By Jacqueline Grima
It has recently been announced that Manchester Writing School graduate Wyl Menmuir has been longlisted for the Man Booker Prize. Wyl, who graduated from the MA in Creative Writing Novel Route this year, has been recognised for his debut novel The Many, which he wrote as part of the MA programme. He is one of four debut authors to appear on the list.
The Man Booker is one of the UK’s top literary prizes and was established in 1969. The overall winner receives £50,000 whilst each shortlisted author wins £2,500. The 2016 judging panel includes Amanda Foreman, Jon Day, Abdulrazak Gurnah, David Harsent and Olivia Williams. Other authors on the longlist this year include JM Coetzee, AL Kennedy and Elizabeth Strout.
The winner will be announced on 25th October.
The Many tells the story of Timothy Buchannan who experiences unsettling events when he buys an abandoned house in a small coastal village. Setting about renovating the house, he becomes increasingly disturbed by the behaviour of the villagers around him. The novel contains elements of gothic horror and sci-fi and explores the dynamics of village life and the impact of loss.
Manager of the Manchester Writing School James Draper told Humanity Hallows, “This is an amazing achievement for Wyl, and reflects the hard work, determination and focus he put into his studies. It’s also another Man Booker success story for our Nicholas Royle, who edited the book for Salt Publishing”
He added, “Nick also edited Alison Moore’s The Lighthouse, which was short-listed for the prize in 2012. We’re all absolutely delighted for them, extremely proud – and have our fingers crossed for a short-listing and win!
The Many is available from Salt Publishing and other retailers.
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