We are very pleased to be able to announce that Sophie Forsyth has won FIRST prize in the Yeovil Literary Prize first novel section. Sophie’s novel, The Collector of Curiosities was chosen from over 500 entries to take the first prize. The judge, Paul Blezard, described it as ‘beautifully crafted, elegantly written and with a nuanced balance between history and fiction. The history is trustworthy and the fiction so compelling that the two are seamless and make this work a stand out winner.’
Congratulations to Sophie and to her mentor, Shelley Weiner. Of Shelley, Sophie writes: ‘The discipline of working with Shelley means no room for lazy thinking. She constantly challenges me to find more, whether in relation to a tricky bit of plot or a character’s motivation and her insights are genuinely illuminating. I certainly have a far more convincing story as a result.’
