this weeks Celebrations! And thank you Tania!

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  2. MASSIVE thanks to the lovely Kathryn! Welcome to Tania! ANd of course huzzah for Teri and Dave!

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  3. Congratulations Teri and Dave - it is great to see you both doing so well. Good luck with the column Tania. Kathryn, I look forward to seeing what you do next.

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  4. Such excitement! Well done everyone, great job Tania and thanks Kathryn for all your hard work!

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  5. Thank you Kathy for establishing W&P's Saturday 'Celebrations' you've given them exactly the right Tone and Tania, thank you for picking up and continuing Kathy's good work.

    Ooh Dave and Teri -Well done!

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  6. Thanks everyone, Kathy has been so ace at celebrating, and it is truly lovely to be able to share people's good news! Congrats again to Teri and Dave for being so inspiring!

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  7. Well done Teri and Dave- fantastic news and what's this about Dave giving a speech in Italian- stop it now Dave, you're making me feel very inadequate.

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  8. A Very Big Thank you Kathy for all you've done and an equally huge thank you to Tania for taking over. Plus many congratulations to Dave and Teri - onward and upward scoobies!

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  9. Aww shucks - it actual was a great pleasure!

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  10. Thanks Tania and Kathy – and to everyone for their kind words. Also huge congrats to Teri – Slated is a cracking good read and is sure to scoop up a whole cabinet full of awards!

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