And the Dimoitou Award goes to... Gary Ghislain for The Goolz Next Door!

Gary Ghislain wins the Dimoitou Award 2018

The Dimoitou is a French literary award given to an outstanding work of children's fiction. Each year, the Dimoitou jury, 10 children aged 8-11, picks-up the winning author among a selection of 5 novels. The finalist are invited to the Le Mans Book Fair (25e Heure du Livre) where the winner is announced. This year finalists were Jean-Claude Mourlevat (Gallimard jeunesse), Luc Blanvillain (L’école des loisirs), Glwadys Constant (Rouergue), Ingrid Thobois (Sarbacane) and Yours Truly (Winner!)

It was an amazing experience, and the jury was just awesome. After winning the Dimoitou, I got to spend some time with them and answer their questions about The Goolz Next Door and writing spooky stories in general.

Angelique, one of the jurors, asked me: "Are you always going to write scary stories? I like them, but, sometimes, when I sleep at my Grandma's, they terrify me. "

"The best way to deal with the monster under your bed," I answered, "is to grab a flashlight and confront it. By engaging with the monster, you take away its power to scare you. Maybe all it really wanted anyway, was to pull up your blanket over you when you were cold at night."

Great experience. Fantastic time in Le Mans Book Fair and another #HappyGoolzDay


The Dimoitou Jury, and Dimoitou itself (the yellow creature)

As Reported in the News

Gary Ghislain #happywriter

Gary Ghislain receiving the Dimoitou Award

Signing copies at the Le Mans Book Fair (25e Heure du Livre) after receiving the Dimoitou Award

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