Press release -
Judges Announced for 2014 Costa Book Awards
London, 7th October 2014: Costa today announces the judging panels for the 2014 Costa Book Awards, which is open to writers based in the UK and Ireland.
They include writers Maggie O’Farrell, Elizabeth Buchan, Bernardine Evaristo and Wendy Moore, children’s author Jonathan Stroud, poet and author Owen Sheers and Radio 2 Book Club Producer, Joe Haddow.
The full panels are listed below:
COSTA FIRST NOVEL AWARD
Joanne Finney: Books Editor, Good Housekeeping
Joe Haddow: Producer, Radio 2 Book Club
Maggie O’Farrell: Writer
COSTA NOVEL AWARD
Elizabeth Buchan: Author
Bernardine Evaristo: Writer
Jasper
Sutcliffe: Head of Buying, Foyles
COSTA BIOGRAPHY AWARD
Paul Laity: Non-Fiction Books Editor, The Guardian
Wendy Moore: Author and Freelance Journalist
Sheila O’Reilly: Owner, Dulwich Books
COSTA POETRY AWARD
Anna Dreda: Independent Bookseller, Founder, Wenlock Poetry Festival
Charlotte Runcie: Poet and Arts Journalist, Daily Telegraph
Owen
Sheers: Poet and Author
COSTA CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD
Loran Bradbury: Deputy Literary Editor, Daily Telegraph
Jake Hope: Freelance Reading Development and Children’s Book Consultant
Jonathan Stroud: Author
A total of 640 books were entered for this year’s Costa Book Awards - the highest number of entries ever received in one year.
This year also saw the highest-ever number of entries in the First Novel category - a total of 125 books were submitted in this category; and in the Novel category, which received a staggering 182 submissions.
First Novel category judge, Joe Haddow, said: “I’m thrilled to be a part of this year’s Book Awards and I just know it’s going to be a hard task to choose our shortlist and winner out of all the brilliant first novels we have received this year.”
The judges will select shortlists and winners in their respective categories (First Novel, Novel, Biography, Poetry and Children’s Book) and the five Award Winners will form the shortlist for the 2014 Costa Book of the Year, which will be announced at an awards ceremony in central London on Tuesday January 27th, 2015.
“The breadth of subject and approach in this year’s entries shows a universal confidence and boldness,” commented Novel category judge, Elizabeth Buchan. “This is the category which showcases the authors who have had time to work at their craft and to clarify their vision. One thing is for sure: on this showing, the novel is certainly not dead but alive, kicking and making waves.”
The Costa Book Awards have the single aim of
celebrating the most enjoyable books of the last year by writers based in the
UK and Ireland. Originally established
in 1971 by Whitbread Plc, Costa, the UK's fastest-growing coffee shop chain,
announced its takeover of the sponsorship of the UK's most prestigious book
prize in 2006.
Recent winners of the Costa Book of the Year include Nathan Filer for The Shock of the Fall (2013), Hilary Mantel for Bring Up the Bodies (2012), Andrew Miller for Pure (2011), Jo Shapcott for Of Mutability (2010), Christopher Reid for A Scattering (2009), Sebastian Barry for The Secret Scripture (2008), Day by A. L. Kennedy (2007) and Stef Penney for The Tenderness of Wolves (2006).
In 2012, Costa launched the Costa Short Story Award, a new Award for a single short story run in association with the Costa Book Awards but judged independently of the main five-category system. The Award is for a single, previously unpublished short story of up to 4,000 words by an author aged 18 years or over and written in English.
A panel of five judges will select a shortlist of six entries which will be revealed in November 2014. The public will then be invited to vote online for their favourite story from the six finalists. The two runners-up and winner will be announced at the Costa Book Awards ceremony on 27th January 2015.
- Ends -
______________________________________________________________
For further press information, please contact:
Amanda Johnson
Costa Book Awards Press and Publicity
Telephone: 07715 922180 (mobile)
Email: amanda@amandajohnsonpr.com
The Costa Book Awards:
· The Costa Book Awards, formerly the Whitbread Book Awards, were established in 1971 to encourage, promote and celebrate the best contemporary British writing.
· The Costa Book Awards have the single aim of celebrating the most enjoyable books of the last year by writers based in the UK and Ireland and have five categories: Novel, First Novel, Biography, Poetry and Children's Book.
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Costa is the UK’s favourite coffee shop, having been awarded “Best Branded Coffee Shop Chain in the UK and Ireland" by Allegra Strategies for four years running (2010, 2011, 2012 & November 2013).
Winner of “Best Branded Coffee Chain in Europe” Allegra Strategies 2011, 2012 and 2013.
With over 1,755 coffee shops in the UK and more than 1,000 overseas, Costa is the fastest growing coffee shop business in the UK and the second largest coffee shop operator in the world. Founded in London by Italian brothers Sergio and Bruno Costa in 1971, Costa has become the UK’s favourite coffee shop chain and has recently diversified into both the at-home and gourmet self-serve markets.
Costa employs over 13,000 people and is creating around 1,500 jobs this year and over 4,500 jobs in the next 3 years in the UK.
Costa is committed to looking after coffee-growers. That's why we've established The Costa Foundation, a registered charity. The Costa Foundation's aims are to relieve poverty, advance education and the health and environment of coffee-growing communities around the world. So far, The Costa Foundation has funded the building of 42 schools and improved the social and economic welfare of coffee-growing communities.
