« Amazed at Angkor Wat | Main | One for a rainy afternoon! »

November 02, 2006

Albino Camel wins Glen Dimplex

I have just heard that 'Sophie and the Albino Camel' has won the Glen Dimplex New Writers Award in the Children's Book Category.

Klaus Flugge, founder and director of Andersen Press, kindly went to Dublin and accepted the award on my behalf. When the result was announced, they showed a little acceptance speech which I had pre-recorded. Quite exciting to win something like this with a first book.

Special thanks to:

• Glen Dimplex and the Irish Writers Centre
  
• My friends and neighbours in Burkina Faso
  
• Dave Shelton, for his uncannily apt illustrations
  
• Robin Watson, for proofreading so thoroughly
  
• Andersen Press, for rescuing Sophie from the slush-pile and taking a chance on her
  
• Mum, Dad, Debbie, Sven, Charlie
  

So much of what we hear about Africa is bad news: war, famine, pestilence, corruption and misery. It is easy to forget that there is also a great deal of humour, courage and faith to be found there, not to mention bottomless wells of wonderful stories and proverbs. My hope is that the Sophie books will make children laugh and inspire them about Africa.

Posted by sahelsteve at November 2, 2006 01:31 PM