GH NOVEL COMPETITION
Meet our winner and read her brilliant first chapter
‘Writing lets me say the things I want to say. It gives me a voice’
Imagine a world where sugar is illegal, baking is a crime and women are publicly shamed about their weight in an enormous Perspex box. That’s the idea behind Claire Wade’s winning manuscript. Almost 1,000 of you submitted the first 5,000 words of your novels – with plots involving everything from murder to long-lost love – but Claire’s dystopian tale stood out.
The judges, bestselling novelist Cathy Kelly, literary agent Amanda Preston, Orion publishing director Clare Hey, and GH’S executive editor Michelle Hather and books editor Joanne Finney, were hooked by The Box. Michelle said: ‘Claire’s book is totally compelling and has a lot to say about women and the way they are judged. I cannot wait to read more.’
Claire, 35, from Norwich, wins a £6,000 advance and will see her book on the shelves next year. She reveals the remarkable story behind her success...
Congratulations! How are you feeling about winning?
It’s just amazing, I can’t believe this is happening. It’s probably the best news I’ve ever had. The thought of actually holding my finished book in my hands and tracing my name on the cover is so exciting.
Where did the idea for come from?
Eight or nine years ago there was lots in the news about how addictive sugar is. I love baking and it made me think about how I would feel if it was banned. It was just a passing thought but I couldn’t get it out of my head and I knew it was a story that needed telling.
When did you first start writing?
I was diagnosed with ME when I was 10. I had a virus and basically never got better. During my GCSES I got much, much worse. I came home from a weekend away when I was 16, went to bed and didn’t get up again for six years. I couldn’t watch TV, read or even listen to music but I could imagine stories in my head. It was my way of escaping. Once my health improved, I started writing it all down and it became a complete obsession.
How has ME affected your life?
I’m still housebound most of the time and I have to use a wheelchair if I’m going out for any distance because I can’t walk very far. There’s definitely a big part of me that wishes I had a normal life, but I focus on what really matters to me, like my writing.
What does writing mean to you?
When you’re housebound you feel very cut off from the world, but writing lets me say the things I want to say. It means I have a voice. When I’m writing, the whole world fades away; it’s just me, the story and my characters.
Who has helped you?
My mum is my biggest support system. We’re very, very close because of what we’ve been through together. My grandma, who is 87, is an inspiration, too. She loves to read and that’s where I get my passion for books from. She’s always promised she’ll be there for my book launch – and she said that before we knew I had a publishing deal!
NOW READ ON TO SEE WHY THE JUDGES WERE SO IMPRESSED...
The Box