Top prize for Stacey in Dubai literature festival
A former Shropshire woman has won a top prize at the Emirates Literature Festival in Dubai.
Stacey Siebritz, 34, a former pupil of the Mary Webb School at Pontesbury, won the Montegrappa Writing Prize, and although her parents Abraham and Felicia in Telford had planned to fly out to the awards presentation, the ceremony fell victim to the coronavirus outbreak.
“It is such a big platform for the writers," said Stacey.
"I think writing is such a solitary pursuit and it is such a personal one. You are just putting your heart and soul onto the page. To receive feedback from people who have been in the business for a long time is invaluable. I can’t believe I won.”
Abraham, an emergency doctor in the NHS, said: "We are very impressed – very chuffed. She has always written, and while at school won a prize for creative writing."
He said the Dubai prize was awarded based on a synopsis of her as-yet unpublished novel.
"It's called The Leap, and is one of those Sliding Doors-type stories, a leap into a different direction if you had not made certain choices."
The prize is a limited edition luxury pen worth Dh15,000 from Montegrappa which she can design by herself, several individual sessions with UK literary agent Luigi Bonomi who has launched the careers of many bestselling authors, and a two-night stay at a five star hotel in Dubai.
Abraham said Stacey's ambition was "to finish this book and then continue to write."
South African-born Stacey came to Britain with her family in 1997. She has lived in Dubai for four years and is a media content writer for a PR company.
She went to Leeds University and then taught English for two years in South Korea, simultaneously writing for a travel magazine and a yoga magazine. On her return to Britain she did a diploma in journalism before going to Dubai.
