FINAL TWELVE FOR BOOK PRIZE Twelve finalists have been short-listed for the biennial Dundee International Book Prize – with more than half of those from outside Scotland. Judges have ploughed through almost 150 entries from all over the world, and the short-listed entries are currently being reviewed by the judging panel comprising prize-winning author and professor of creative writing at the University of Dundee , Kirsty Gunn and journalist and editor Magnus Linklater. The eventual winner of the competition – which is for a novel unpublished in book form – will have their manuscript published by Polygon and receive a cash prize of £10,000. Of the twelve short-listed entries three are from England, three from Australia, one from Canada and five from Scotland. All are judged anonymously so their names are carefully kept under wraps until the judging is complete. Lord Provost John Letford, Chairman of the City of Discovery Campaign which sponsors the prize, said: “The twelve finalists all deserve congratulations on their achievement thus far. I know the judges have been impressed at the standard of entries.” “This is the fifth round of the Prize, which has grown in stature each time and is now recognised as Scotland ’s leading award for up and coming novelists.” Judge Kirsty Gunn said: “The standard of entries has been very good, and the task of reducing that number to 12 has been an enormous one. We are now in the final stages of judging to find our overall winner, and again that will be no easy job.” The latest Book Prize saw entries from 20 countries around the world, including Europe, Canada, USA, Australia, and New Zealand. There continued to be a strong Scottish and UK interest also. The first four Dundee Book Prize winning novels have all gone on to have success. The authors have also gone on to produce further works of fiction and non-fiction. Andrew Murray Scott’s book Tumulus detailed bohemian Dundee through the 60s and 70s to the present day. The winning novel in 2002, Claire-Marie Watson’s The Curewife drew on the tale of Dundee’s last execution of a witch – Grissel Jaffray in 1669 and the winner in 2005 was Malcolm Archibald’s adventure on a whaling ship Whales for the Wizard. 2007 saw French resident Fiona Dunscombe scoop the accolade with her gritty, dark and full of life novel The Triple Point of Water. ••• ANOTHER EXCITING CHAPTER FOR The 2009 Dundee International Book Prize was launched today - with a new high calibre judging panel set to rule on entries from around the world. Award-winning author Kirsty Gunn, Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Dundee, will chair the panel which will also include journalist, author and broadcaster Magnus Linklater, a former chairman of the Scottish Arts Council. The stature of the judges reflects the increasing recognition of the Dundee International Book Prize. It is now established as the UK's premier prize for emerging novelists, with a £10,000 cash award together with publication by Birlinn Ltd, publishers of the Polygon imprint. The prize is a joint venture between the City of Discovery Campaign, the University of Dundee, and Birlinn. Kirsty Gunn said: "I am delighted to be associated with a prize that also reflects so nicely the aims and ambitions of our own new creative writing programme at the University of Dundee - that is, to encourage work that is fresh and new, across a whole spectrum of genres and styles, bringing together writers no matter who they are or where they're from or what their range or kind of experience. The Dundee International Book Prize is generously structured to celebrate both the regional and the international, so we get to play host to new writing talent from around the world. And that mix - of the here and the there - is a truly creative one. " Magnus Linklater added: "Any new writer knows the long and agonising process of gaining recognition. The Dundee International Book Prize is a unique and imaginative response to that process. It offers talented young writers the priceless opportunity of being discovered. "Over the last ten years the Prize has quietly established itself, within Scotland and abroad, as a unique means of identifying new writers and ensuring that they, in turn, find their audience. The partnership of University, City and publisher is an inspiring model for the promotion of Scottish culture." ••• The 2007 Book Prize saw entries from 20 countries around the world, including Australia, Guatemala, New Zealand, Canada and USA. There continued to be a strong Scottish and UK interest also. Lord Provost John Letford, Chairman of the City of Discovery Campaign, said: "The Book Prize has now established itself not only as a leading UK literary award, but on an international scale. Last year's winner was an Englishwoman, living in France, who was alerted to the Prize by a French friend. We have also seen the percentage of overseas entries increase, and also the quality of entries. I am sure the next Prize will prove every bit as successful." ••• Dundee is a city which embraces writers - A.L.Kennedy, born and bred in the city, Douglas Dunn, Kate Atkinson, John Burnside, Bill Duncan and Rosamunde Pilcher are amongst the "glitterati" who have drawn on the City of Discovery for their inspiration over the last two decades. ••• This week (21-22 June) Dundee hosts the first Dundee Literary Festival with major names including Philip Pullman, Jacqueline Wilson, Peter Hobbs, Ben Markovits, Bill Duncan and Christopher Priest appearing. The first entry packs for the Dundee International Book Prize will be made available to all those who attend this event. ••• The first four Dundee Book Prize winning novels have all gone on to have success. The authors have also gone on to produce further works of fiction and non-fiction. Andrew Murray Scott's book Tumulus detailed bohemian Dundee through the 60s and 70s to the present day. The winning novel in 2002, Claire-Marie Watson's The Curewife drew on the tale of Dundee's last execution of a witch - Grissel Jaffray in 1669 and the winner in 2005 was Malcolm Archibald's adventure on a whaling ship Whales for a Wizard. 2007 saw French resident Fiona Dunscombe scoop the accolade with her gritty, dark and full of life novel The Triple Point of Water . |
