25 Oct 2011 10:34:20
Young adult author Lauren Myracle has withdrawn from the running for prestigious US literary prize the National book award after administrators admitted naming her as a contender had been a mistake.
Last week it was announced that five authors had been shortlisted for the young adult category of the National book awards, with Myracle's Shine – the story of a 16-year-old girl who tries to find out who committed a vicious hate crime against her friend – one of the titles.
But the prize later added a sixth competitor, Franny Billingsley's Chime, to the shortlist, admitting that Shine had been mistaken for Chime when the list of titles was read out over the phone.
Myracle told the Guardian via email last week that she was "thrilled that Shine is a finalist. I am so frickin' proud of that book, and I'm especially proud of all the sweat and tears my editor and I put into it. And after yesterday's announcement? Wow. I am beyond thrilled to be in the company of four – wait, make that five! – incredibly talented writers, all of whom I admire to the moon and back."
The author, whose TTYL series was the most complained about in America in 2009, has now released a statement through her publisher Amulet Books in which she says she was later informed that, although the novel had been included in error, it would remain on the list based on its merits. "However, on Friday I was asked to withdraw by the National Book Foundation to preserve the integrity of the award and the judges' work, and I have agreed to do so," said Myracle.
Recognition of her novel by the award's judges, she said, had "deeply moved" her because she felt it was "giving voice to the thousands of disenfranchised youth in America – particularly gay youth – who face massive discrimination and intimidation every day. So that something positive may come of their error, I have strongly suggested that the NBF donate to the Matthew Shepard Foundation." The organisation was set up by Shepard's parents after their homosexual son was murdered in an attack in 1998.
The National Book Foundation has agreed to a $5,000 donation, adding in a statement that they "regret" their error and apologising "for any confusion and hurt it may have caused Lauren Myracle". Their mistake has prompted an outpouring of support for the author, with her novel shooting up the Amazon.com rankings and an #isupportshine hashtag taking off on Twitter. Myracle's fellow young adult author Libba Bray is encouraging readers to buy Shine in an impassioned blogpost in support of its author, in which she says that "as a writer, she is fearless. She writes openly and honestly about topics which frequently land her on the most-banned books list. She has faced down censors with grace and logic without resorting to demonising them. She is at the forefront of the fight against censorship and for intellectual freedom. That this should happen to such a lovely person enrages me beyond rational words."
At least the mistake did not go as far as at the Wales Book of the Year ceremony in 2009, when Tom Bullough was mistakenly – and toe-curlingly – announced as the winner instead of veteran poet Dannie Abse.
