From a place in the sun to the evening calm by Dennis Hamley
Part 3 of a typical writer's history. I suppose the occasion which defined my writing career was the day of the Smarties Award ceremony in 1991. I was amazed to have a telephone call to say that The War and Freddy was shortlisted. It was such a little book. I liked it in a mild sort of way but as soon as I heard the news it grew in stature until it became a wartime epic, though only in my mind. The War and Freddy, in its latest guise reissued by Catnip in 2007 So the day came and I presented myself in a rather exotic, plant-lined room at the top of the Barbican Centre. An exciting atmosphere, full of other authors. Jacqueline Wilson was there with the very first Tracy Beaker story. No, that didn't win either. Neither did Robert Westall. Actually, I forget who did win our section. Susan Hill was the judge. Her tone of voice as she started talking about Fr...