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Newcomers take big bite of Orange

17.04.07

Literary newcomers dominate this year's Orange Broadband Prize shortlist, which is announced this morning at the London Book Fair.

Novelists with début or follow-up books on the list include Kiran Desai for The Inheritance of Loss (Hamish Hamilton), which won the 2006 Man Booker Prize, Jane Harris for The Observations (Faber), Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie for Half of a Yellow Sun (Fourth Estate), and Xiaolu Guo for A Concise Chinese-English Dictionary for Lovers (Chatto). They will compete with two established writers: Rachel Cusk (Arlington Park; Faber) and Anne Tyler (Digging to America; Chatto).

Muriel Gray, chair of judges, said: "[The shortlist] represents six beautifully crafted pieces of work that are as accessible as they are fascinating. That this writing should come from such diverse sources that include five different nationalities, a world-famous author, as well as a first-time novelist, is doubly thrilling."

The £30,000 prize has been rebranded the Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction, and for the first time broadband and mobile technology will be used to promote the shortlist to Orange's customer base. Initiatives include a partnership with Waterstone's to offer Orange customers a two-for-one promotion on the titles shortlisted for the Fiction and New Writers awards.

Orange has also introduced a readers' vote, with people able to vote via text message or at www.orangeprize. co.uk for their favourite author; and audio extracts are available to download.
The winner will be announced on 6th June at the Royal Festival Hall.

This article was first published in The Bookseller's London Book Fair Daily, 17th April. To view a digital version of the Daily, click the link below.

 

The Bookseller Daily at the London Book Fair - Day Two

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