Bantam • Crime & mystery

Ariana Franklin’s award-winning experience at the CWA!

Ariana Franklin’s book Mistress of the Art of Death deservedly won the 2007 Crime Writer’s Association Ellis Peter’s Historical Novel Award. Read here her thoughts and feelings on being an award-winner!

Ariana Franklin:  

Having been married for a long time to a certain Barry Norman who appeared on BBC TV for twenty-six years as its award-winning film critic, I’m used to being trampled in the rush to get his autograph. It suits me; I’m nervous of the limelight, I like staying in our quiet Hertfordshire village and writing.

So it was odd to find my first medieval thriller “Mistress of the Art of Death” nominated for the Ellis Peters Historical Award. Those who know and love me well, like Francesca Liversidge, my editor at Transworld, and Mike Ripley, a fellow thriller novelist, said: “Strong competition. You haven’t a chance, just go to the ceremony and enjoy it.”

It was kind of them. I mean that. If I’d known they secretly expected “Mistress” to win which, apparently, they did, I’d have been in a bad way. As it was, Barry and I toddled up to London prepared to have a nice evening among the pleasant company of publishers, writers and PR people.

So there we were happily swigging back the champagne, pausing only to listen politely to the speeches, when the announcement came: “And the winner is….Ariana Franklin.”

Francesca, Mike and Transworld friends were jumping up and down. Barry shouted, hugged me, restored my dropped chin to its place and pointed me in the direction of the rostrum to receive the three thousand pound prize

Trouble was, I’d been so confident of not winning; I hadn’t even prepared an acceptance speech. I think I just thanked everybody in sight, said how grateful I was to Transworld and the Ellis Peters committee – which I am — and staggered off. Francesca took us all for a celebratory dinner before my husband and I caught the train home, singing

An award is quite a business… The fact that you’ve won one gets the fact plastered on the jacket of your next book. Other people’s books are sent to you so that, if you like them, your praise gets plastered over their jackets. You’re invited to literary festivals, crime-fests, reading groups, asked to write for blogs like this one. Busy, busy, busy – and still with another book of your own to get down to.

Truly, truly, I’m not complaining. I am a fortunate and grateful woman.

It’s just very odd.

Ariana-Franklin

 (c) Mary Jane Russell