Ruth Ozeki’s A Tale for the Time Being has won the 2013 Kitschies Red Tentacle Award in the UK.
Unable to make the ceremony in person, Ozeki instead sent a message:“This is truly a fantastical honour, and one that surpasses my wildest imaginings. I have always wanted a tentacle of my very own, and now I have one! … The novels nominated for this award form a spectacular array, and I was as excited to see mine amongst them, as I am humbled now by this improbable but happy outcome.”
Her full acceptance speech is available at http://www.canongate.tv/
Now in their fifth year, the Kitschies Tentacles include the Red (novel), Golden (debut) and Inky (cover art) awards, as well as the Black Tentacle, awarded at the discretion of the judges to a piece of work that doesn’t otherwise fit the Kitschies criteria. Presented last week at a ceremony in London, the prizes recognise the year’s most progressive, intelligent and entertaining works that contain elements of the speculative or fantastic. The 2013 finalists were selected from a record 234 submissions, from over fifty publishers and imprints. The winners received a total of approximately US$3,300 (£2,000) in prize money as well as Tentacle trophies, while all finalists received bottles of The Kraken Rum - the drink's producer sponsors the Tentacles.
