The Importance of Finding Awesome People

By Jo Wyton

Maureen Lynas is one of those people. You know the sort.

You appear at a conference and suddenly someone’s behind you and there’s a pair of arms around you, but no need to wonder who it is - it’s obviously Maureen. You need some encouragement – it’s OK, Maureen will reply to your anxiety-ridden Facebook post. You need a smile – it’s OK, Maureen is right over there and she’s already heading your way. You need advice on a plot, a character, an exchange with an agent, a book title, a dispute, a pondering – don’t panic. Maureen's got your back.

And whilst she’s doing all that and supporting everyone and generally being everywhere at the same time and always her kind, warm self, Maureen is also working her butt off. Learning. Making mistakes. Trying new things. Over and over again. Evolving, never content to stay still. You try to pay attention because she seems to be navigating the publishing industry with all the grace you’ve never managed to summon, and you’re certain that what you are learning from her will come in handy.

And whilst you’re watching, Maureen is working, working, working.

One wonderful day in London town, you sit opposite her in a bar and she has this quiet smile on her face and you are instantly excited on behalf of this person who is always so excited for everyone else, and she tells you that she’s spent the last two days meeting multiple publishers, and that they all want her book.

And from that moment, marvellous things begin to unfold.

Bowie gets it.

You? You get to absorb it all and learn from it and be inspired by it. You get to watch all the pieces fall into place and see the spot every part of that learning curve has been leading towards, all this time.

Over on Facebook right now, there is a proliferation of people wearing multi-coloured witch hats. Go find them, they are brilliant. And they're there because Maureen has lots of Maureens in her life, too (in this case being herded in the right direction by the hat-tastic George Kirk). And today, they are celebrating the publication of Maureen’s first book: You Can’t Make Me Go To Witch School! 

Everyone needs a Maureen in their life.

As a writer, you need several.

Find them. Pay attention to them. You and your writing will be better for it.

(Congratulations, Maureen. You are really quite splendiferous, you know.)

From the Notes of the Slushpile crew (above) ... and all these others (below)

Undiscovered Voices 2012: The Long-List

by Jo Wyton

The time is nigh. Well, nearly.

In a few weeks, the winners of the SCBWI Undiscovered Voices 2012 competition will be announced. 25 writers made the long-list (which, if we’re being honest, is really a short-list). In a dramatic plot twist, only 12 will go on to have their 4000-word extracts published in the Undiscovered Voices anthology in February…

The SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) strives to create opportunities for unpublished writers at every turn – and boy, do they do it well! Much in the spirit of the society, this year the Undiscovered Voices team announced the long-list prior to announcing the winners for the first time.

In an effort to milk the last bit of calm before the storm, I asked some of those on the long-list to give their thoughts, hopefully to give everyone a flavour of SCBWI and the suberb Undiscovered Voices competition.

Rosie Best: I picked up the email on my phone at about midnight. It's hard to adequately express the feeling in words - interpretive dance might be better, but to the untrained eye it would probably just look like a lot of flailing and jumping up and down! I work in the Working Partners office with some of the people who organise the competition so it's been a hard couple of months trying to keep a straight face whenever it came up in conversation - they had no idea I'd entered and I had no idea whether anyone had liked my submission! Plus, I've read the previous anthologies and it means a huge amount to me to be in that company. I'm so flattered to think anyone thought my submission might possibly have as much potential as some of the ones we've had in previous years.

Liz de Jager: More than anything else, from the responses I’ve had from friends who are writing YA or kids books and who have not heard about SCBWI before, I know that UV has done something incredible: it has highlighted SCBWI, the fun and camaraderie we have and also the opportunities we offer aspiring writers. I would be surprised if we don’t get a swathe more members joining because of the buzz. At least, I hope so! As to how I feel weeks on from the announcement? Still very weird!

Julienne Durber: Of course I’m incredibly pleased to have made the long list, as my family and friends keep reminding me. But, while 125 budding authors shrug and move on to the next submission strategy, I along with 24 others am chewing my nails up to the elbow wondering whether I’ll be in the top 12 and make it into the anthology ...

Sharon Jones: I nearly didn’t enter Undiscovered Voices. The voices of doubt all but drowned out those of my critique partners, until one of them told me in no uncertain terms to stop being such a wimp and put something in. I will be eternally grateful for her nagging! Being longlisted has given me everything a budding writer needs: a boost in confidence, an introduction to industry professionals, and the motivation to get on with writing the next thing. Jo asked how I feel… well… I feel grateful… and lucky… and as nervous as an X Factor contestant on elimination night!

Rachel Latham: When I got the email to say I'd been long-listed I screamed for my eldest daughter and husband to check I'd read it correctly. How I feel is unbelievably excited and so hopeful. But it's hard not to live in that fantasy world of turning into JK Rowling overnight but at the same time I have to keep going to work, running the home and caring for my daughters. I want to be a published author so much I feel as though someone in a position to know has said "Yep you can write and so..." but I don't know the outcome yet. So hard, so exciting.

Maureen Lynas: How did I feel when I received the email from the UV team? Thrilled that the judges enjoyed my work. Excited by the possibilities. Nervous about the possibilities. Hopeful for the future. I think it went something like ‘Yay! Wow! Eek! Yay!’

Stephanie McGregor: SCBWI has played such a huge role in my growth as a writer, and I am so thankful to have been chosen as one of the long listees! You asked what it means to me, and gosh, isn't that a huge question? Hopefully it means being discovered, as the title insinuates, but there's more to it than that. It's been a long black tunnel though rejection hell, and the honour of having someone acknowledge my work is a light, not necessarily at the end of the tunnel, but at least guiding me in that direction. The dream of having my own novels on the bookshelf remains to be seen, but just having SCBWI UV take the time to say 'well done' has meant almost as much to me.

Chantel Napier: I am absolutely thrilled to be long-listed for Undiscovered Voices 2012. What an honour! I began writing North of Nowhere last autumn and felt encouraged by my critique group to enter. I can’t wait to read all the short-listed entries. Good luck to everyone!

Sally Poyton: Imagine the scene: my husband’s away and has promised to call before he goes to bed. It’s ten past one in the morning, and he’s not called. Annoyed and determined to stay awake for when he eventually phones, I switch on my PC. An e-mail from the Undiscovered Voices team is waiting, saying I’ve made the long-list. I’m Dyslexic, and they manage see the story through the spelling errors - wow! Has it actually happened? Have I read it wrong, better read through, again, and again, and again. So when my husband eventually called at 1.15am, (hanging out of the hotel window to get signal), instead of being cross with him, I was uber happy. So Undiscovered Voices, at the very least, saved me a huge argument!

Lara Williamson: I must make a confession. I only joined the SCBWI seven months ago. But the seven months since have been fantastic. The writing bubble I'd lived in, on my own, has grown and flourished. Now I'm joined and supported by like-minded people. And it feels good. Finding out I was long listed for UV2012 was amazing. (Could you hear my heart pounding as I opened that email?) No, it was more than that. It was amazing x100. I am very grateful and proud to be part of it.

As for me? Well, I’d like to say that the envelope went in the post and I calmly forgot about it, but I didn't. I’d like to say that when I got the email saying I’d made the long-list I took the news with the grace and togetherness of a proper grown-up, but I didn't. What I can say is that this has been a great end to the year that has changed the way I see writing, a year that started with joining the SCBWI. I know for sure if it weren't for the great people I've met, who have between them supported and cajoled with brilliance, I’d never have thought to enter something like Undiscovered Voices, let alone stood a chance of being long-listed. Of course, we now have an agonizing five weeks to discover who will make the infamous anthology. And I thought people in the writing business were nice...

So that’s it. Eleven of the Undiscovered Voices 2012 long-listers. (Apologies to those I couldn’t get in touch with in time!) The remaining long-listers are: Jan Carr, Veronica Cossanteli, Sandra Greaves, Jane Hardstaff, Deborah Hewitt, Jennifer Hicks, David Hofmeyr & Zoe Crookes, Michael Marett-Crosby, Richard Masson, Anne Mitchell, Melissa Rogerson, Joanna Sargent and Rachel Wolfreys.

This year, writers weren't the only ones to get pen-happy - illustrators joined in too. The illustration long-listers are: Kim Geyer, Jennifer Graham, Julia Groves, Amber Hsu, Heather Kilgour, Shana Nieburg-Suschitzky, Nicola Patten, and Rachel Quarry, and I for one can't wait to see their efforts!

Of course, this competition is only one of the myriad of ways for writers to get a foot in the publishing door, and from talking to others who entered I know that the effort that went into getting work ready for Undiscovered Voices was a testament to the SCBWI in itself – and all that care and support won’t have gone to waste for anyone, regardless of whether they found themselves on that long-list.

Those who did can enjoy the feeling for another few weeks, and then it’s Judgement Day. Until then, we’ll party on!

Margaret Carey

By Candy Gourlay

Margaret  Carey

My friend Margaret Carey died on Sunday and I am so sad.

I realize as I write "friend" that really, I occupied only a very tiny part of Margaret's life.

Clowning around on our way to the Bologna Children's Book Festival in 2008 with Margaret and illustrators Anne Marie Perks and Sarah McIntyre

Looking back now, I didn't know much about Margaret's personal life - apart from the usual discussions of school applications, school runs, the educational system, about bringing up uncooperative people in diapers ... and then of course I friended her guinea pigs on Facebook - but that's another story.

In a sense, I didn't know Margaret at all - her family and friends and people she grew up with will mourn her for stuff I wouldn't have a clue about.

I met Margaret when I began attending events organized by the British chapter of SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) in 2001. I was an aspiring picture book writer (still am) and she was an aspiring illustrator who was thinking of swapping over to becoming an aspiring author.

We were a bunch of lunatics who had found each other via SCBWI.

So I only knew that tiny slice of her life that she reserved for her creative longings - indeed what I did know of Margaret was a thing I recognized in myself and in many of the people I met (and continue to meet) at SCBWI ... that deep well of creative yearning,  that desperation to set down on paper the colours and emotions and terrors that swirled around in one's imagination.

It's a funny thing being bound to other people because of one's unfulfilled desires. The endless conversations about rejection, wondering what that editor or that agent meant by something they said in a rejection letter, turning over points of craft, thinking of ways to write better, draw better, promote one's self better. And the darker questions: was this a hobby? Were we wasting our time? Did we really think we had talent?

When Margaret turned out to be one of the winners of the 2008 Undiscovered Voices - I am ashamed to say I was astounded. Astounded at how I had no idea what a talent she was. Yup, you can spend a lot of time chatting to someone about their writing without realizing that that person was something of a genius.

Here's a sample of Margaret's writing. These are the opening lines of Hey Jude, which won the 2008 Undiscovered Voices anthology competition:

Leaves sailed down off the horse-chestnut trees, more green than gold, supple and not yet crisp. Why they fell seemed puzzling. There was no wind, not even a light breeze, the day being calm and clear, with the sun bleaching the sky bright. Yet leaves fell in abundance and gathered in heaps at the roadside. Beneath them, unseen, lay the first frost of the season, a remnant of the cold night. A trickle of liquid spilled ino the gutter as the frost melted and mingled with blood that had been, just a few hours before, fresh and red and warm. From Hey Jude by Carrie David (Margaret Carey)

When I read her piece, Hey Jude (under the pseudonym Carrie David), I almost fell off my chair.

Hey, Margaret, I thought you said you were an illustrator! The piece had the lyricism and emotional power of Siobhan Dowd, another lost voice in young fiction.

At the reception for Undiscovered Voices winners, editors and agents were given this cheat sheet of winners.

It was an exciting time, that first Undiscovered Voices. We'd all been struggling so long together and suddenly here it was, The Future, lying at our feet. One by one, we won representation with agents, won deals. I was signed by Hilary Delamere of The Agency. Margaret was signed by Sarah Davies of the Greenhouse Literary Agency.

It was no longer a question of IF, but WHEN.

Undiscovered Voices 2008. Left to right, Sara Grant, Harriet Goodwin, Candy Gourlay, Steve Hartley, Margaret Carey,  Kate Scott, Kirsty McKay, Mariam Vossough, Sarwat Chadda, Bryony Pearce, Ian Harvey Brown (not in picture: Katie Dale)

Margaret was a quiet woman, soft-spoken, like really SOFT - you actually had to listen carefully when she spoke - she didn't seek the limelight - her way was to be one of the people laying out the bricks, slapping on the mortar, making sure our nascent organization was growing on strong foundations.

Margaret at SCBWI's first retreat attended by only ten people - to her right are Debi Gliori and Chitra Soundar

For many years, Margaret worked with Sara Grant (now awaiting the publication of her debut novel) to organize the Professional Series  - talks featuring authors, editors, members of the children's book industry - from when it was held in member's living rooms to its current well-attended venue at the Theodore Bullfrog.  The success of the Professional Series helped grow the organization and fund more events.

At the SCBWI stand at the Bologna Children's Book Fair in  2008: left to right, Margaret, Natascha Biebow, Anne Marie Perks, Sarah McIntyre, me, Catriona Hoy, Trish Phillips

Way before I joined SCBWI, Margaret was already helping illustrator Anne-Marie Perks organize Illustrator Day - at the time, SCBWI British Isles held a conference for illustrators in the Spring and Writer's Day, a conference for writers in the autumn.  When the two days were combined into one big conference, Margaret and I volunteered to become part of the conference committee.

My volunteering tends to be highly visible, show-offy website stuff - but Margaret's tends to involve a lot of invisibility - like remembering to get the plastic sleeves for the nametags, thinking through themes and timings and speakers, even thinking of just the right wording to put into a letter to persuade an author to do a keynote, remembering to collect forgotten boards from Winchester and many more things that nobody will ever know had to be done to make a great conference.

Getting a good programme together means each member of the committee champions their pet causes and themes - Margaret, who chaired the committee one year, had just the right touch to keep things cool and everyone moving forward.

Last year, SCBWI British Isles awarded Margaret with the first Outstanding Contribution Award. Thanks to Benjamin Scott for this presentation

When I heard that Margaret had died, my first bereft thought was of all those yet unfulfilled desires and selfishly, that I would never get to read her work in print.

But it's true about a long journey, about how the destination sometimes doesn't matter as much as the adventure of it and the companionship.

In her long journey, Margaret has certainly left an indelible imprint on SCBWI - such a quiet woman so she needs us to loudly declare her role in the phenomenal growth of our organization.

Here we are, Margaret, still striving, still trying and enjoying the fruits of your labour.

Much of getting published is about being discovered. Her death means Margaret continues to be undiscovered.

But I for one believe her words still have a future.

Those unpublished manuscripts lie in a drawer somewhere filled with delicious possibility.

After Gally's funeral, Jude and I lie side by side on the grass next to his grave. Most of the day's colour had died except the blue in the sky, which was deep and dotted with stars. Jude pointed out the constellations.
"The good thing about here is that you can see the stars, Sean. Back home, with all the lights from the city, you can't see them so well."
"Yeah."
"So if the lights really truly go out, you can look up and see all this. See the sky all lit up. It's never really dark, Sean. Not if you can see the sky," he waved his arm upwards. "Gally's got them forever now." From Hey Jude by Carrie David (Margaret Carey)

With love to all who will miss Margaret - especially Mark, Fred and Clare.

Undiscovered Voices: the Launch!

by Teri Terry

Undiscovered Voices 2012 is open for submissions! And it isn't just any writing competition. Thirteen of the twenty-four children's writers featured in the first two anthologies of winning fiction novels have since either published or are under contract. So join the SCBWI British Isles as quick as you can, and enter! The launch was Tuesday 5th April, and I was there.

We lurked at the bar, then staked out our seats. Waiting, and watching all arrivals: who would the judges be this year? When UV co-editor Sara O'Connor arrived, I was in awe at the number of computers she had secreted about her person to livestream the event for those who could not be there. In addition to being a computer whiz, a UV co-editor and senior editorial manager at Hodder Children's Books, she also introduced the judges and MC'd the evening.

And just who are the judges for 2012?

Apologies for the quality of my photographs! My photographer forgot her camera, so these were taken on my iPod. Left to right, we have:

Literary scout, Dagmar Gleditzsch; Catherine Pellegrino of literary agency Rogers, Coleridge and White, and Sara O'Connor running the show

Julia Churchill of the Greenhouse Literary Agency, and Amber Caraveo, editorial director at Orion Children's Books

Rachel Boden, commissioning editor at Egmont, and Jenny Savill, literary agent at Andrew Nurnberg Associates

Jasmine Richards, senior commissioning editor at Oxford University Press; Joanne Cocadiz, Foyles Children's Books buyer and seller; and reappearances by Dagmar and Catherine.

One big announcement of the evening is that the honorary chair will be none other than Malorie Blackman!

Sara O'Connor asked the judges questions, and we sat on the edges of our seats. Then questions were taken from both audiences - bums on seats, and livestream attendees, who may have been sitting, dancing, or in the bath. Details of the evening have been ably blogged throughout the known universe - I'll include some links at the end.

So I'll just touch on the things that really stuck in my brain.

• they'd really like entries across all age ranges - not just Y.A.
• Enid Blyton and titles with 'Tom' in had the most hits on the judges favourite books lists.
• I'm dying to read The Magnificent Moon Hare, by Sue Monroe (out in Spring 2012): Rachel Boden's favourite recent acquisition. And it isn't just because there is a bunny in it, and it is despite the fact that it is aimed much younger than my usual YA focus. In fact, I'm dying to have Rachel be my editor one day, even it means an age range switch: she described it with such animation and delight.
• books recommended to aspiring writers: Catherine Pellegrino picked one of my favourites, Meg Rosoff's How I Live Now; Jenny Savill, Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book; and Julia Churchill, instead of picking one title, said to read broadly - great advice!
• Rachel Boden is looking for solid adventure with humour for girls and boys aged 8 to 10, and survival stories; she is not looking for straight historical fiction or high fantasy (Tolkien copies).
• Dagmar Gleditzsch also wants adventure stories aged 8 to 10; also funny stories, but not too funny: humour must be able to translate to different languages.
• Amber Caraveo has a gap for middle grade adventure series, and is also actively looking for YA for new imprint, Indigo.
• beginnings are VERY important! - first paragraph, first page, first chapter.
• Jenny Savill says common author pitfalls are too many words, not enough words, or not the right words.
• Julia Churchill did FORTY rejections before coming along to the UV launch. She did look rather cheerful!
• in your 4000 word entry, end in a logical place even if that makes it less than 4000 - end of a chapter, or ideal is on a hook or gasp moment.
• Sara O'Connor will count the words in your biography (max 50 words) and synopsis (75 words): don't be tempted to try to squeeze more in, or you will be disqualified.
• I can't get over that 'never sit in the front row' thing. Candy made me do it; I tried it; I'm sorry. It just feels inherently wrong.

To enter the 2012 UV competition, you must be a member of SCBWI British Isles; you must be unagented and unpublished; you must follow all the rules, and send in your submission by 1st June. The judges are all volunteers; co-editors of UV are Sara O'Connor, Sara Grant, Karen Ball and Elizabath Galloway. It has the financial support of Working Partners.

Links to blogs on Undiscovered Voices: let me know any I've missed and I'll add them in!

Scribble City Central

Critically Yours

Who Ate My Brain

Liz De Jager

Thoughts by Monkeys With Typewriters

Almost True

Crime Central

A Blogging Writer!

Julie Day

Follow UV on Facebook!

And Twitter, too.

The Class of 2010: Undiscovered Voices One Year On

By Nick Cross
Guest Blogger

Undiscovered Voices is SCBWI British Isles' genius scheme to get twelve of its members' work under the noses of the biggest and best in children's publishing. With the 2012 competition kicking off in just a couple of weeks, Nick Cross – one of last year's winners – reports on the difference a year makes:

Winners on the night of the Undiscovered Voices reception: Left to right foreground: Yona Wiseman, Lisa Joy Smith, David Cousins, Anne Anderson, Paula Rawsthorne; back row: Nick Cross, Melvin Burgess (who delivered the keynote), Jane McLoughlin, Lauren Sabel, Abbie Todd, Claire O'Brien, Emily George 

Twelve months after the launch of the Undiscovered Voices 2010 anthology, we winners are, quite frankly, old news. But that didn't stop us meeting up last weekend to practice those stories to tell our grandkids.

It was the first time that we'd all been together since the launch party, and the circumstances couldn't have been more different – a long lunch by the Thames and a chance to catch up.

From left and round the table: Anne Anderson, Nick Cross, Emily George,   Claire O'Brien, Graham, Lisa  Joy Smith,   Abbie Todd, Jane McLoughlin

The only problem with the anthology launch party was that the authors were physically not allowed to talk to each other - as soon as we attempted it, someone from Working Partners would usher us off to network with another agent or editor.

So, some awkwardness might have been expected when we all got together, especially after so long apart. But thanks to social networking and a shared sense of struggle, it felt like a meeting of old friends.

It was just a shame that geography conspired to keep Lauren Sabel and Yona Wiseman from joining us.

Of the twelve winners, six have so far signed with an agent and four have a book contracted for publication. That's a pretty good hit rate in a tough market and a figure I expect to be higher by the time the 2012 anthology is published.

From left to right: Anne Anderson, Emily George, Paula Rawsthorne, Dave Cousins, Claire O'Brien, Graham (Lisa's partner), Lisa Smith, Abbie Todd, Jane McLoughln

Paula Rawsthorne will be the first to come to market this year with The Truth About Celia Frost. Paula showed us her hot-off-the-press cover design for the teen novel and I heard from a bookseller the next day that Usborne have already sent out bound proofs of the book. What was I saying about us being old news? IT WAS A LIE!

Dave Cousins showed off some snazzy logo designs for gritty teen writing collective The Edge, which Paula is also a member of. Dave's YA novel Fifteen Days without a Head is due to be published by OUP early in 2012.

Claire O'Brien has two books coming out from Orchard within months of each other next year.

Jane McLoughlin has had a tough route to publication, but I'm very pleased to say that At Yellow Lake has found a home at Frances Lincoln. Jane is going to be a natural at school visits - her personality is so big we had to find it another chair!

Paula's even got this cool book trailer for her forthcoming book!

I received some gentle ribbing for the over-excited blogging I did in the early days after our win, depicting the race between us to get published. I think we've all learnt a huge amount in the last year – one thing I've definitely learnt is that writing and getting published is a marathon, not a sprint.

It was such a pleasure to chat with the writers who I hadn't had much contact with at the launch, like Anne Anderson, Jude Ensnaff and Emily George.

We compared scars and told war stories, such as the agent who looked dead bored when I pitched to her and who later told one of us that her book "wasn't as funny as I expected."

Abbie Todd talked about her agent's steely determination to get her a book deal, which bodes well for her future prospects. Despite the caprices of the publishing industry, there was a lot of optimism in the room – there have been inevitable disappointments, but we've all collected a lot of goodwill and good contacts.

Sara Grant and Sara O'Connor

We're incredibly thankful for the hard work put in by Sara Grant and Sara O'Connor, who will again edit this year's anthology.

This is despite Sara O'Connor leaving Working Partners to become a big shot at Hodder Children's books and Sara Grant celebrating the imminent publication of her own debut novel Dark Parties.

Undiscovered Voices transformed the lives of twelve debut authors in 2008 and again in 2010. Next time, it may well be you.

After appearing in Undiscovered Voices, Nick Cross signed with agent Jenny Savill of Andrew Nurnberg Associates. He blogs about writing every Friday at whoatemybrain.com. Nick is currently writing a brand new 9-12 adventure novel that he promises will "knock your mind and blow your socks off."

Nick Cross won his place in Undiscovered Voices with his novel Back from the Dead.  Nick also writes a blog called Who Ate My Brain. 

Flight of the Undiscovered: Voices Coming Soon on a Children's Bookshelf Near You

This was their moment!

Suddenly, after years of being supplicants to the great and good of publishing, our SCBWI heroes find themselves the object of a schmooze-for-all, with agents, editors and publishers eager to check them out at the launch of the Undiscovered Voices anthology for 2010.

In 2008, the first ever SCBWI British Isles Undiscovered Voices competition led to all 12 winners (including me, yay!) being signed by agents.

And here's who we have to blame, The Saras (Sara Grant and Sara O'Connor) - who conceptualized the Undiscovered Voices and made it happen. Should you run into them, please be sure to kiss the hems of their skirts (or trousers), they have changed some lives BIG TIME - including mine.

Sara G and Sara O

Of the 12 2008 winners, eight now have book deals and an array of nominations, shortlistings, longlistings for the gamut of prizes available in the children's book world, including:

The Blue Peter book award
Barnes and Noble Top Teen book for 2009
American Library Association Best Book for Young Readers
2010 Waterstone’s Children’s Book Prize
Branford Boase First novel award
Borders Book of the Month

Steve Hartley, Sarwat Chadda, and Harriet Goodwin - the first three of the original Undiscovered Voices to see their books in print - were present as were copies of their books for signing.

Okay. Apologies to Harriet (right) and Steve (left). But that's what comes from not taking the time to pose properly. You should really try to be more like Sarwat (center). Just smile.

Here's the cheat sheet that all guests were provided with so that they could target their desired author with appropriate ardour:

It's quite remarkable to think that the lives of these 12 somewhat shy people are about to change forever.

Watching the winners screwing up their courage to talk to agents they had previously feared, I remembered what it was like two years ago when I spent the launch party cowering in the company of friends rather than schmoozing the great and good.

Now I am a great fan of the Undiscovered Voices patron, Melvin Burgess, but I just could not get a shot of the man with his eyes OPEN. Here he is with Natascha Biebow, SCBWI BI's regional advisor:



Luckily I managed to film his evocative speech with my trusty ... erm ... mobile phone. Turn up the volume to get the full impact - it was a moving tribute.



At the dinner afterward - which I gatecrashed along with Sarwat - Sara O'Connor toasted the winners and their soon to be golden tomorrows.

Sarwat and I were bemused by the guests that each winner took along, who all wore nametags that said 'Plus One' (as in added guest).

Lisa Joy Smith (Slugs in the Toilet) with her Plus One, Graham.

These are the powers behind the throne, we thought. So after Sara's toast, I offered another one: to the Plus Ones - these are the people who make it happen for us writers, the ones who have to take the moodiness, the lateness and who keep us going into the light. Most likely, these are the names who will grace the dedication pages of future UV books!

More Plus Ones, lined up against the wall!

I'm afraid I didn't manage to photograph all the winners or the agents for that matter as the white wine was rather distracting. But here's a sampling of the evening:

Jude Ensaff (One of a Kind) and Nick Cross (Back from the Dead)



Editors Jasmine Richards (OUP) and my editor, Bella Pearson (David Fickling) ... and of course Melvin with eyes closed



David Cousins (Fifteen Days Without a Head) has been signed by agent Sarah Manson (that's why they're toasting)



Natascha introducing Melvin





Katie Dale of UV 2008 who finally made it after missing the first launch because she was travelling; Lauren Sabel (Vivian Divine and the Days of the Dead) flew in from the US just to attend; Chris Snowdon, managing director of Working Partners, the generous sponsor of the anthology

Sorry again if I didn't manage to photograph anyone who should be in this piece. You can read more about the UV launch on Nick Cross's wonderful blog Who Ate My Brain? (catchy title, Nick). Nick wrote Back from the Dead. Yona Wiseman (Becoming Invisible) has also blogged about it on Daylight Procrastinator. Anne M Leone (Adele) blogged about it on Critically Yours.

Left to right foreground: Yona Wiseman, Lisa Joy Smith, David Cousins, Anne Anderson, Paula Rawsthorne; back row: Nick Cross, Melvin Burgess, Jane McLoughlin, Lauren Sabel, Abbie Todd, Claire O'Brien, Emily George (not in picture, Jude Ensaff)

Meanwhile, congratulations to all the winners. May your tomorrows shine. Write well.

My signed copy of the anthology!

You might want to read my interview with Melvin about his experimental Twitter short stories. Scroll down.