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Laurent REBOURS
Published on
Nov. 7 2024 at 5:46 p.m
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On the occasion of the twenty years of the Beauce and Dunois Manuscript Prize, the community of communes Cœur de Beauce and Pays Dunois are organizing a Literary salon the Sunday November 17, 2024 at the Espace Centaure in Fresnay-L’Évêque (Eure-et-Loir).
This event intends to celebrate two decades of local literature and will bring together a twenty authors signing (historical investigations, biographies, testimonies, thrillers and other novels…).
Activities, stands, and highlights
In addition to youth activities and a stand librairietwo highlights will not be missed:
■ An interview with Jean-Claude Ponçonlocal author and initiator of the Manuscript Prize, at 4:30 p.m.
■ 2024 awards ceremony (20th Prix du Manuscrit de la Beauce et du Dunois adult category and 1st Prix Première Plume for 6-12 year olds) at 5:30 p.m.
For this symbolic anniversary of the Beauce and Dunois Manuscript Prize, the community of communes Cœur de Beauce and Pays Dunois, which support and run this local writing prize, therefore wanted to set up this great literary day.
A Prize to create a “Collective Memory” fund
In 2004, Jean-Claude Ponçon, author of local novels (The Poach, The Last Water Bearer) living in Saint-Maur-sur-le-Loirproposes to Pays Dunois to create the Manuscript Prize in order to constitute a “Collective Memory” fund.
From 2007, it was extended to the entire Eurelian Beauce and renamed “Prix du Manuscrit de la Beauce et du Dunois”.
For twenty years, lovers of words have demonstrated their attachment to heritage, history, landscapes, customs and the imagination which form the basis of the identity of these rural territories through testimonies, biographies, historical investigations, thrillers and other novels…
Why this Literary Prize is original
The originality of the prize lies in the fact that it rewards each year unpublished manuscriptstending to bring out new authors. The winner receives support for the publication of 1500 euros and advice from the jury composed of booksellers, librarians, teachers, journalists, writers, historians and reading enthusiasts.
The prize was chaired for ten years by Jean-Claude Ponçon and the historian Alain Denizet took over in 2015. The selection of the winning manuscript depends on the quality of the writing, the composition of the story, the originality of the subject, links with the Beauce-Dunois territories, “as well as the sometimes very different literary tastes of the jurors” notes the CdC Coeur de Beauce.
Since 2004, more than 150 manuscripts have been submittedmore and more every year, and twenty-four winners were distinguished (two winners from the same in 2011, 2012, 2017, 2018 and 2020 and an edition canceled in 2010). Almost all the winners were published, all continued to write. And a significant fact, the winners are offered support in their publishing process.
All the authors present, the activities planned…
■ The authors present
From 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., around twenty authors will be present to sign their works. Among them, many former
winners of the Manuscript Prize of Beauce and Dunois, as well as other writers from the region.
– Patrice AUBERTEL, 2020 winner for “Le Loup des Malneureux”
– Pierre-François CHAUMEREUIL, 2019 winner for “Chronicles of Neustrie – History of a family from Orléans, second era of Charles Martel in the year 1000”
– Olivier COJAN, 2015 winner for “The Land Where Dreams Go to Die” and 2023 winner for “Lost Memories”
– Lydie DELANOUE, 2011 winner for “Jacques-René de Brisay de Denonville, a Beauceron marquis in New France”
– Alain DENIZET, 2006 winner for “In the heart of Beauce, investigation into a peasant without history. The world of Aubin Denizet, 1798-1854” and 2014 winner for “The Brierre affair, a senseless crime in the Belle Époque” and president of the jury since 2015
– Étienne ÉGRET, 2018 winner for “Voves 1942-1944, a camp in Eure-et-Loir”
– Marcel GRELET, novelist (“The Trunk of Secrets”, “The Land of Lavender”…)
– Marc GUILLEMIN, 2005 winner for “Le Secret du Beauceron” and 2012 winner for “Die for beans”
– Roger JUDENNE, novelist (“Louison the sweet”, “Five nights before the arrival of the Americans”, “Grandmother is a gangster”…)
– Isabelle JULIEN, 2018 winner for “The Testament of the White King”
– Jean-Claude LAGORCE, 2022 winner for “Rue de Luynes”
– Ludovic LECOMTE, children’s author (“Oscar et Carrosse”…)
– André LEJEUNE, 2009 winner for “Novel of a Life in Beauce”
– Domitille LEVEILLARD, 2021 winner for “Joséphine Diamant, detective – Down with the masks at the Château de Villeprévost!”
– Jean-Philippe NOBLET, 2017 winner for “A Family from Eure-et-Loir in the Great War”
– Jean-Claude PONÇON, local writer, initiator of the Manuscript Prize and president of the jury from 2004 to 2014
– Christophe PRAT, author and publisher (Ella Éditions)
– Gilbert TENÈZE, writer (“Things from here, people from elsewhere”, “At the heart of a family secret”…)
– Marie-Céline TYSSIER, novelist (“Nothing to hide”)
■ Stand librairie
The Une Page À Écrire bookstore (Janville-en-Beauce) will have a stand throughout the day, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., and will offer a very varied selection of works between local and national releases (novels, comics, children's albums, Christmas selection, games, etc.).
■ Highlights
– 4 p.m.: Interview with Jean-Claude Ponçon, local writer, initiator of the Manuscript Prize and president of the jury from 2004 to 2014
– 5:30 p.m.: 2024 awards ceremony – 20th Beauce and Dunois Manuscript Prize (Adult) and 1st Première Plume Prize (6-12 years old)
■ Youth activities
The magic of autumn will invite young people to explore the fantastic world of a famous wizard through different activities:
– At 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.: Creative workshop “Make your magic wand!” for children from 8 years old – Registration recommended on 02 37 99 97 92
– Continuous, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.: game library / reading / drawing area with the Cœur de Beauce Intercommunal Media Library and digital games with the Departmental Media Library
For several writers, a real springboard
Thus, the Beauce and Dunois Manuscript Prize was, for several of them, the first step in a writing career local, regional and even national.
This was, for example, the case ofOlivier Cojanauthor of the successful saga The land where dreams die who won an award in 2015 and spotted by Pocket, or Alain Denizet, winner in 2006 and 2014, whose works The true novel of the priest of Châtenay 1871-1914 et The Brierre affair, a senseless crime during the Belle Époque were acclaimed by the national media.
In order to allow all generations to tell their own story about their territory, the “Youth Prize” for 11-15 year olds was launched in 2011.
Led by Morgane-Thomas Ramadou, it is divided into two categories (individual writing and collective writing) and provides, as a reward, gift vouchers or participation in the purchase of books or for a school trip. To date, thirty-eight manuscripts have competed for the Young Prize.
For 2024, the Youth Prize has been put on hold and a new formula has been launched by Annette Baudron: the “First Feather Prize” reserved for 6-12 year olds, which received eight manuscripts for its first year and whose winner will be revealed during the Literary Salon. Note that writing workshops were led by the novelist Roger Judenne in local libraries to allow these budding writers to develop their imagination.
█ Practical:
Beauce-Dunois literary fair. Sunday November 17, 2024.
From 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Espace Centaure – Rue des Ouches Fresnay-L’Evêque.
Free entry and entertainment – Information on 02 37 99 97 92.
By the Community of Communes Cœur de Beauce.
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