The Heir of Night Wins — Yes, Wins! — the 2012 Gemmell Morningstar Award!
I am thrilled to announce that The Heir of Night, The Wall of Night Book One, has won the 2012 Gemmell Morningstar Award for Best Fantasy Newcomer.
I found out this morning, via a telephone call from my Orbit UK editor, Jenni Hill. I believe my first words were “I don’t believe it” but I’ve been working on trying to believe it ever since!
The winners in the other two categories were:
The Legend Award for Best Fantasy Novel 2012: The Wise Man’s Fear by Patrick Rothfuss.
The Ravenheart Award for Best Jacket Art: Raymond Swanland for The Blood Of Aenarion (Black Library.)
In terms of the The Heir of Night and the Morningstar Award win, I will post my official acceptance speech—read out for me by Jenni—tomorrow, but I am over the moon that “my story” has just won a major international Fantasy Award — and Reader’s Choice ‘to boot!’
The Heir of Night‘s win also checks several firsts, I believe, being the first time either the Legend or Morningstar awards have been won by either a Southern Hemisphere book or a woman author—so go the HEIR, I say!
Most of all though, a HUGE thank you to everyone of you who voted for The Heir of Night—because we couldn’t have done it without you!
Also, just a ‘place holder’ for friends and supporters in Christchurch or within easy travelling distance: when the Morningstar trophy arrives from the UK, I think we should have a celebratory party here: what do you think?
Yay! Congratulations and well-deserved.
Go Malian!
Post a pic of the trophy when it arrives please?
Jan, I shall definitely do that!
Woooooooohooooooooooo!!! Tell me, is it true you’re also the first woman to ever win in the category?
I’m still totally, totally joyous about this. It’s a lovely book and a well-deserved win. You rock (and not just because of the earthquakes).
Congratulations Helen – what a great achievement! Very proud of you 🙂
Congratulations, Helen, wonderful news. Good on you!
Congratulations, Helen. That is such FABULOUS news!!!
Yes!! Congratulations
I just shut the door on my friend from up north, Meliors, sending her off with my now extra first copy of Heir of Night (she was most delighted with my winning great books story) and she has alresdy started reading it. I predict a run to get the second book by the time she gets back home. I was telling her that you were in the running for this award and then looky here you WON!!!!!!! Congratulations and so well deserved. Fantastic news. Yay for you.
Congratulations !!!!
Congratulations, Helen – that’s wonderful news!
Congratulations! 🙂
Congrats ! A well deserved victory !!! Félicitations !!
I just heard the news from Mary!!!! Big congratulations to you Helen! That’s wonderful. Are you the first woman to win it????
Such a fabulous achievement!
A get together to ohh and ahh over the award would be great! If you can’t find anywhere suitable, I offer my lounge!
So exciting! Congratulations!
Congratulations!!!!
Thrilling news, Helen – Congratulations!
Thank you everyone for your support and best wishes—and from compass points as diverse as Australia/New Zealand, France & Finland, too: I really really appreciate all of you and your comments.
With respect to the queries, I do believe it is the first time a book authored by either a woman or a southern hemisphere author has won in either book category, ie the Legend or the Morningstar. I would also note, however, that it is quite a new award–this is only the 4th or 5th year it has run. But I suppose, given the numbers of women and southern hemisphere authors writing Fantasy, that is still reasonably significant.
Well done, Helen! How thrilling and how well-deserved.
Thank you so much, Andrew!
Helen, this is delightful, significant, thrilling, cheery news! Well done you, and congratulations from both of us up here in London, just a stone’s throw away from the venue near Euston where the awards event was held. Lots of love from Nancy & Mike xx
Thank you Nancy, & Mike! Yes, I wish I could have been there, but then again—could I have stood the suspense as they opened the envelope?! 😉
Congratulations Helen, that is so fantastic, what an amazing far cry from being a “Transit” planner, so proud of you. Can’t wait to get my copies here. Well done, well done xxxx
Great to see you here, Maree! And you are right, a very far cry—but although it’s more of the “long and winding road” rather than a straight super highway, I don’t regret the decision to follow the Muses call.:)
Awesome!
Thank you, Vanda.
Wow, well done, Helen! And well deserved, too. I’m delighted for you that The Heir has won. Great news.
Thank you, Marion; it really is a tremendous thrill. 🙂
Outstanding, congratulations!
Thank you, Ashley!
Wow, I thought I had congratulated you already.
Sorry about that. Congratulations! I wouldn’t say you were an unlikely winner, I loved Heir of Night 🙂
Paul, you did; on the acceptance speech post today. So no need to apologise at all.:)
And so glad you loved HEIR—but as you yourself said on the Orbit blog a while back, it was a strong field…
I twittered it too, but congratulations! Such wonderful news. So well deserved.
Thank you, Emma—I saw your tweet, too. 🙂
yay! Congrats on the award:) Wish I lived within driving distance. I would love to attend. Enjoy!
Sharon, you would need Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, but you never know: maybe next year in America… And good news, I may be able to post photos soon.:)
Great news, Helen. There’s no stopping you!
Thank you, Jan — & I hope so! 🙂
Helen,
I cannot in all honesty say that I am surprised. This is a terrific achievement and so well deserved. The Heir of Night is a wonderful, wonderful story, as tightly-woven and beautifully-crafted as the tapestries that hang in the halls of the Keep of Winds. Celine and I are so delighted for you, Helen and Malian – if just a little, slightly, teensy wee bit, awfully jealous! But we are so so proud of you, of everything you are doing for New Zealand writing and writers, for fantasy, and for the girls, forging a way through the Gray lands, leading us to new frontiers and the rest of the world. Go Helen! Now hurry up and finish the rest…
Hi Lee, Thank you for your warm words of support and good wrods for the HEIR. But youa re quite rgiht, onwards must always be to the next book…
Congrats Helen!
Amazing achievement and so inspiring for others of us hoping to be as successful as you one day.
Lots of love,
Beaulah
Thank you, Beaulah: and you are already on your way, you know. You have finished a book and gotten it out into the world to find readers.
Many, many congratulations, Helen!!! What an AMAZING achievement – truly well deserved 🙂
Thank you, Elizabeth.:)