11th February 2005
ANDREA LEVY SHORTLISTED FOR THIRD LITERARY PRIZE
Shortlist announced for the FosterGrant
Reading Glasses
Romantic Novel of the Year Award
 The
year’s hottest literary celebrity is among the writers
shortlisted for the 2005 Romantic Novel of the Year Award,
sponsored by FosterGrant Reading Glasses.
Andrea Levy, fresh from two major recent literary
successes, is nominated for her book Small Island. She joins
first-time novelists Katharine Davies and Cecilia Samartin
and three other writers, who are all established popular
novelists. The full shortlist is:
- A Good Voyage by Katharine Davies (Chatto and Windus)
- Love and Devotion by Erica James (Orion)
- Small Island by Andrea Levy (Headline)
- The Hornbeam Tree by Susan Lewis (Heinemann-Random
House)
- The Tenko Club by Elizabeth Noble (Hodder)
- Ghost Heart by Cecilia Samartin (Bantam Transworld)
The Romantic Novelists’ Association will announce the
winner of the £10,000 prize at a ceremony at the Savoy Hotel
in April.
Chair of judges Danuta Kean, who writes extensively about
the book industry, described the books on the shortlist as
‘a delight’.
“This shortlist showcases the very best in popular
fiction today, exploring relationships, characters and
situations in the very best literary tradition. Whatever
the backdrop to the story, these books succeed in
enriching the mind and heart through the authors’ gifts
of story-telling.“
The books have diverse backdrops from life in Castro’s
Cuba to post-war Britain and Oxford University in the
1980’s.
The award is open to any book first published in the UK
in the last year, which embraces romance in its widest
sense. Past winners include popular novelists Jo Jo Moyes,
Sarah Mason and Philippa Gregory.
L - R: Erica James, Andrea Levy, Katharine Davies,
Elizabeth Noble and Susan Lewis
Ends
Notes to editors:
- Romantic fiction is among the UK’s most commercially
successful book categories, appearing under a variety of
publishers’ labels including general fiction, women’s
fiction, chick lit and historical sagas.
- The Romantic Novelists’ Association is the UK’s only
professional writers’ association specialising in
romantic fiction, and includes many best-selling writers
such as Joanna Trollope, Katie Fforde and Carole
Matthews among its members.
- FosterGrant Reading Glasses are sponsoring this
award for the first time in 2005. Their exclusive
collection of designer inspired men's and ladies styles
is ideal for reading and close-up work. They have an
extensive choice of contemporary and classic styles,
supplemented by super sleek ultra micro readers,
easy-to-use and compact fold-ups, simple readers and
two-in-one sun readers. All styles come ready-to-wear,
are available in the six most popular magnification
strengths and from only £12.99 to £19.99, represent
outstanding value for money.
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