BBC National Short Story Award

15.11.2010
The nominees for this year’s BBC National Short Story Award have been announced.
Helen Oyeyemi, author of The Icarus Girl, is the youngest novelist yet to be nominated for the prize.
Helen was born in Nigeria in 1984 and moved to London when she was four. She wrote her first novel, The Icarus Girl while she was still at school studying for her A levels, and she is now a student of Social and Political Sciences at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.
The 26-year-old’s book “My Daughter The Racist” will compete against works by David Constantine, Aminatta Forna, Sarah Hall and Jon McGregor.
The winner of the £15,000 prize money will be announced on Radio 4’s Front Row on November 29.
The runner-up will win £3,000, while the rest of the writers will receive £500 each.
According to her friends, Helen is absolutely excited about the news and considers being part of the shortlist an honour.