I am thrilled that my story ‘Fewer Things’ has been longlisted for the Sunday Times EFG short story award.
Booktrust called on Thursday afternoon to tell me in advance of the list being published on Sunday. I was sworn to secrecy (and kept it, despite my urge to leap onto Twitter and Facebook). Had it been a regular week, I would have been at my desk at work when my mobile rang, where my stupid grin and inability to speak properly would almost certainly have alerted my editorial colleagues that I’d just had some pretty super news. But I’ve been on leave all week, and I just happened to be working on my novel in the attic. I had the house to myself. Naomi and the kids were out with friends, and therefore not around to see me in those first delighted moments.
Downstairs, while the kettle boiled (I always celebrate with tea), I put on my headphones, played Mint Royale’s Singing in the rain waaaay loud and staged the best breakdancing performance my living room has ever seen.
I couldn’t wait until today, when I’d be able to see who else was on the longlist. The alarm on my iPhone went off at 5.57am as usual (the weird spaceship landing sound works best for me), and I googled the competition right away. Reading the list was an exciting and daunting experience – it’s exciting to be in the same company as so many awesome writers, and daunting because in the face of this competition, a place for me on the shortlist seems fanciful. But I can hope. I will hope. I’m really proud of ‘Fewer things’. It’s quite possibly the saddest story I’ve ever written, and is partly inspired by a genuine environmental disaster that’s happening to seabirds around the UK.
The shortlist is announced on 7 March. Until then I’ll just enjoy the great privilege of the longlist, and try not to let it swell my head so big I can’t get through the attic door – it’s awfully narrow.
Congratulations to all my fellow longlistees, gulp!
• Richard Beard – James Joyce, EFL Teacher
• Nicholas Best – Souvenir
• Sylvia Brownrigg – Jocasta
• John Burnside – Slut’s Hair
• Will Cohu – Nothing But Grass
• Joe Dunthorne – Critical Responses To My Last Relationship
• Petina Gappah – An Elegy for Easterly
• Jackie Kay – Reality, Reality
• A.L. Kennedy – Saturday Teatime
• Adam Marek – Fewer Things
• Charles Mosley – Constraint
• Chris Paling – The Red Car
• Ron Rash – Burning Bright
• Simon Robson – Will There Be Lions?
• Kay Sexton – Anubis and the Volcano
• Helen Simpson – Diary of an Interesting Year
• C.K. Stead – Last Season’s Man
• Rose Tremain – The Jester of Astapovo
• Gerard Woodward – Legoland
• David Vann – It’s Not Yours
Now I REALLY want to read your story! I heard about my longlisting on the bus on the way back from lunch with the CE of our local literary consultancy – if I’d got the call ten minutes earlier there’s no way I could have not told her, my face alone would have given me away.
Isn’t it a great feeling though? Let us make the most of it, because it’s a damn rare sensation …
Whee! lovely to hear about the whole thrilling thing!!! Am picturing you breakdancing… is that wise?!