A Reluctant Spy wins the McDermid Debut Award
An incredible night in Harrogate.
Well.
I now know what it feels like to have a full-body adrenaline spike and then try to deliver a speech. It felt like tempting fate to write a speech at all, but I'm very, very glad I did, because it was about the only thing that got me through the two or three minutes after Val McDermid said my name on stage.
I arrived yesterday in Harrogate and had a wonderful time properly meeting the other shortlisters for the McDermid Debut Award - we had some press and signings and things to do before the main event, so we had a great chance to get to know one another. It's an incredible honour to have been shortlisted with such amazing writers.
When you start writing, you of course dream about things like this happening. But awards and reviews and a whole lot of the publishing is out of your control, so you pretty quickly learn to temper your expectations and mentally prepare yourself for things not to happen.
Which is why, sometimes, when something like this does actually happen, you find yourself feeling a little bit thunderstruck. I've never experienced anything quite like it. Making my way to the stage and shaking hands with authors I've admired for years is probably one of the most incredible moments I've ever had. And I am still, frankly, a bit giddy.
Now, I have three days at an incredible literary festival to try and get used to the idea that this thing has happened. If you're at Harrogate and you're a blog reader, please do say hello, but forgive me if I look like I'm having an out-of-body experience - it's because I am.
Update: here's the official press release about the award, including this amazing quote from Val McDermid:
“If you think you’ve read every twist in every area of the genre, think again. Our winner has found a new take and delivers it with pace and propulsive storytelling. David Goodman’s ‘A Reluctant Spy’ is a sparkling new entry in the canon, with a vivid and unfamiliar setting as well as a gripping cast of characters. Don’t start it last thing at night or you might miss breakfast!”
And here's a lovely interview in the Express with Matt Nixson:
Matt Nixson, Jon Coates