Paul
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December 1
Leeds Book Award
Trumpet Fanfare! Sektion 20 has been shortlisted for its second book prize: the 2012 Leeds Book Award. V. pleased to see my latest book is getting noticed, and I’m really looking forward to a trip to
November 28
Warwick University
Lovely evening with finalists at the Warwick University Young Researchers Programme – designed to get school kids interested in writing, researching, and ultimately, going to University. Congratulations to Maisie Brown who won with her story ‘The White Slaves of England’. Maisie is a natural, but what struck me most was that she obviously read a lot. If you want to be a writer, there’s no better preparation than reading as much as poss. Well done, Maisie, and all the other shortlisted writers.
Thank you to Trevor Robinson, Kate Glavina and the staff at
November 16
Northern Ireland Book Award
Delighted to hear that ‘Sektion 20’ has been shortlisted for the 2012 Northern Ireland Book Award. I had a really exciting three days over in Northern Ireland in 2011, in the wake of the previous shortlisting of my book ‘Auslander’, so maybe I’ll get to go back there again.
November 9
Publishing House Me
Lovely day at the Publishing House Me awards where I was asked to present the magnificently named ‘Paul Dowswell Long Story Award’(!) The winner, 15 year old Leena Pala, wrote an astonishingly mature piece called ‘The White Feather’. Well done Leena, you have a rare talent.
Also present to show their support for this splendid organisation: Carnegie winner (among many other book prizes) Kevin Crossley-Holland, ‘New Tricks’ co-creator and screen-writer Roy Mitchell, and the omni-talented Sally Crabtree.
Many thanks to Ray Speakman, Bob Woodall and Sukie Duhra at PHM for asking me to take part.
Publishing House Me provides a platform for young writers, allowing them to put their work on line and get feedback from other visitors to the website. It’s a brilliant idea, but also threatened by cuts in education funding. Find out more about them at
October
Reviews for Sektion 20
‘Fascinating look at life in Cold War East Germany… We loved this one - it combines awesome, accurate research with genuine tension and sympathetic, well-rounded characters.’
Bookbag
‘Sektion 20 is one of those rare books which can be used as an effective and enjoyable teaching resource.’
Viewpoint, University of Melbourne Graduate School of Education.
‘Dowswell is increasingly well known for his detailed, thoughtful accounts of actual historic events and his enviable talent for presenting history in a fresh and accessible manner for his teenage audience.
The Truth About Books
September 10
US Reviews
Nice crop of ‘Auslander’ reviews from US publications:
‘The Auslander is a powerful piece of young adult fiction that appeals just as comfortably to adult readers. Mr. Dowswell provides a wonderful character study of an average Polish boy searching for the resolve to fight Nazi propaganda and help victims of persecution. The Auslander will be remembered long after its covers are closed.’
New York Journal of Books
‘The characters are rich and nuanced, flawed people caught up in a terrible time; the action is swift and suspenseful; and the juxtaposition of wartime nobility and wartime cruelty is timeless.’—The Horn Book Magazine
‘Dowswell takes readers on a thrilling, well-researched adventure through assimilation, resistance, and escape in Nazi Germany… This novel is a superb addition to all collections, combining action-packed adventure with blood-chilling history.’ School Library Journal
September 5
School visits
Publishing House Me
Lovely day at the Publishing House Me awards where I was asked to present the magnificently named ‘Paul Dowswell Long Story Award’(!) The winner, 15 year old Leena Pala, wrote an astonishingly mature piece called ‘The White Feather’. Well done Leena, you have a rare talent.
Also present to show their support for this splendid organisation: Carnegie winner (among many other book prizes) Kevin Crossley-Holland, ‘New Tricks’ co-creator and screen-writer Roy Mitchell, and the omni-talented Sally Crabtree.
Many thanks to Ray Speakman, Bob Woodall and Sukie Duhra at PHM for asking me to take part.
Publishing House Me provides a platform for young writers, allowing them to put their work on line and get feedback from other visitors to the website. It’s a brilliant idea, but also threatened by cuts in education funding. Find out more about them at
October
Reviews for Sektion 20
‘Fascinating look at life in Cold War East Germany… We loved this one - it combines awesome, accurate research with genuine tension and sympathetic, well-rounded characters.’
Bookbag
‘Sektion 20 is one of those rare books which can be used as an effective and enjoyable teaching resource.’
Viewpoint, University of Melbourne Graduate School of Education.
‘Dowswell is increasingly well known for his detailed, thoughtful accounts of actual historic events and his enviable talent for presenting history in a fresh and accessible manner for his teenage audience.
The Truth About Books
September 10
US Reviews
Nice crop of ‘Auslander’ reviews from US publications:
‘The Auslander is a powerful piece of young adult fiction that appeals just as comfortably to adult readers. Mr. Dowswell provides a wonderful character study of an average Polish boy searching for the resolve to fight Nazi propaganda and help victims of persecution. The Auslander will be remembered long after its covers are closed.’
New York Journal of Books
‘The characters are rich and nuanced, flawed people caught up in a terrible time; the action is swift and suspenseful; and the juxtaposition of wartime nobility and wartime cruelty is timeless.’—The Horn Book Magazine
‘Dowswell takes readers on a thrilling, well-researched adventure through assimilation, resistance, and escape in Nazi Germany… This novel is a superb addition to all collections, combining action-packed adventure with blood-chilling history.’ School Library Journal
September 5
School visits
August 9
August 9
Gearing up for the publication of Auslander in the United States this week with a two week blog tour, courtesy ‘Teen Book Scene’. See
http://theteenbookscene.weebly.com/auslander-tour-details.html
for details.
Bloomsbury’s NY office tells me that the book has been nominated for a ‘Best Fiction for Young Adults’ award by the American Library Association.
Have just come back from a week in France where I fulfilled a lifelong ambition – visiting some of the battlefields and war graves of the First World War. Heartbreaking – especially the many unidentified gravestones that have ‘Known Unto God’ written on them.
(Apologies for this squiffy typesetting. I’ve no idea why my website formatting is all over the place tonight.)
Sektion 20 - First review
Pleased to garner an early review of ‘Sektion 20’, due out this September, from The Bookseller. ‘A great thriller with a poignant historical background… terrific.’
Also delighted to hear that Sektion 20, about teenagers in early ’70s East Berlin, has also been bought by my favourite Italian publisher, Feltrinelli.
June 28/29
‘Auslander’ wins Calderdale Book of the Year…
...against stiff competition from David Gatward, Benjamin Myers, Linda Newbury and Tom Palmer. Thank you to Lynne Ashton, Elaine Duffy and the staff of Halifax Central Library for organising such a lovely day!
June 23, 2011
Auslander wins Portsmouth Book Award
Alas, a previously arranged school booking meant I couldn’t go to the ceremony today – so apologies, and thank you, to Peter Bone of the Portsmouth School Library Service.
June 7, 2011
‘Cabinet of Curiosities’ shortlisted
‘CoC’, as its known around here, has been shortlisted for the Historical Association ‘Young Quills’ Book Award.
June 5-20, 2011
Winter in Perth
Over to Perth, for a fortnight baking in the middle of a Western Australian winter. Spent a lovely week teaching creative writing at Christ Church Grammar School, Claremont, and came home feeling Australians were Princes/Princesses among men/women. Thank you to Margaret Chapple who organised my trip over, and the library staff and English department at CCGS, for their support and encouragement.
Also spent a great day talking about ‘Auslander’ and the Powder Monkeys in Joondalup – courtesy of Rebecca Marchenkov and the local library service.
PS Dubai airport – where I changed flights – is my idea of hell on Earth. A trillion milling people, even at three in the morning, a handful of hugely overcrowded and pretty unedifying lavatories, and wall to wall Swarovski, Rolex and Armani vendors.
May 28-June 2, 2011
‘Auslander’ wins Hamelin Associazione Culturale Book Prize
Four blazing sunshine days in Rome with Italian publishers Feltrinelli. Many thanks to Francesca Dal Negro and Manuela Pisati for bringing me over. Auslander was shortlisted for the Rome Book Festival Prize. It didn’t win but I went to Bologna the next day where it won the Hamelin Associazione Culturale Book Prize. Spent a fascinating day in a large cinema with a thousand school kids and graphic novel illustrators Alessandro Poli, Andrea Venturi and Michele Benevento, who all gave me a sketch as a souvenir. Thank you, amici! Barbara Servidori translated, and looked after me, brilliantly.
May 24, 2011
‘Auslander’ wins Essex Book Award
Down to Chelmsford for the Essex Book Award and fabulous hospitality from Nickie Carpenter and her colleagues at Essex School Library Service. I do think book awards are a brilliant way to get kids reading, and, of course, its always nice to win one.
May 16-18, 2011
Angus Book Award
A most enjoyable three days with Robert Williams, Keren David and Nicola Morgan up in Angus. Lovely company and beautiful scenery… School visits to Montrose Academy and Carnoustie High, and congrats to Keren who won with ‘When I was Joe’. Thank you to Moyra Hood, Ruth Ohldag and Kevin Reid for a wonderfully well-organised and hospitable book award.
Sektion 20 - First review
Pleased to garner an early review of ‘Sektion 20’, due out this September, from The Bookseller. ‘A great thriller with a poignant historical background… terrific.’
Also delighted to hear that Sektion 20, about teenagers in early ’70s East Berlin, has also been bought by my favourite Italian publisher, Feltrinelli.
June 28/29
‘Auslander’ wins Calderdale Book of the Year…
...against stiff competition from David Gatward, Benjamin Myers, Linda Newbury and Tom Palmer. Thank you to Lynne Ashton, Elaine Duffy and the staff of Halifax Central Library for organising such a lovely day!
June 23, 2011
Auslander wins Portsmouth Book Award
Alas, a previously arranged school booking meant I couldn’t go to the ceremony today – so apologies, and thank you, to Peter Bone of the Portsmouth School Library Service.
June 7, 2011
‘Cabinet of Curiosities’ shortlisted
‘CoC’, as its known around here, has been shortlisted for the Historical Association ‘Young Quills’ Book Award.
June 5-20, 2011
Winter in Perth
Over to Perth, for a fortnight baking in the middle of a Western Australian winter. Spent a lovely week teaching creative writing at Christ Church Grammar School, Claremont, and came home feeling Australians were Princes/Princesses among men/women. Thank you to Margaret Chapple who organised my trip over, and the library staff and English department at CCGS, for their support and encouragement.
Also spent a great day talking about ‘Auslander’ and the Powder Monkeys in Joondalup – courtesy of Rebecca Marchenkov and the local library service.
PS Dubai airport – where I changed flights – is my idea of hell on Earth. A trillion milling people, even at three in the morning, a handful of hugely overcrowded and pretty unedifying lavatories, and wall to wall Swarovski, Rolex and Armani vendors.
May 28-June 2, 2011
‘Auslander’ wins Hamelin Associazione Culturale Book Prize
Four blazing sunshine days in Rome with Italian publishers Feltrinelli. Many thanks to Francesca Dal Negro and Manuela Pisati for bringing me over. Auslander was shortlisted for the Rome Book Festival Prize. It didn’t win but I went to Bologna the next day where it won the Hamelin Associazione Culturale Book Prize. Spent a fascinating day in a large cinema with a thousand school kids and graphic novel illustrators Alessandro Poli, Andrea Venturi and Michele Benevento, who all gave me a sketch as a souvenir. Thank you, amici! Barbara Servidori translated, and looked after me, brilliantly.
May 24, 2011
‘Auslander’ wins Essex Book Award
Down to Chelmsford for the Essex Book Award and fabulous hospitality from Nickie Carpenter and her colleagues at Essex School Library Service. I do think book awards are a brilliant way to get kids reading, and, of course, its always nice to win one.
A most enjoyable three days with Robert Williams, Keren David and Nicola Morgan up in Angus. Lovely company and beautiful scenery… School visits to Montrose Academy and Carnoustie High, and congrats to Keren who won with ‘When I was Joe’. Thank you to Moyra Hood, Ruth Ohldag and Kevin Reid for a wonderfully well-organised and hospitable book award.
April 28, 2011
Books for Germany
Delighted to hear that Baumhaus Verlag have bought the rights to ’Auslander’ and my new book about East Germany, ’Sektion 20’, due to be published in the UK in September, 2011.
March 2011
Please contact me on
paul@pauldowswell.co.uk
if you would like me to visit your school.