I’m having one of those problems that football managers are criticised for moaning about – when they say they have too many players fit, so they don’t know who to play, and the folk in the studio with stripy shirts and unlikely hair say, “that’s the kind of problem everyone would like to have!”
So here’s my problem:
The Big Bottom Hunt has been nominated for the Heart of Hawick Book Award
The Mountain’s Blood has been nominated for the Hackney Short Novel Award.
That’s good, so far, isn’t it?
It’s just that both award ceremonies are on the same day.
So don’t moan, you say. That’s good. A bit of an odd coincidence, but good. Yes? But I’m attending the Hawick ceremony (sitting on stage in front of all their voters) and the Hackney organisers have asked me to be available for a live phone interview into their award. And now I’ve just discovered that they both need me at exactly the same time. Not nearly, or roughly, or almost the same time. But EXACTLY the same time.
1.15. Tomorrow.
How likely is that? I’ve never really felt the need of an evil twin before, but she’d be handy this week.
Don’t worry. I’ll cope. With incredibly helpful people in both places, someone answering my mobile backstage, a bit of fancy footwork (and a time machine?) – I’ll be fine. Probably.
And will I win? Either of them? Not likely… The Hackney award has Sophie Mackenzie and Alan Gibbons on the short list, for goodness sake. And the Hawick one has a very eclectic mix of birds, bunnies and bottoms. But both are voted for by real readers, so whoever wins, I’m sure it will be the right result!
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