Britain celebrates 20 years of literary bad sex

LONDON (AFP) - Canadian author Nancy Huston was on Tuesday awarded what has been dubbed Britain's "most dreaded literary prize" for penning the most cringeworthy erotic description of 2012.

After the so-called "mummy porn" phenomenon gripped the literary world - with erotic novel Fifty Shades Of Grey topping international best-seller lists - eight writers were on the shortlist in the not-so-prestigious Bad Sex in Fiction Award's 20th year.

Paris-based Huston claimed the dubious honour with her book Infrared, becoming only the third female winner of the prize.

The 59-year-old did not attend the ceremony at London's In And Out Club, but sent an acceptance message. "I hope this prize will incite thousands of British women to take close-up photos of their lovers' bodies in all states of array and disarray," she said.