matthewturner.info

Popping back on here with a brief recap of the year.

Life continues to get in the way of writing somewhat, but I was pleased to complete two new projects this year, of which I hope to share news in 2023.

Sadly, Covid again restricted my theatre visits but I was very glad to catch David Eldridge’s Middle at the National Theatre, a deeply poignant two-hander about the choices we face at the middle of life’s journey.

Of the new(ish) books I read this year, I relished Alejandro Zambra’s magnificent Chilean Poet (translated by Megan McDowell), full of invention and insight, and Pat Barker’s The Women of Troy, a bleak exposure of the wreckage of war.

And of the slightly older books I caught up on, I loved Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie’s extraordinary Half of a Yellow Sun. I’ve also been enjoying Elizabeth Strout’s touching and beautifully observed Amgash novels.

Finally, the Jericho Prize for new Black-British children’s authors is running again. The deadline for picture book submissions is 9 January 2023. I’m delighted still to be involved with this important competition providing comprehensive, lasting support for Black-British writers.

Wishing you all the best for 2023. Let’s make it a good one.

I’m thrilled to be working with the Jericho Prize, a new competition for unpublished Black-British children’s writers.

Supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England, the Jericho Prize is looking for writers with great stories to inspire children aged 4 years plus and 7–9.

Winners in each category receive a £500 cash prize, exclusive access to publishing industry professionals and much more. The prize is supported by leading children’s publishers Knights Of, Penguin Random House Children’s and Alanna Max, plus the Youth Libraries Group, Storymix and Candid Cocoa.

The project will also be making free resources for new writers available online during the course of the prize, with experienced writers giving advice on every stage of the writing process, from coming up with ideas to working with agents and publishers.

I’ll be helping with the marketing of the prize, as we try to spread the word and unearth all the fantastic writing talent out there. Give us a follow on Twitter or Instagram.

You can find out more at www.jerichoprize.com. The prize is free to enter for unpublished and self-published Black-British writers over the age of 18, with submissions open from 2 August 2021.