The TCA Writers' Awards, 2019

TOP CAT'S ALLEY WRITERS' AWARDS 2019

I should probably point out that not all of the winning books were first published this year. That's because, in true egocentric style, I'm working off when I read the book, not when it was first published. So without further ado, these are the works I feel deserve special mention, from what I've read and seen in 2019.

BEST LITERARY FICTION

Jeremy Wright, for Kaleidoscope

https://www.amazon.com/Kaleidoscope-JP-Wright-ebook/dp/B019BK3M1I

BEST NON-FICTION

Fr Rod Bower, for Outspoken

https://www.amazon.com/Outspoken-Because-Justice-Always-Social-ebook/dp/B07FMGJVJJ

BEST DYSTOPIAN NOVEL

Bradley Wind, for Bulb

https://www.amazon.com/BULB-Bradley-Taylor-Wind/dp/0997280573

BEST YA NOVEL

Michael Palmer-Cryle, for Hieronymus Jones and the Teacup Squid

https://www.amazon.com/Hieronymus-Jones-Teacup-Squid-tentacles/dp/0648422437

BEST FANTASY SERIES

Sarina Dorie, for Womby's School for Wayward Witches

https://www.goodreads.com/series/236063-womby-s-school-for-wayward-witches

BEST ACTION SERIES

Andy Peloquin, for The Silent Champions

https://www.goodreads.com/series/274938-the-silent-champions

BEST HUMOROUS SERIES

Ben Aaronovitch, for the Rivers of London series

https://www.goodreads.com/series/51937-rivers-of-london

BEST DETECTIVE SERIES

Denzil Meyrick, for D.C.I. Daley

https://www.goodreads.com/series/161572-dci-daley

MOST DIFFICULT RHYME ACHIEVED

Andrew Barber - for the breathtaking rhyme of 'coup, yeah' with 'halleluia':

Andrew has given me permission to reproduce the poem, so here it is:

Coup De Vil

Although we have a monarchy,

We still think it’s democracy.

At least we did before we had a coup, yeah.

But coups get stopped before they’re done,

(Guy Fawkes’ attempt was only one)

And every time they fail it’s hallelujah.

A hundred years from now we’ll find

That all those pennies for the Guy

Are pennies for the Boris that would screw ya. 

I’m not an optimist, it’s true,

But up to now, we’ve pulled on through,

And every time we do it’s hallelujah.

There is some scarlet in the blue,

Some signs of change long overdue.

The queen has lost her rep for being cool, yeah. 

She’s just another decadent

Supporter of establishment

And monarchy is spent, so hallelujah.

These interesting times we share

Have got me pulling out my hair,

We’re fighting opportunists who outdrew ya. 

But mostly we’ve been here before,

And if we have a civil war,

It won’t be won by laws, so hallelujah.

MOST ORIGINAL CHARACTER

K.M. Harrell - for the bitter castle Azwick, in Zadea (still unpublished, but hopefully coming soon).

BEST SUPPORTING CHARACTER

Sarina Dorie, for the unicorns in Witches Gone Wicked

https://www.amazon.com/Witches-Gone-Wicked-Not-So-Cozy-Mystery-ebook/dp/B07D5LMMZ7

BEST NEW WORD COINED

Rozita Berry - for 'Zeitritter' (time traveller).

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL WINNERS!