Posts tagged luke bitmead

Calling all unpublished novelists: here’s your break!

Literary events The writing process 12 Comments

In February 2008, I was in despair. I’d given up a good job as a reporter at The Wall Street Journal in New York to pursue my dream of writing fiction, and all I had to show for it was a stack of rejection slips. Exactly a year later, I was standing outside a branch of Borders in Islington, looking at dozens of copies of my debut novel neatly stacked up in the window display. What happened? The Luke Bitmead Bursary happened. The bursary was set up in honour of… Read More

The Body is a Temple by Luke Bitmead

Reading

First of all, I should declare an interest. As regular readers will know, I won the Luke Bitmead Writer’s Bursary in 2008, an award set up in Luke’s memory, and winning that award launched my career as a writer. So you could say I was predisposed to like The Body is a Temple, the novel he wrote in the early 2000s but which is now being published for the first time. But I offer my review of the book anyway, and have tried to be as objective as I can…. Read More

Great opportunity for unpublished UK writers

Literary events 7 Comments

If you are an unpublished UK writer with a novel manuscript ready for submission, I’d strongly recommend that you check out the Luke Bitmead Bursary. Submissions for the 2012 contest are open from now until 3rd August. It’s for UK residents only. This is the contest I entered back in 2008 and, to my amazement, won. Everything that’s happened in my career since then has been a result of entering that contest, so please give yourself a chance and go for it. I was the first winner, and since then… Read More

Luke Bitmead’s birthday

Literary events

I had a message today from the mother of Luke Bitmead, the Legend Press novelist who died tragically young. 13th May is his birthday, and she would like to encourage people to visit his site in the days leading up to the 13th, in the hope of getting more than 13,000 visitors overall. Please check out the site, www.lukebitmead.com. If you can, please also consider supporting the Memorial Fund. It’s a good cause, as it works to create something positive out of the tragedy of Luke’s death, both by sponsoring… Read More

Congratulations Sophie Duffy!

Literary events

It was wonderful the other night to see the Luke Bitmead Bursary awarded for a third year, this time to Sophie Duffy for The Generation Game. The prize is £2,500 and a publishing contract with Legend Press. I didn’t get to talk to Sophie at the event, but I did speak to several of the runners-up and of course Luke’s mum Elaine and sister Tiffany. In case you haven’t heard of the Luke Bitmead Bursary, check out the website. If you’re an unpublished writer, definitely enter next year’s contest. It’s… Read More

Buy Bitmead Books

On the Holloway Road

As regular readers will know, my novel On the Holloway Road was published as a result of winning the Luke Bitmead Writers’ Bursary, an award set up by the family of Luke Bitmead, a writer who died tragically young. My publisher, Legend Press, is doing a special offer at the moment, comprising both of Luke’s books, plus mine and also this year’s winner The Woman Before Me by Ruth Dugdall, all for £25. If my sums are correct, that’s more than 20% off the retail price. The offer is only… Read More

Luke Bitmead Writer’s Bursary 2010

Literary events 2 Comments

My publisher, Legend Press, just announced that submissions are open for the 2010 Luke Bitmead Writer’s Bursary. This is the contest that gave me my break into publishing when I won it in 2008. The prize is £2,500 and a publishing contract. You enter the first three or four chapters of your novel and a personal statement – full details are here. If you are an unpublished novelist with a manuscript ready to submit, I’d really recommend entering. Winning changed my life completely, and it’s been fantastic to see On… Read More

Congratulations, Ruth Dugdall!

Literary events 2 Comments

Last year I won the Luke Bitmead Writer’s Bursary, an event that changed my life and led to the publication of On the Holloway Road. This year it is the turn of Ruth Dugdall with her novel The Woman Before Me. The award ceremony last night was a wonderful experience for me personally. It was great to remember where I was a year ago, how things have changed since then, and to be grateful for it all. I also enjoyed seeing the event from another side, without all the pressure… Read More

Luke Bitmead Award 2009

Literary events 7 Comments

I was happy to see a call for entries for the Luke Bitmead Writers’ Bursary 2009. Luke wrote an excellent book, White Summer, in 2006, but died only a few months after it was published. His second book, Heading South, co-written with Catherine Richards, was published posthumously. His family then set up a foundation to help other young writers, and award a prize every year to an aspiring novelist. This is the prize that I won last year, leading to the publication of On the Holloway Road. You enter the… Read More