24 May 2023

The British Book Awards ceremony, held at Grosvenor House London, saw Alice Oseman, creator of the bestselling Heartstopper graphic novels, being awarded the Illustrator of the Year award. Alice was praised for building a community of devoted fans and celebrating diverse voices for a younger audience. Katherine Rundell won the Non-Fiction Narrative category for her book Super-Infinite (Faber), which was praised as "one of the best cradle-to-grave biographies" the judges had read. Beloved actor Richard E. Grant also won for his memoir A Pocketful of Happiness (Simon & Schuster) in the Audiobook of the Year: Non-Fiction category, and the book was hailed for its polite vulnerability, emotional narrative, and smart production choices. 

The British Book Awards celebrate the authors and illustrators who have stirred our hearts and imaginations and the industry behind the scenes who have brought them to readers. The judges opted to reward exceptional and compelling narratives expertly brought to market, with the book trade lauded for its commitment to promoting all types of reading for all types of readers.

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28 April 2023

Olga Tokarczuk and her English language translator Jennnifer Croft are among the three finalists for the EBRD Literature Prize 2023. Set in the mid-18th century, The Books of Jacob is about a charismatic self-proclaimed messiah, Jacob Frank, a young Jew who travels through the Hapsburg and Ottoman empires, attracting and repelling crowds and authorities in equal measure. It was also shortlisted for the Booker International Prize and the Kirkus Prize for Fiction in 2022.

This unique international prize, established in 2017 by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), awards both authors from countries where the EBRD operates and their English translators. It celebrates the diversity of cultures and the rich literary expression from regions ranging from central and eastern Europe to Central Asia, the Western Balkans and the southern and eastern Mediterranean. It also celebrates the role of translators as “bridges” between cultures. The winning author and two runners-up, along with their translators, will be announced on 15 June 2023 at an award ceremony to be held at the EBRD’s Headquarters in London. 

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24 April 2023

The 2023 Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) Dagger awards longlists have been revealed with Andy West, Abir Mukherjee, Judith O'Reilly and Sophie Hannah among the chosen.

For the ALCS Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction, which is awarded for the best non-fiction book on a crime-related theme, Andy West is on the longlist for The Life Inside (Picador); for the Dagger in the Library, which is awarded to a writer whose body of work is popular with library users, and who in turn supports libraries and borrowers, Sophie Hannah is on the longlist; and for the Short Story Dagger, which is awarded to the best crime-focused short story of the year published or broadcast in the UK, Abir Mukherjee is on the longlist for 'Paradise Lost' in The Perfect Crime, edited by Vaseem Khan and Maxim Jakubowski (HarperCollins), and Judith O'Reilly for 'Auld Bride' in Gone, edited by Stephen J. Golds (Red Dog Press).

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13 April 2023

Granta magazine’s Best of British Novelists list, which hails the literary stars of the future, has this year expanded to include writers who "regard this country as their home" even if they don’t have a British passport. "The result is a more varied and encompassing portrait of the kind of writing that is happening today in Britain," said Luke Neima, deputy editor of Granta.

Running since 1983, the list spotlights 20 novelists under the age of 40 every 10 years, marking them out as stars of the future. This year’s authors include Isabella Hammad, whose second novel Enter Ghost (Jonathan Cape) follows a production of Hamlet in Palestine, and Tom Crewe, whose acclaimed debut The New Life (Chatto & Windus), released earlier this year, is set among radical thinkers and campaigners at the time of the Oscar Wilde trial. They follow in the footsteps of writers such as Ian McEwan, Salman Rushdie, Zadie Smith and Kamila Shamsie, who have made the list in previous years.

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12 April 2023

The RSL Ondaatje Prize longlist has been reveled and featured are Seán Hewitt and Zaffar Kunial. Seán Hewitt is longlisted for his book All Down Darkness Wide (Jonathan Cape), a memoir of queer relationships and mental health framed by imagined encounters with key figures from LGBTQ+ history, and Zaffar Kunial for his poety collection England's Green (Faber), which re-envisages the country and language we think we know through intimate and revealing observations and memories. 

Awarded to an outstanding work of fiction, non-fiction or poetry that best evokes the spirit of a place, the RSL Ondaatje Prize is an annual award of £10,000. Nine authors have been longlisted for this year’s prize, selected by judges Samira Ahmed (Chair), Roger Robinson and Joelle Taylor.

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22 March 2023

Alice Oseman has earned their first BAFTA TV Awards nomination for their adapted screenplay for Heartstopper on Netflix in the drama category for Best Writing. 

Heartstopper has been a critical and audience hit since launching on the platform on April 22, reaching Netflix’s Top Ten list in 54 countries. Sales of Alice Oseman's works have also increased exponentially since the premiere of the adaptation on Netflix, propelling the first volume in the original graphic novel series to number one on the official UK Children's bestseller charts and volumes two, three and four into the top ten as well, and Heartstopper Vol 1 and Loveless into the top ten on the New York Times bestseller list. Alice Oseman has also won the award for Outstanding Writing at the Children's & Family Emmys' in 2022. 

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20 March 2023

Paddy Crewe has been shortlisted for the Authors’ Club Best First Novel Award for his debut novel My Name is Yip (Doubleday), a giddily imaginative picaresque steeped in the cinematic idiosyncrasies of the American frontier. Judges said the novel is "a stunning evocation of a largely lawless society during the American Goldrush. Crewe has created a memorable protagonist and his skilful use of language evokes both character and landscape to terrific effect."

Inaugurated in 1954, the Authors’ Club Best First Novel Award is now in its 69th year, making it the longest-running UK prize for debut fiction and – except for the James Tait Black and the Hawthornden – the oldest literary prize in Britain. The winning novel will be selected by this year’s guest adjudicator Louisa Young, and announced at a dinner at the National Liberal Club in London on 24 May.

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17 March 2023

Olga Tokarczuk and her English language translator Jennnifer Croft have been shortlisted for the EBRD Literature Prize 2023. Set in the mid-18th century, The Books of Jacob is about a charismatic self-proclaimed messiah, Jacob Frank, a young Jew who travels through the Hapsburg and Ottoman empires, attracting and repelling crowds and authorities in equal measure. It was also shortlisted for the Booker International Prize and the Kirkus Prize for Fiction in 2022.

This unique international prize, established in 2017 by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), awards both authors from countries where the EBRD operates and their English translators. It celebrates the diversity of cultures and the rich literary expression from regions ranging from central and eastern Europe to Central Asia, the Western Balkans and the southern and eastern Mediterranean. It also celebrates the role of translators as “bridges” between cultures. 

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17 March 2023

The shortlist for The British Book Awards 2023 (a.k.a. the Nibbies) has been announced, featuring multiple RCW authors as well as Claire Wilson for Literary Agent of the Year. Richard E. Grant is shortlisted in the Audiobook: Non-Fiction category for his memoir A Pocketful of Happiness (Simon & Schuster); Sir Terry Pratchett is shortlisted in the Audiobook: Fiction category for the Discworld series audiobooks, narrated by Peter Serafinowicz, Bill Nighy, Indira Varma & Andy Serkis et al (Transworld); Natalie Haynes in the Fiction Book of the Year category for Stone Blind (Mantle); Katherine Rundell in the Fiction and Non-Fiction: Lifestyle & Illustrated Book of the Year categories for Super-Infinite (Faber) and The Golden Mole, illustrated by Talya Baldwin (Faber); Alice Oseman in the Children's Illustrated Book of the Year category for The Heartstopper Yearbook (Hachette); and Tọlá Okogwu and A.F. Steadman are both shortlisted in the Children's Fiction Book of the Year category for Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun (Simon & Schuster Children's) and Skandar and the Unicorn Thief (Simon & Schuster C...

17 March 2023

Claire Wilson is shortlisted for the British Book Award for Literary Agent of the Year 2023. In 2022 her authors have won the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize, the Blue Peter Prize, the Foyles Book of the Year, the Baillie Gifford Prize and the Bookseller Person of the Year. Claire Wilson has also found time to advocate on inclusivity, sustainability and copyright as vice-president of the Association of Authors’ Agents.

Judges said: "This shortlist is notable for the impressive diversification of agenting in recent years. The efforts of both established and new agents to recruit and champion more people from underrepresented backgrounds and communities have been vital steps towards proper representation in publishing. Beyond that, the eight agents on this all-female shortlist—six of them nominated for the first time—all gave outstanding service to their fortunate clients in 2022, balancing sensitive care with tenacious deal-making."

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17 March 2023

Hannah Gold has picked up the Children’s Travel Book of the Year award for The Lost Whale (HarperCollins Children’s Books), "an incredible story about the connection between a boy and a whale and the bond that sets them both free." From the author of the bestselling The Last Bear, the books is another engrossing tale that blends ecological awareness with deftly plotted adventure, as lonely Rio mounts a desperate search for the whale that has enliven his forced stay in California.

In total 18 travel writers made the shortlists for the Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards this year, and the judging panel included Colin Thubron, Sunny Singh, Julia Wheeler, Lois Pryce, Caroline Eden and journalists Ash Bhardwaj and Jeremy Bassetti.

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16 March 2023

Scottish actor Richard Rankin (Outlander; The Last Kingdom) is set to play Edinburgh detective John Rebus in a new six-part series based on the acclaimed crime novels by Ian Rankin that will go out on Scandinavian streamer Viaplay, which recently launched in the U.S. Screenwriter Gregory Burke (Entebbe ’71) will adapt Rankin’s work for the screen. Eleventh Hour Films is producing the series for Viaplay. Niall MacCormick (Wallander) will direct the series, which starts shooting in Scotland next month and will stream on Viaplay in 2024. The show marks Viaplay’s first U.K. drama commission.

“I’m thrilled to be taking on the role of Rebus,” said Richard Rankin, who is no relation to the books’ author. “I’m a big fan of the series and Sir Ian Rankin. I feel very lucky to be given the honour of bringing such an iconic Scottish character back to TV screens and will give all I have to do it justice.”

Ian Rankin backed Richard Rankin to “bring the character to life,” adding: “He’s the perfect fit for the role, and not just because we coincidentally share the same surname.”

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16 March 2023

Katherine Rundell has won the Slightly Foxed Best First Biography Prize 2022, for her debut adult non-fiction book Super-Infinite (Faber & Faber). Katherine Rundell’s biography delves into the life of English poet John Donn and it won the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction and was shortlisted for the Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award. Judges said, "Katherine Rundell’s Super-Infinite quivers and shimmers with animation. It’s lively and playful, heartfelt and intelligent. In essence, everything one hopes a great biography will be."

Katherine Rundell won this year's Slightly Foxed Best First Biography Prize jointly with Osman Yousefzada, author of The Go Between (Canongate). The pair join previous winners including Heather Clark, Jonathan Phillips and Bart van Es and will share a £2,500 prize thanks to sponsorship from the Biographer’s Club. 

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16 March 2023

Tọlá Okogwu is among those longlisted for this year’s Jhalak Prize in the Children's & Young Adult fiction category. A debut children's novel packed full of memorable characters, Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun (Simon & Schuster) is the effervescent story of a British-Nigerian girl who discovers her curls have psychokinetic abilities and the thrilling adventures she undertakes with her new-found superhero friends. 

The Jhalak Prize and Jhalak Children’s & Young Adult Prize celebrate British or British-resident writers of colour, annually awarding £1,000 to each of the two winners, along with a unique work of art created by artists chosen for the annual Jhalak Art Residency. All shortlisted authors will also receive a one-year complimentary membership to the London Library, to which the winners receive a two-year membership.

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16 March 2023

The finalists in 25 categories for the 35th Annual Lambda Literary Awards have been announced, and Seán Hewitt and Julia Armfield are among the authors shortlisted. Seán Hewitt's All Down Darkness Wide (Penguin Press), a memoir of queer relationships and mental health, is shortlisted in the category for Best Gay Memoir/Biography Lyrical. Julia Armfield's Our Wives Under the Sea (Flatiron Books), a debut novel about the relationship between two women transformed by a deep dive onto a mysterious underwater vessel, is shortlisted in the Lesbian Fiction category. 

The finalists were selected by a panel of over 65 literary professionals from more than 1,350 book submissions. These selections represent the best of LGBTQ literature this year.

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09 March 2023

Screenwriter and executive producer David Kane, who is the lead writer on the TV show “Shetland”, is developing Denise Mina’s five-book Morrow series (Orion) into a multi-season TV series, set in Glasgow. David Kane and Denise Mina previously worked together on BBC drama “The Field of Blood”, based on her book of the same name, which starred Jayd Johnson, Peter Capaldi and David Morrissey. The show, which is not yet attached to a broadcaster, will be jointly executive produced by Denise Mina, David Kane and Freedom Scripted creative director Mike Ellen.

Denise Mina said: "You’d be hard pressed to fit a Rizla between my writing and Davie Kane’s, and I’m well aware that I’m bigging myself up in saying that. He’s a funny, brutal, wild writer and I’m honoured whenever our names are put together."

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07 March 2023

Cecile Pin’s Wandering Souls (Fourth Estate) and Natalie Haynes' Stone Blind (Mantle) are among the 16 titles to be longlisted for the £30,000 Women’s Prize for Fiction 2023. Cecile Pin is among the nine debut authors longlisted; her novel follows a group of Vietnamese refugees as they navigate their way through the cold individuality of Thatcher's Britain, guided only by the voice of their deceased younger brother. Natalie Haynes is among the three writers who have previously been shortlisted; Stone Blind is another bravura reimagining of Greek myth as the story of Medusa is transformed into a powerful meditation on mortality, betrayal and the cruel limits of beauty.

The judges will narrow down this longlist of 16 books to a shortlist of six, which will be announced on Wednesday 26th April 2023. The 2023 Women’s Prize for Fiction will be awarded on Wednesday 14th June 2023 at the Women’s Prize Trust’s summer party in central London. The winner will receive an anonymously endowed cheque for £30,000 and a limited-edition bronze figurine known as a "Bessie", created and donated by the artist Grizel Niven. 

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