While life, work and study has completely taken over my life for the last few months, I'm still keeping in touch with the world of writing as much as I possibly can - so to hear the news today that my favourite writer, the Canadian Alice Munro, has just been awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature is wonderful beyond belief!
People love to ask writers who else, if they could and had to choose, they would love to write like, and my answer has always been Alice Munro. Take this description from one of her stories, for example:
Her teeth were crowded together in the front of her mouth as if looking for a fight.
What wouldn't you give for that gift??
Several times over the past few years, Alice has said she'll retire from writing. I SO hope she won't, for a very, very long time to come - but if she does, then what a wonderful and fitting achievement this award is, and a fitting recognition of a truly great writing life!
Miss Munro - you've been my inspiration since I was eighteen years old and first discovered you in James Thin's bookshop in Edinburgh as a student. I was stunned and immediately in love then, and I still am. Many, many congratulations!
