The RSL Ondaatje Prize is awarded to an outstanding work of fiction, non-fiction or poetry that best evokes the spirit of a place. The 2023 longlist has been selected by judges Samira Ahmed, Roger Robinson and Joelle Taylor.
Longlisted amongst eight other works, The Half-life of Snails is published by Parthian Books.
Dr Philippa Holloway is a Senior Lecturer in Fiction on our BA (Hons) English Literature and Creative Writing degree with a creative research interest centred on identity and place, with a specific interest in nuclear landscapes and displacement. Dr Holloway has completed fieldwork at nuclear sites in both Ukraine and the UK to this end.
"My writing and research is at its heart concerned with the complex relationships between identity and place, so for my novel to be recognised by the RSL Ondaatje Prize for a distinguished work of literature evoking the spirit of a place is great honour. To have the landscapes of Chornobyl and North Anglesey acknowledged more widely is wonderful - both places mean so much to me."
Dr Holloway added: "I came to Staffordshire University because the English Literature and Creative Writing course excels in examining and nurturing contemporary writing that addresses issues of people and nature/place: the Anthropocene, eco-criticism, social-realism and more. My colleagues and students are a constant source of inspiration and encouragement, so I hope this encourages and inspires them, too!"
You can read more about The Royal Society of Literature (RSL) 2023 Ondaatje Prize here.
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