How wonderful, Jenn. Enjoy it!

Congrats. Love your outfit. S

Ps. It's funny how no one has acknowledged that Helen Oyeyemi (who is on the list) is a black dreadlocked Nigerian....

Jenn, is this the photoshoot where they used a cardboard cut-out for someone who couldn't be there? Is it the bloke standing on your right?

Saph: yes, that's the one. But no, he's not the man standing next to me.

Helen Oeyemi isn't on the list - she was part of the panel that Long with John Mullan read all the submitted novels and made the final selection for the culture show.

Thanks for nice comments re me dress. It's one of my oldest and most favourite.

I didn't read the comments past the first few - but yes, they are normally like that. I think lists like this are fairly arificial but they're good in that they generate a lot of discussion about books. Don't see why it needs to get so heated though...

The age limit thing is a good point. Obviously they've wanted to choose good new books without reference to anything that isn't relevant, like age.

J

Jenn, do you know what their criteria were for "new writer"? I wondered because to me, some of them look like quite established names. I'm sure Adam Haslett has been around for quite a while for eg - has he?

Agree it's nice to see a list that isn't about age.

<Added>

Oh I've just re-read the piece and see that it's new *novelists*. His previous were short stories weren't they. Query solved!

Yes - some of the writers are just publishing their very first thing, others have had one book out for a couple of years (like me) and others have been established for a while, but with different kinds of writing. Deborah, the Canongate Author, won Welsh Book of the Year in 201 with a collection of short stories, I think.


J

Well done, Jenn! Many congrats

Massive salutes from Humberside!

This is tonight - Saturday March 5th at 9 pm.

Chris

Just saw this and very much enjoyed it. Jenn, you were ace! And the show overall much meatier than some other recent bookish programmes I could name (even if there were one or two lit-luvvy moments that had my husband and me rolling our eyes to high heaven!). There did seem to be something for everyone, which can't have been easy: I notice that my Amazon wish-list has mysteriously experienced another growth-spurt in just the last few minutes...

Any bets for who's likely to make Granta's under-40 list next year?

Is it next year? Shit it is. Best get back to writing the next one.

I didn't watch it. Apparently Mr Mullan said some of the jokes in my book are in bad taste. I was saddened by this. They are ALL in bad taste.

Is it next year? Shit it is.

Yes - but even if it doesn't happen, you'll still be eligible for the 2023 list. Kazuo Ishiguro was on it twice, I learned last night...

He's my hero.

Well done, you looked great and what they said made me want to read your novel. It was a really interesting show too!