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Bath Spa Graduate Wins Literary Prize for Debut Novel
Author Lucy Christopher, who is a creative writing graduate from Bath Spa University, has won a children's book prize with her first novel, Stolen.
Her book was the judges' choice from a shortlist of seven for the Branford Boase Award 2010, set up to encourage new writers and given annually to the author of an outstanding debut novel for children.
Lucy Christopher graduated from Bath Spa University with a Master's degree in Creative Writing in 2004. She is currently undertaking a PhD at the University and wrote Stolen as part of those studies.
Stolen, published by the Frome-based Chicken House, is set in Australia, where Lucy grew up herself. It is told in a letter by 16-year-old Gemma to her captor after she has been kidnapped while on holiday with her parents. The kidnapper, Ty, takes her to a remote and barren wilderness in the Australian outback. Here, with no escape possible, Gemma must deal with her predicament or die.
For her PhD at Bath Spa University Lucy is exploring how Australian literature represents wild places, particularly in its writing for young adults. She is also a part-time lecturer in Creative Writing at Bath Spa and a member of the University's Writing for Young People research group.
Lucy Christopher said: "Winning the Branford Boase Award validates my work and the University's huge imput into it. Stolen would never have been written without the structure of the Creative Writing PhD program behind it, and without the wonderful support and encouragement from my two PhD supervisors, Julia Green and Tracy Brain."
Julia Green, Programme Leader for the MA Writing for Young People at the University, said: "Lucy is an extremely talented writer with a strong individual voice. I am delighted she has won the Branford Boase Award with her exceptional first novel."
Press Release Issued 19 July 2010 by School of Humanities and Cultural Industries.
