** Today the shortlist for the Women's Prize for Fiction 2013 was announced. The books are:1. Kate Atkinson: Life After Life.2. A.M. Homes: May We Be Forgiven.3. Barbara Kingsolver: Flight Behaviour.4. Hilary Mantel: Bring Up the Bodies.5. Maria Semple: Where'd You Go Bernadette?6. Zadie Smith: NW.
** This only came to my attention today and I would have posted it or commented on it sooner had I picked it up. It is concerning the dis-invitation of M. Lynx Qualey author of the blog "Arab Literature (in English)" of which I am a huge fan. Her article in the Kenyon Review blog explains everything so click HERE to find out!
** My tickets are booked for the London Literature Festival 2013 taking place in May at the Southbank Center. I am looking forward to the opening ceremony which will host a panel of ten of the best writers in the world who are all nominated for this year's Man Booker International Prize 2013. The authors will be offering up a delectable sample of their works. Can't Wait!Also looking forward to attending the session entitled Women's Prize for Fiction Shortlist Readings (see above). The shortlist which was only announced today is a very tight and promising one and to be honest I think it is one of the strongest years as I have personally enjoyed all the books. But maybe Hilary Mantel will be at it again? who knows?
** Interviewed by Dwyer Murphy for Guernica online Magazine, Eduardo Halfon said, "I just wanted to read. And a consequence of so much reading is writing. Writing is secondary. Writing is an afterthought of reading". To read the really interesting full interview, click HERE
