Andrew, Fulford, Nicholson and May announced as new judges for Cheshire Novel Prize

Literary agents Nelle Andrew and Katie Fulford are joining Sphere editorial director Darcy Nicholson and author Nikki May as new judges for the second year of the Cheshire Novel Prize. 

They will work alongside two returning judges, Penguin Michael Joseph publisher Clio Cornish and agent Honor Spreckley. 

The Cheshire Novel Prize is open to unpublished or self-published unagented novelists over the age of 18. Self-published writers may enter as long as they are unagented at the time of entry. Novels can be in any genre for adults or young adults. The prize also accepts memoirs and fictional memoirs but does not accept children’s novels. 

Shortlisted writers will be invited to a lunch in Cheshire on 1st August 2023 and the winners will be announced at this lunch. The winner receives £1,500. Charlotte Morbey won the inaugural Cheshire Novel Prize with her historical novel Smoke and Honey, while Farah Yusuf was highly commended for her cosy mystery Almost Strangers. 

Andrew joined Rachel Mills Literary in 2020 and represents an array of prominent authors across both fiction and non-fiction, including Sara Collins, Jing-Jing Lee, Beth Underdown, Heidi Perks, Bryony Gordon and Elizabeth Day. 

Nicholson specialises in commercial women’s fiction and book club fiction and loves that “those are the two most flexible labels in publishing”.  

May’s début novel Wahala was published by Doubleday this year and the author is represented by Liv Maidment at the Madeleine Milburn Literary, TV and Film Agency. 

Fulford signed one shortlisted writer and two from the long longlist (the top 10% of entrants) for the Cheshire Novel Prize 2022. She has worked in publishing for many years and most recently at HarperCollins in various roles including group rights director, m.d. of Collins non-fiction and senior roles in HarperFiction, William Collins and Fourth Estate. Now at Bell Lomax Moreton, she is keen to build her fiction list in book club and commercial fiction, looking for female-led family and relationship drama, historical fiction, epic love stories and crime novels with great hooks. 

Cornish said she is “always looking for exciting new voices and memorable characters” and loves “immersive, emotionally gripping stories that cry out to be discussed and leave a lasting impact on their readers”. 

Spreckley signed two shortlisted writers for the 2022 prize and is back for a second year. She joined RCW in 2018 having previously worked for the Hay Festival. She works with Sam Copeland and Georgia Garrett and is starting to build her own list. She is particularly looking for literary fiction and commercial women’s fiction. 

The Cheshire Novel Prize opens for submissions on 1st January 2023. Applicants can find out more at www.cheshirenovelprize.com