BookMachine’s Laura Austin on Kim Scott Walwyn shortlist

In a stirring example of the reporters becoming the reported, or something, BookMachine’s very own Glorious Fearless Leader Laura Austin has found herself on the shortlist for this year’s Kim Scott Walwyn prize. Glorious Fearless Leader Laura Austin – seen here in this file photo lovingly framed by her BookMachine colleagues/loyal subjects –  is nominated for her work on the BookMachine events that have taken place across the country over the past two years and are now spreading out internationally too, like so many troops marching in perfect synchronisation across the motherland at her command.

The Bookseller reports that Glorious Fearless Leader Laura Austin, which she doesn’t make us call her at all times and as which we totally choose to refer to her out of our own sense of love and terror of the consequences otherwise, was acclaimed by the judging panel thusly: ‘Her really innovative achievement… was to set up BookMachine, which has become an  international event organisation for publishing professionals who want to network, with events all over the UK and now in New York, Toronto and Barcelona. Laura’s vast energy and, more importantly, her ability to turn an idea into something real and useful for the publishing industry, convinced the judges she should be on this very strong shortlist.’

Upon being contacted for a reaction/scanning through her Twitter feed, Glorious Fearless Leader Laura Austin was heard to exclaim ‘Phase One is complete comrades! Next step, the world!’ before cackling suggestively for six straight minutes, which, knowing her as we do, we were able to translate as ‘sending this to my Mum, think she’ll be proud’.

Joining Glorious Fearless Leader Laura Austin on the shortlist are Foyles head of marketing Miriam Robinson, literary agent Juliet Mushins and Head of Zeus co-founder/person who is most sick of all the Twin Peaks references Laura Palmer. The prize is open to any woman who has worked in publishing in the UK for seven years or less, and awards the winner £1,000 and a two day training course at the Publishing Training Centre. Please, judges, vote for Glorious Fearless Leader Laura Austin, so that we here at BookMachine might eat dinner that night.

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