The People’s Book Prize

The People’s Book Prize

Last night was the awards ceremony for The People’s Book Prize 2020. A Girl Behind Dark Glasses was shortlisted for the BEST NON-FICTION award. I felt I honoured to be a finalist with such an array of incredible authors.

Due to COVID-19, the lavish awards ceremony in London was not possible. The organisers tried everything, but in the end it was decided that a zoom meeting would have to do. Although people were disappointed that it wasn’t the ceremony they had hoped for, I was excited because it meant I could go to it, as I wouldn’t have been well enough to go to London.

It was a good excuse to get all dressed up in the outfits we would have worn and have a day of looking glam. I could pace my energy to get ready over time. I was amazed that I would be able to be in a zoom conversation with everyone.

I had not expected to win.

So when, Frederick Forsythe CBE announced “The winner is A Girl Behind Dark Glasses”, I was shocked. For a moment I thought about everything that this book has achieved and then what this award would do for the M.E. community… and I felt completely overwhelmed at the magnitude of what had just happened.

It is down to you, the readers of Dark Glasses that made this happen. The M.E. community who have supported me through this journey, my family who have been my biggest advocates and my friends too.

This is a moment I never imagined would happen. If I could go back to 2006, the very beginning of this journey, and tell fifteen year old Jessica in hospital that in the future she would have an award winning best-selling book… it would have given me such hope.

I will keep fighting for people with M.E. and my journey will continue in the sequel ‘A Girl in One Room’, which is out in January 2021.

Thank you to everyone who voted – you really have changed my life.

Thank you to everyone who voted – you really have changed my life.

The adrenaline has now left me, my body has crashed and I am feeling it. It is an exhaustion that physically hurts and makes me feel sick. I will be off grid for a couple of days, but please keep sharing so we can keep the momentum up. I will be back!

[For more information on a press release, please look at LiterallyPR. You can contact me via this website if you would like anymore information or any interviews. Samuel will be keeping an eye on everything]

[Photo description: 29 year old Jessica is standing up holding her book ‘A Girl Behind Dark Glasses’. She is wearing an emerald green halter neck dress with pearl earrings. Her hair is in an up do and is curled around her face.