The other day I mentioned that the long list for the 2005 Orange Prize had been announced. I was too tired then to look at the list closely but today as I was looking through it and marking the books that sounded good, I suddenly realized Joolz Denby’s novel, Billie Morgan, was nominated. Yeah!!
I discovered Joolz through the band New Model Army. My husband is a huge NMA fan, who is not happy about missing their current U.S. tour. But, anyway, when he mentioned that the band also had a spoken-word performance group, Joolz Denby being a part of that group, I was all over it. I listened to Red Sky Coven and liked what I heard – a lot. So naturally I sought out her books.
Her novels, Stone Baby and Corazon, are imaginative storytelling at its finest. I think she has special way of relating social commentary without beating her audience over the head with the facts. And, if you like her novels be sure to read her poetry collections as well.
You can find out more about Joolz by reading this interview or this one.
Now I’m off to order her book.
