Patrick Ness: Virtual Writer in Residence

Booktrust have a new online writer in residence scheme, which will run for two years, with a different author every six months. The first writer in residence is children's author and award winning author, Patrick Ness. Click on the following link: www.booktrust.org/Writer-in-residence-blog to find out more about Patrick, and about his writing. Read Patrick's latest post on the release day his latest book, The Ask and the Answer, sequel to The Knife of Never Letting Go. And don't miss his tips on writing series, which is down-to-earth, sound advice for all would-be published authors. Patrick's enthusiasm for reading, writing and living is contagious and I for one, will be a frequent visitor to the blog. Well done to Booktrust and Patrick for a great parnership. I can't wait to find out who the other writers in residence are going to be, but will be sad to see Patrick leave.

Patrick Ness wins Booktrust Teenage Prize

Patrick Ness rounded off a successful 2008 by winning the Booktrust Teenage Prize for his novel, The Knife of Never Letting Go.

The announcement was made at a prizegiving ceremony in London, where Patrick was presented with a trophy and a cheque for £2,500.

The Knife of Never Letting Go is Patrick's first novel for teenagers and has been widely acclaimed, winning him the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, a longlisting for the Carnegie Medal and a placing as one of Amazon's top 100 books for 2008.

Speaking at the ceremony, Chair of Judges, Amanda Craig said, "In a strong year for Young Adult fiction, the judges of the Booktrust Teenage Prize selected six novels that we all felt were outstanding for the scope of their imagination, their originality, their writing and their appeal.

The Knife of Never Letting Go made the judges laugh, cry and debate its contents with passion; a striking mixture of thriller, science fiction and literary tour de force, it's influenced by writers as diverse as Laurence Sterne and Ursula le Guin and should appeal to a large readership."


The Booktrsust Teenage Prize judges included five children who won their places on the judging panel by submitting the best entries to a Booktrust competition. (Writers' News Feb 2009)