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Hague to launch Yorkshire Book Award

20.06.07 Tom Tivnan

William Hague will announce the winner of a new award celebrating the best in Yorkshire writing at this September's inaugural Richmond Book Festival. Fifteen books are up for the award, which is sponsored by the Yorkshire Building Society and is supported by independent bookshops and libraries across the Yorkshire region.

Readers can vote for their favourite book in three categories using special cards found in libraries and bookshops or at www.richmondbookfestival.com. Voting closes on 31st July. The prizes, including an overall winner, will be awarded on the opening night of the Richmond Book Festival, which takes place from 21st-30th September alongside the Richmond Walking Festival, which is in its third year.

The idea for the award comes from independent bookseller Philip Wicks who runs two bookshops, one in Richmond and second in Northallerton.  "We are very involved with the local community and have supported the successful Richmond Walking Festival," he said. "This year books are being added to the boots, offering locals and visitors alike a really varied programme of events—with a wide selection of guided walks during the day then, talks, archive films and meet the author events in the evening as well as literary lunches and workshops."

Among the speakers appearing at the festival are mountaineer Sir Chris Bonington, and authors Diane Setterfield, Jonathan Tulloch and Michelle Paver. Organiser Gillian Howells said: "Richmond, North Yorkshire is a forward looking market town in a superb dales setting. We're keen to make visitors and businesses aware of our many assets and the Yorkshire Book of the Year is a great example of how enterprising we are."

The shortlisted adult fiction books are One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson, Shooting Elvis by Stuart Pawson, Damned United by David Peace, Piece of my Heart by Peter Robinson and Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield.

The young fiction books are Wooden Mile by Chris Mould, Don't Tell The Teacher by Gervase Phinn, Startled by his Furry Shorts by Louise Rennison, Curse of Salamander Street by G P Taylor and I am a Cloud, I Can Blow Anywhere by Jonathan & Shirley Tulloch.

The Yorkshire writings nominated are Black Diamonds by Catherine Bailey, Yorkshire Coast by Mark Denton, Brontes at Haworth by Ann Dinsdale, North Yorkshire 199 by Richard Jemison et al and Nobbut A Lad by Alan Titchmarsh.

tom tivnan Prize Yorkshire Book Award

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