In this post earlier this week, I made what Lucy immediately labelled a shameless attempt to bribe the judges of a competition – the aim of the competition being to script, storyboard or even shoot an advert for the new Patricia Cornwell paperback.

Well, it looks as if I wasn’t shameless enough, or perhaps I should have made a better offer, as the shortlist of six finalists has been announced, and I’m not on it.

However, if you scroll down a little further on the page in question, you may well spot a familiar name. Go on, have a look, I’ll wait right here… back now?

I’m rather pleased about it, to be honest – especially as I’ve never written an advert before in my life. Like getting a rejection letter back but with some promising or supportive remark in it, it’s stuff like this that helps keep me motivated, silly as that may sound.

If you want to see my entry, called ‘Names’, it’s here.