Orange Prize for Fiction announces 2010 longlist

Orange Award for New Writers shortlist announcement: 13 April

Orange Prize for Fiction shortlist announcement: 20 April

Orange Prize for Fiction shortlist readings: 8 June

Awards ceremony: 9 June

The Orange Prize for Fiction, the UK’s only annual book award for fiction written by a woman, today announces the 2010 longlist. Celebrating its fifteenth anniversary this year, the Prize celebrates excellence, originality and accessibility in women’s writing throughout the world.  

The judges for the 2010 Orange Prize for Fiction are:

• Daisy Goodwin (Chair), Author and TV Producer
• Baroness Neuberger DBE, Rabbi, Author and Broadcaster
• Michèle Roberts, Novelist and Critic
• Miranda Sawyer, Journalist and Broadcaster
• Alexandra Shulman, Editor of British Vogue

“It was a tough judging process as there was a particularly strong range of books submitted from all over the world in this, the 15th year of the Orange Prize,” commented Daisy Goodwin, Chair of Judges, “but in the end we have chosen a muscular, original and pleasurable longlist that will appeal to all kinds of readers.”

The Prize was set up in 1996 to celebrate and promote fiction by women throughout the world to the widest range of readers possible and is awarded for the best novel of the year written by a woman in the English language.

“This year’s longlist reflects the exceptional diversity and calibre of international women’s fiction that the Orange Prize has championed since it began in 1996,” said Stuart Jackson, Director of Corporate Communications at Orange. “This is an exciting list in a year which has been notably strong for fiction by women and marks a great start to our 15th anniversary year.”

This year’s longlist honours both new and well-established writers, featuring seven first novels alongside previous Orange Prize and Orange Best of the Best winner, Andrea Levy, who is longlisted for her fifth novel and Man Booker 2009 winner, Hilary Mantel who is longlisted for her tenth novel. Five authors appearing on this year’s list have previously been longlisted for the Orange Prize for Fiction, and a further four authors have been previously shortlisted.1

Any woman writing in English, whatever her nationality, country of residence, age or subject matter, is eligible. The winner will receive a cheque for £30,000 and a limited edition bronze known as a ‘Bessie’, created and donated by the artist Grizel Niven. Both are anonymously endowed.

The winner will be announced at an awards ceremony to be held in The Ballroom at the Royal Festival Hall on 9 June 2010.

Previous winners are Marilynne Robinson for Home (2009), Rose Tremain for The Road Home (2008), Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie for Half of a Yellow Sun (2007), Zadie Smith for On Beauty (2006),  Lionel Shriver for We Need to Talk About Kevin (2005), Andrea Levy for Small Island (2004), Valerie Martin for Property (2003), Ann Patchett for Bel Canto (2002), Kate Grenville for The Idea of Perfection (2001), Linda Grant for When I Lived in Modern Times (2000), Suzanne Berne for A Crime in the Neighbourhood (1999), Carol Shields for Larry’s Party (1998), Anne Michaels for Fugitive Pieces (1997), and Helen Dunmore for A Spell of Winter (1996).

www.orangeprize.co.uk

ENDS
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For more information or to speak to the 2010 Chair of Judges, Daisy Goodwin, please contact:

Press Enquiries
Amanda Johnson at M&C Saatchi:
Tel: 020 7544 3751 or 07715 922 180
Email: amanda.johnson@mcsaatchi.com
 
Or

CJ Stanley, Orange
Tel: 07989 333 308
Email: cj.stanley@orange-ftgroup.com

Notes to Editors

• This year’s list carries thirteen British authors, four American authors, one Spanish/British author, one Moroccan author and one author from New Zealand. 
• The following author has previously won the Orange Prize for Fiction: Andrea Levy.
• The following authors have previously been shortlisted for the Orange Prize for Fiction: Sadie Jones (2008), Hilary Mantel (2006), Sarah Waters (2006, 2002), Barbara Kingsolver (1999).
• The following authors have previously been longlisted for the Orange Prize for Fiction: M.J. Hyland (2007), Rebecca Gowers (2007), Clare Clark (2005), Hilary Mantel (1999), Andrea Levy (1996).
• The following author has previously been shortlisted for the Orange Award for New Writers: Roopa Farooki (2007).
• There are seven first novels on the 2010 longlist.

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1 The following author has previously won the Orange Prize for Fiction: Andrea Levy (2004).
The following authors have previously been shortlisted for the Orange Prize for Fiction: Sadie Jones (2008), Hilary Mantel (2006), Sarah Waters (2006, 2002), Barbara Kingsolver (1999).
The following authors have previously been longlisted for the Orange Prize for Fiction:  M.J. Hyland (2007), Rebecca Gowers (2007), Clare Clark (2005), Hilary Mantel (1999), Andrea Levy (1996).