Author good with bad sex award

The not-so-coveted award for the most poorly written sex scenes in literary fiction went to London-born Rowan Somerville. Photo / Getty Images

Literary giants such as US author Jonathan Franzen will be pleased to hear they missed out on a prize - the annual Bad Sex in Fiction Award.

The not-so-coveted award which is handed out for the most poorly written sex scenes in literary fiction went to London-born Rowan Somerville, says the Los Angeles Times.

His novel The Shape of Her included the notable passage: "Like a lepidopterist mounting a tough-skinned insect with a too blunt pin he screwed himself into her."

A lepidopterist specialises in the study of butterflies and similar insects.

"There is nothing more English than bad sex, so on behalf of the entire nation I would like to thank you," Somerville said.

The British magazine Literary Review has been handing out the award since 1993, with past winners including literary heavyweights Norman Mailer, Sebastian Faulks and Tom Wolfe. Pornography is not eligible.

This year's finalists were: A Life Apart by Neel Mukherjee, Freedom by Jonathan Franzen, The Golden Mean by Annabel Lyon, Heartbreak by Craig Raine, Maya by Alastair Campbell, Mr Peanut by Adam Ross, The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas and The Shape of Her by Rowan Somerville.