Not quite as wonderful news as Cea's shortlisting, I'm afraid, but the Debut Dagger people have been kind enough to tell me that "Thorn in the Flesh" was on their informal longlist of 20, before they got to the shortlist stage.

So I was nearly there for a while! So near, yet so far, eh?!...

A
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Anne, many, many congratulations. Do pat yourself on the back very thoroughly.

I think it's so nice when competition organisers bother to do this. It's not headline-grabbing, but it makes all the difference to the writers, not least because it's genuinely helpful as well as confidence-boosting to know you were a near miss. I notice Bridport have taken to publishing their longlist, and of course Fish have for a while.

Emma

Thanks, Emma! It has cheered up the day!

A
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Well done, Anne. Nice of them to let you know.

I think you can be proud of this, Anne. Well done.
Tony

Well done, Anne.

Nik.

Dear Roger, Tony & Nik (now, why does that sound like a modern firm of young solicitors??...) - many thanks!

A
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Excellent news, Anne. Well done.
Look out for a WW interview with Anne, very soon!

Thanks, Anna! Oo-err, better put my lippy on then ...!

A
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Wonderful news Anne, I was thrilled, many congratulations.

Thanks, Issy - much appreciated.

A
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Oh well done to get so far, Anne! How nice to the competition organisers to let you know. Hopefully next time, you'll do even better.

Tiger

Thanks, Tiger - best write another crime novel then!!

)

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Anne,

A nice achievement. Well done, we need more writers like you.

Len

Len - that's a really nice thing to say - thank you. The same also goes for you, of course.

A
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