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Aspiring writer to Top Christmas Reading List with Tale of Sol the Slug’s Night Before Christmas
A mum-of-two from Devon is set for literary fame this Christmas having been selected from almost 1,000 competition entries in the search to find a modern equivalent to the timeless festive tale, Twas The Night Before Christmas. Amazon has today announced that the winning children’s story, Sol The Slug’s Night Before Christmas, brought to life with professional illustrations which formed part of the prize package, is available for free on Kindle and Fire devices as well as the Kindle reading app for iPhone, iPad, Android phones and tablets. Print copies are also available to buy on the Amazon.co.uk store.
Lucy Banks, 34, a freelance copywriter by day and an aspiring author by night, won the Amazon competition with her entry about a slug living under a family’s floorboards who assumes Christmas is not for him, until he comes face to face with Father Christmas. Amazon has made Banks’ story, illustrated by artist Aless Baylis as part of the prize, available to a potential audience of millions in the hope that the tale will become an instant Christmas Eve classic. Banks also picks up a £2,000 Amazon gift card and new Fire tablet as part of the prize, and as a Kindle Direct Published author, will earn future royalties once she starts selling the story at the price of her choice from Christmas day following the initial five day free period.
The inaugural Amazon competition to find a modern-day equivalent to the 200 year old Clement Clarke Moore classic, Twas the Night Before Christmas, was launched to encourage the over 50 per cent of people in the UK who believe they have a book in them[1] to have a go at writing a new Christmas classic. Almost 1,000 individual stories from emerging authors of all ages and across the UK were submitted to the judging panel made up of Amazon book editors, artist and illustrator Aless Baylis, and children’s writer Baroness Floella Benjamin OBE.
Inpired by the slugs that roam in her own kitchen at night, winning author Banks comments: “I am delighted that Sol the Slug has captured the hearts and imaginations of the judging panel. I tested the story on my two little boys and I just hope that the story will be as popular with children across the country as it was with them. I think there is a lot to be learnt from creatures like slugs; they are universally disliked, but offer something rather lovely to the world. It is a story about acceptance and inclusivity, and I hope it encourages readers to look at the world differently and realise that regardless of appearance, or in this case sliminess, everybody is remarkable.”
Amy Worth, UK Kindle Content Director, Amazon comments: “The saying goes that we all have a story within us, and the outpouring of creative Christmas tales we’ve received from aspiring writers across the UK proves this. Whilst there were a number of brilliant entries, Lucy’s story, Sol the Slug’s Night Before Christmas, is a refreshing take on the festive classic which we think parents and children alike will enjoy. We are delighted to be giving this story away for free in the five days before Christmas and we hope families across the country will make Sol the Slug a part of their Christmas Eve bedtime reading for years to come.”
Baroness Floella Benjamin OBE, children’s storytelling expert and judge, commented: “I’m thrilled that this Amazon competition inspired so many people across the UK to give story writing a try, we received many many fantastic entries. Sol the Slug’s Night Before Christmas is without a doubt an unusual Christmas tale, but it is a funny and heart-warming story with the very important and timely message of inclusivity sitting at the heart. Sol is a unique protagonist, but one that we think will resonate with readers around the world.”
Professional artist Aless Baylis, commented: “As part of the judging panel I was lucky enough to read the shortlist of entries and despite the high calibre of entries, I knew as soon as I read Sol’s story, that I wanted to add some colour to this brilliantly different Christmas story. I am sure that children will love to imagine Christmas Eve through the eyes of a slug; I really enjoyed drawing what Sol’s story conjured up in my imagination.”
Sol the Slug’s Night Before Christmas is available on the Kindle store where it will be available for free in the run up to Christmas. It has been published through Kindle Direct Publishing, Amazon’s independent publishing programme, which enables authors to retain their copyrights, keep control, distribute globally, and earn royalties of up to 70 per cent. Banks will be enrolled into KDP Select, meaning that her book will be available through Kindle Unlimited.