My Back Pages

So yesterday's Bristol odyssey went well. Very well. Better than I'd imagined it possibly could. From the initial pool of over two thousand worldwide entrants - many of whom are established, acclaimed novelists - I was awarded 3rd place in the BSSP. And here are my winning words in print, in the published Anthology.

I was in a bit of a daze through it all, not least because I seemed to be suddenly surrounded by a lot of posh people asking me questions about what inspires me ("um...beer?") and asking me to sign their copies of the Anthology. Seriously. At first I thought they were taking the piss; usually, the only people asking me to sign my name for them are the Job Centre. But I gradually started to realise that, apparently, something I've written has given a fair few people some enjoyment and happiness. And that's pretty much what I've always wanted to do with my life.

My fellow winners and runners-up were lovely folks too; it was great to have the chance to chat about hopes and dreams, mutual aspirations, and the fear of failure that you have to constantly fight off. They're a hugely talented bunch, and I expect to hear their names a lot in the future.

Lastly, though I want to avoid violating Blip's sensible ban on advertising, I feel there's no harm in me offering a quick literary recommendation: this book is really, really good, and well worth buying. By purchasing it, you're doing your bit to support emerging writers and the independent publishers who are vital in giving them a break. And of course, my words and stuff are in there, along with those of nineteen other immensely cool people.

Cheers, and goodbye to an eventful weekend.