Spear by Nicola Griffith - promotional guide

About the ADCI Literary Prize 2023

Launched in 2022, the ADCI (Authors with Disabilities and Chronic Illnesses) Literary Prize seeks to encourage greater positive representation of disability in literature.

Founded by author Penny Batchelor and publisher Clare Christian together with the Society of Authors, the prize is generously sponsored by Arts Council England, ALCS, the Drusilla Harvey Memorial Fund, and the Professional Writing Academy.

Open to authors with a disability and/or chronic illness, the prize will call for entries of novels which include a disabled or chronically ill character or characters.

The pack includes:
- A promotional guide for the winner pack and how to use the pack of resources in your library to celebrate the the winning book Spear by Nicola Griffith
- Image assets

More about Spear

Find out about the winning book here.

She left all she knew to find who she could be…

She grows up in the wild wood, in a cave with her mother, but visions of a faraway lake drift to her on the spring breeze, scented with promise. And when she hears a traveler speak of Artos, king of Caer Leon, she decides her future lies at his court. So, brimming with magic and eager to test her strength, she breaks her covenant with her mother and sets out on her bony gelding for Caer Leon.

With her stolen hunting spear and mended armour, she is an unlikely hero—not a chosen one, but one who chooses. Aflame with determination, she begins a journey of magic and mystery, love, lust and fights to death. On her adventures she will steal the hearts of beautiful women, fight warriors and sorcerers, and make a place to call home.

The legendary author of Hild returns with an unforgettable hero and a queer Arthurian masterpiece for the modern era. Nicola Griffith’s Spear is a spellbinding vision of the Camelot we’ve longed for, a Camelot that belongs to us all.

H2. What the judges say

“Spear stood out on the shortlist for its lyrical storytelling, weaving myth, magic and a love of nature together to create a version of the Arthurian legend where those usually airbrushed from history take centre stage.” – Penny Batchelor

“A classic tale gloriously reimagined for a new age. Delivered in skillful, sparkling prose, Spear is paced like a thriller while retaining the hallmarks of historical fiction. The re-embodiment of an inanimate birthright into a living, breathing thing is a particularly delightful twist.” – Nii Ayikwei Parkes