Michael Sheen announces winner of prize for young writers
A 27-year-old won the £30,000 Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize.
Michael Sheen turned awards host by announcing the winner of a literary prize.
The actor, 51, took part in a virtual ceremony.
Bryan Washington, 27, scooped the £30,000 Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize – which is awarded to young writers – for his debut short story collection LOT.
The work is a “deep dive into Houston’s neighbourhoods… telling stories about the marginalised communities”.
The Houston-based writer said: “It’s a gift whenever an audience gives you the time of day for a story, whatever that is, let alone to be acknowledged for your work on such a massive platform.
“And it’s an honour to tell stories about the communities that are dear to me, and the communities that I live among – marginalised communities, communities of colour, and queer communities of colour, specifically.”
Washington began writing LOT in 2016 with an ambition to chart the city of Houston’s geography, focusing in on the interior lives of his fellow citizens.
The prize – for writers aged 39 or under – celebrates the international world of fiction in all forms including poetry, novels, short stories, and drama.
Sheen is an honorary fellow of Swansea University.
