Shipwrights is home to the Conrad-Nabokov Prize, an award given every second year to the most impressive second-language poet, fiction writer, or essayist who submits work to Shipwrights during that period. The final decision is made by a guest judge, from a short list compiled by the editorial staff.
Congratulations to Christopher Entzenberg of Malmö, Sweden, the winner of the second awarding of our Conrad-Nabokov Prize! The final judge for this award was Simon Kerr.
The editors of Shipwrights short-listed writers from our last three issues. The final decision was then made by Mr. Kerr. We are grateful for his participation as judge.
Mr. Entzenberg won for his short story "The Grid." The other writers short-listed for the award were Jenny Karlsson and Mateo Jarrín Cuvi.
Christopher Entzenberg
Simon Kerr is an Irish author. His debut literary novel, The Rainbow Singer was published in the UK and the US. It was nominated for the IMPAC Dublin Award (2002). His second novel, As Seen on TV (written under the pseudonym Chris Kerr) was published in 2005 and optioned by Ideology Pictures in Hollywood. He writes under various pen names and is represented by Simon Trewin at United Agents.
Simon has taught Creative Writing at Bath Spa University, Reading University, and the University of Leeds. He currently lectures in Creative Writing at the University of Hull and convenes the MA there. He has worked as a reader for Fish Publishing and The Literary Consultancy. In 2005 he set up the Huddersfield Literature Festival and directed it for two years.
Simon established Lightship Publishing because he is a writer and is absolutely passionate about developing new writing and helping new writers get the recognition they deserve. He was inspired to name this enterprise "Lightship" because every day he used to walk past the Spurn Head Lightship in Kingston-upon-Hull, and because the purpose of a lightship is to help other vessels steer to safe haven. That seems a suitable metaphor for a company that aims to help new writers win recognition and get published. http://www.lightshippublishing.co.uk/
Nanna Brickman of Stockholm, Sweden was the winner of Shipwrights’ first Conrad-Nabokov Award, in May 2009. The judge of the first Conrad-Nobakov Award was the esteemed Janet Burroway.
Photo: Nanna Brickman and Janet Burroway, after Nanna received the award
The editors of Shipwrights short-listed writers from our first three issues. The final decision was then made by Ms. Burroway. On reading the six short-listed texts, she wrote, "This is hard! There is truly enough talent here to merit six prizes." She also said, "It's hard to believe that these authors are writing in English as a second language, for all of them have superior command of it." Ms. Burroway is among the most respected writing pedagogues in the world, as well as being a fine author herself, and we are exceedingly grateful for her participation as final judge.
Ms. Brickman won for her short story "The Tail Slates," as well as her poems "Couples Only" and "Mountain View Village." The Conrad-Nabokov Award runner-up was Jesper Fink of Copenhagen, Denmark for his short story "Rot." The other writers short-listed for the award were: Jenny Karlsson, J.K. Mabin, Katarina Graah-Hagelbäck, and Emma Gustafsson.