LIAN TANNER

Hooray for Clara, winner of the Davitt Award!

September 5th, 2021

At an online ceremony last weekend, A Clue for Clara was declared the winner of the Sisters in Crime Davitt Award for Best Children’s Crime Novel. Hooray!

You can watch the award ceremony here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYts1SiN6yo&t=2052s

It was pretty exciting, even though I had known about it for a week and a half. The thing was, I wasn’t allowed to tell anyone except my agent and my publisher. No one else, not even my best friends. And that was really hard, when I was almost bursting with the delight of it.

I did end up telling one person, because Sisters in Crime needed a photo of me with my new trophy, for publicity purposes. I tried propping up my phone and doing it myself, but that was hopeless. So I dressed up and trotted around to my friend Nola’s house, and swore her to secrecy. She took a few shots until we had one that was okay.

But of course now I can tell everyone, which is really fun. Friends and I are going out for lunch tomorrow to celebrate the fact that we are all double vaxed – with an extra bit of celebrating on top for Clara’s win.

What am I reading?

I still haven’t read all of the books shortlisted for the children’s section of the Davitts, but my favourite so far is The Mummy Smugglers of Crumblin Castle, by Pamela Rushby. Here’s the very first line:

‘It is usually a distressing experience to be informed that a close relative has been eaten by a crocodile.’

What a brilliant way of starting a book – and the rest of it is wonderful, too. It’s adventurous, mysterious and intriguing, with sinister villains and unexpected ghosts. Plus it has cats who are not at all what they seem. Highly recommended!

One last thought

This week has reminded me that winning anything is the best feeling. It might be a competition like the Davitts, but it might also be a struggle against mental or physical illness, or between two different parts of yourself. It might be a fight against bullies, or against unkindness, loneliness or anxiety.

May you win something this week, big or small.

4 thoughts on “Hooray for Clara, winner of the Davitt Award!

  1. Peter Sharpe says:

    Delighted to know that Lian won she is an incredible woman with the most wonderful imagination, most probably due to her regular health treatments, and I am sure there is more to come in future.

    1. Lian Tanner says:

      I’m speechless. Who is this stranger (!) who knows about my regular health treatments???? Peter, you’re an idiot.

  2. Colleen Anne Davidson says:

    Congratulations Lian, wonderful news and not surprised! I haven’t read all your books, but I think I will need to get myself a copy of Clara now :). Well done and well deserved!!

    1. Lian Tanner says:

      Thanks so much, Colleen, it’s the nicest thing and I’m hugely pleased about it. And yes, you definitely have to get yourself a copy of Clara!

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