A comedy novel that started as a Jersey magazine column has been shortlisted for a national award that aims to celebrate and encourage witty women authors.
Dara Lutes, who lived in Jersey from the age of 17, has been shortlisted for the Comedy Women in Print Prize in the unpublished novel category for her book, Generation Ex.
The novel follows the story of 45-year-old Kate, who spirals into revenge, chaos, and self-discovery after being dumped for a Gen Z influencer.
It is described as “an exploration of heartbreak, intergenerational feminism, and the messy reality of growing older without growing up”.
Although Dara now lives in Brighton, her writing career began in Jersey and she still retains close ties to the island.
Express caught up with her about the inspiration behind Generation Ex…
What inspired you to write this book?
“I started out with writing an auto-fiction column for Gallery Magazine called ‘Love on The Rocks’ about my single life escapades in Jersey, and that this then evolved into a novel when I completed my MA in Creative Writing at Brighton University.
“While I was redrafting it I also realised that we don’t see many stories about women in their forties who haven’t ever wanted to have kids or a family and are just fine with it and having a good time.
“My mother reared me on a strict diet of P.G. Wodehouse, Jane Austen and Stella Gibbons, and I discovered the joys of Helen Fielding and Faye Weldon when I was an adult.
“But there is one book which impacted me deeply at a much younger age, when I was around five years old, called The Egg & I by Betty MacDonald.”
What do you hope readers take away from Generation Ex?
“I don’t want people to feel like they have to learn anything – I just want them to have a good time.
“I hope they have fun. That’s enough for me. In this crazy world where everything seems to be heavy and loaded, I think we all need some respite.
“Although, if there must be a lesson, it’s that women of all generations need to stick together and have compassion for each other.”
How does it feel to be shortlisted for the Comedy Women in Print Prize?
“I’m so excited, because it’s such a wonderful organisation. [Comedy Women in Print Prize founder and comedian] Helen Lederer is incredible, but they’re all just so warm and encouraging.
“They really do support you as a writer and make sure that you achieve something. Also, just hanging around with other women who love to laugh is and my is exactly my cup of tea.”
What is next for you?
“I technically wrote my first book when I was nine – it was a very short autobiography called My Dog Is Dead & Other Realisations – it was meant to be a searing exposé of parental dishonesty, but it became an unintentional comedy.
“Generation Ex is the first book I’ve finished since then, although I now have a couple books more in the works.
“I’m currently writing my next novel, a Victorian style mystery set in modern-day London called The Red Flag, about a young girl who disrupts a middle-aged friendship group at a wedding.”