Major New Book Prize Announced and Catherine Zeta-Jones, Too

Posted on November 12, 2004

Think you have what it takes to win a major book prize? Well, you just got a major new prize to vie for. The Dylan Thomas Book Prize, named after the Swansea-born poet, pays £60,000 (about $111,000 U.S.) to the author of the best book published in English anywhere in the world by an author under 30. The prize is open to writers of novels, poetry, plays and travel books.

Swansea-born actor Catherine Zeta Jones will be its international ambassador and will promote the contest -- when she's not appearing in commercials for T-mobile phones, suing photographers over unflattering portraits of her eating wedding cake, suing diet makers for falsely claiming she used their product, suing "The Spice House" (Reno's friendliest topless cabaret) for placing a photo of her next to shots of naked strippers without her permission, or threatening legal action against Clear Channel Worldwide for publishing photos of her suntanning topless.

A friendly piece of advice to whoever wins the contest: no matter how excited you are to receive your check from Ms. Zeta-Jones, please do not get carried away and try to snap a party pic of the happy occasion.