I’m really, really pleased that Siobhan Dowd has won the Carnegie medal for her third novel, Bog Child. As I said a couple of months ago, the shortlist was a particularly good one, but I do have a special place in my heart for Siobhan. And I hope all the other shortlisted writers can go on and win the Carnegie another year.
I didn’t know this, but it seems they haven’t had a posthumous Carnegie before. There’s been a lot of celebrating by Siobhan’s friends over on Facebook, which just goes to show how much everyone cares. And David Fickling has even turned to blogging, which must prove something.
If you haven’t read Bog Child; why not? Go and do so now. Might as well give a copy to someone you like, too. Or two.
And I’m one of the friends celebrating. Just wanted to thank you for all the support you’ve given to Siobhan’s work in the past few years – it’s been a pleasure for me, on the other side of the Atlantic, to to read the words of another person who cares about what she accomplished!
Helen, I’m honoured that you’re here. I’m just a fan, but you are a little bit more.
And I have this irrational idea that maybe at the next event, Siobhan will turn up.
The week Siobhan and I spent working on the final edits to “Bog Child,” in July 2007, was one of the best times we had together in @ 20 years of friendship. This was in spite of her illness – it was just so much fun to get into the text and keep trying till we got it right.
When I was working on “Solace” last summer, in collaboration with other friends and editors of Siobhan’s, I kept thinking, why don’t I just phone her and ask about that paragraph? Or that phrase, or that plot point. Then would realize – I can’t. I’m so proud of her and so completely delighted to have had her as a friend. But I do miss her fiercely.
Missed her like mad at the Carnegie. And although I was a friend-come-lately to Siobhan, I too suffer from the “must phone her up and talk about the shortlist” syndrome.
A wonderful choice from a tough list. Hope she’s watching from somewhere.
She is. Trust me.
I’m off to the library to see if they have a copy. Cant wait to read it.