I found out before Christmas that my collection of Mayakovsky versions, ‘Vladimir Mayakovsky’ And Other Poems, was longlisted for the 2018 Read Russia Prize, given to promote translations of Russian books. I then found out yesterday that it was not shortlisted. (The shortlisted books all look great: I am about halfway through Yuri Machkasov’s translation of Maryam Petrosyan’s The Gray House at the moment, and it is amazing). I was sad for about five minutes, until I got an email to tell me that my second collection of poems, On Trust: A Book of Lies, has been longlisted for the 2018 International Dylan Thomas Prize. I don’t know what to think: it’s an honour to have been considered, of course, and I don’t really have any illusions about making it even to the shortlisting stage. But to dream of fame and glory and (especially) money is nice every now and then.
James Womack 