Published: Thursday, 8th May, 2008 15:00
TOP NOVELIST TAKES US TO THE DARK ISLE
By Frank Cassidy
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NEILSTON novelist, Dawn Nelson, is celebrating her book being nominated for a major book award.
The novel, DarkIsle, is on the shortlist for The Royal Mail Scottish Children’s Book Award for 2008, in the younger readers category for age eight to 11.
More good news for the talented ex-Neilston Primary pupil came when it was revealed that the paperback version will be released next week.
Another boost was the announcement that the US version is due for publication on November 11, to join Spain, Italy, Germany, South Korea and Japan in the countries to publish DarkIsle.
But Dawn is excited about the nomination for the Scottish award — with the winner being decided by the young readers themselves, who will be voting between now and November.
Dawn said: “ I was at the launch of the awards at the Scottish Book Trust’s HQ in Edinburgh last week and it was great — I am absolutely delighted.
“Children aged eight and above can vote and the winner will be announced at a ceremony in November in Aberdeen, meanwhile I am working on part two of the trilogy.”
Although her growing fan-club is reaching all over the world, she made an emotional return home last month to talk to pupils at her old primary school.
While there, she gave readings from DarkIsle to two classes, one including her embarrassed looking nephew who shouted: 'Oh no’ when Dawn entered his class.
She said: “It was weird going back to my old school, not because the place looks smaller than I remember, I expected that being a lot taller than I was when I left, but not that much has changed.
“The kids at Neilston Primary were fantastic and I’d like to thank them and their teachers for allowing me to come and read DarkIsle to them.
“I particularly loved the question and answer session, especially when one child asked if, when I had attended the school, there were any ghosts.”
DarkIsle is a fantastic story about a 10-year-old girl who befriends several bizarre creatures before embarking on an exciting underground journey beneath Renfrew and Paisley.
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