Books / creative writing
Former creative writing student wins inaugural Hilary Mantel Prize
A former creative writing student at the University of Bristol has won the inaugural Hilary Mantel Prize for Fiction.
Anna Dempsey beat some 2,300 submissions with her novel This Is About an Alligator and Nothing Else.
The judging panel included bestselling author Maggie O’Farrell, one of the UK’s most acclaimed contemporary writers and author of Hamnet, adapted into an Academy Award-winning movie starring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal.
Actor Ben Miles, who played Thomas Cromwell in the RSC production of Mantel’s Wolf Hall series, editor Nicholas Pearson and authors Chetna Maroo and Chigozie Obioma also served on the panel.
The judging panel, which included bestselling author Maggie O’Farrell, lauded Anna Dempsey’s novel among 2,300 submissions – photo: HMP/Anna Dempsey
The award, which included the prize money of £7,500, was established in honour of the late Booker Prize-winning author Hilary Mantel.
The award supports unpublished and un-agented writers across the UK and Ireland.
Mantel was the author of the acclaimed Wolf Hall trilogy on Thomas Cromwell and Tudor England, which was adapted into a BBC series starring Mark Rylance in the titular role.
Dempsey, originally from Florida, studied for a PhD in creative writing (creative grieving) at the University of Bristol and Bath Spa University, funded by the South, West and Wales Doctoral Training Partnership (SWWDTP).
Dempsey’s PhD was jointly supervised by the University of Bristol and Bath Spa University, where the latter was the awarding body.
Her novel, written as part of her PhD, explores the relationship between creativity and grief.
Dempsey singled out one of her supervisors Dr Lesel Dawson (right), whose expertise in grief research proved beneficial to her novel – photo: Anna Demspey
Set on the edge of the South Florida Everglades, it is narrated by twelve-year-old Harley, whose father has died, and tackles both personal and ecological grief, brought on by a water contamination crisis linked to corporate negligence.
“My time at the University of Bristol and Bath Spa University were incredibly special, particularly during some of the most difficult years of my life,” Dempsey said.
“I began this Creative Writing PhD a few weeks after the sudden death of my father and decided, very intentionally, to turn to research and art to cope.
She singled out one of her supervisors Dr Lesel Dawson, whose expertise in grief research proved beneficial to her novel.
“When I was able to choose a second institution through the SWWDTP funding scheme, I specifically chose the University of Bristol because of Dr Lesel Dawson, and her own grief research and participation in the Good Grief Festival.
“I’m endlessly grateful for the support I had from Lesel, Tracy and my other supervisors and the SWWDTP. Winning the Hilary Mantel Prize for this novel feels especially meaningful. I feel as if I’ve taken my grief and transformed it into something joyful.”
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Dr Lesel Dawson, associate professor in literature and culture at Bristol and one of Dempsey’s supervisors, said: “It was a joy and privilege to supervise Anna’s PhD.
“Written following her father’s death, her beautiful novel explores personal loss alongside grief for the natural environment, capturing in vivid technicolour both the Florida Everglades and the bewildering uncertainty of growing up.
“Working with Anna made me think in new ways about how creative writing can help us reimagine who we are and stay connected to loved ones who have died. It was wonderful to witness her novel taking shape. I couldn’t be happier for her or prouder of her tremendous achievement.”
Dempsey has also been awarded a place on a residential writing course with the Arvon Foundation.
Anna Dempsey at the Royal Fort Gardens during her time as a creative writing student in Bristol – photo: UoB/ Anna Dempsey
Dr Dawson is also co-director of the Good Grief Festival which returns from April 17 to 19. The event brings together a distinguished group of speakers for thoughtful, honest conversations about living with bereavement.
Main photo: Hilary Mantel Prize
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