We’re thrilled to announce the shortlist for the 2018 East Anglian Book Awards, organised by the Eastern Daily Press, Jarrold and the National Centre for Writing in association with the University of East Anglia.

Now in its 11th year, the awards celebrate the regional writing talent within the East of England.

The main prize of £1,000 will be awarded to the overall East Anglian Book of the Year, courtesy of the PACCAR Foundation, which is chosen from the six winners of the subject categories (Fiction, Biography and Memoir, History and Tradition, General Non-Fiction, Poetry, and the Mal Peet Children’s Award). The Book By the Cover Awards and the Exceptional Contribution Award-winners will also be announced at the ceremony on Friday 23 November.

The shortlisted titles are:

Biography & Memoir

Judged by Chris Rushby, Book Buyer at Jarrold

• Ink in my Blood: My half century in newspapers by Neil Haverson (Paul Dickson publisher)
• The Lady Lord Mayors of Norwich by Phyllida Scrivens (Pen & Sword)
• A Life in Norfolk’s Archaeology 1950-2016 by Peter Wade-Martins (Archaeopress)

Fiction

Judged by Jan Holden, Head of Libraries and Information at Norfolk County Council Library and Information Service

• Devoured by Anna Mackmin (Propolis)
• Rock’n’Roll is Life by DJ Taylor (Constable & Robinson)
• The Great Level by Stella Tilyard (Chatto &Windus)

General Non-Fiction

Judged by Helen Dawson, Board Member at the National Centre for Writing

• Monday Market by Ben Elwes (Section Press)
• The East Country: Almanac Tales of Valley and Shore by Jules Pretty (Comstock)
• Cultures of the Countryside: Art, Museums, Heritage, Environment by Veronica Sekules (Routledge)

History & Tradition

Judged by Trevor Heaton, former EDP journalist

• Humphry Repton in Norfolk edited by Sally Bate, Rachel Savage and Tom Williamson (Norfolk Gardens Trust)
• Maritime Suffolk by Robert Maltster (Poppyland)
• This Hollow Land by Peter Tolhurst (Black Dog Books)

The Mal Peet Children’s Award

Judged by Hannah Garrard and Laura Stimson, Programme Managers at the National Centre for Writing

• Birdy & Bou: The Floating Library by David Bedford and Mandy Stanley (Simon & Schuster)
• Kick by Mitch Johnson (Usborne)
• Worzel Says Hello! Will You Be My Friend? By Catherine Pickles (Veloce)

Poetry

Judged by Prof. Tiffany Atkinson, Professor of Poetry at the University of East Anglia

• Gall by Matt Howard (Rialto)
• The Wound Register by Esther Morgan (Bloodaxe)
• Suffolk Bang by Adam Warne (Gatehouse Press)

To qualify, works had to be set largely in East Anglia or be written by an author living in the region – which is defined as Norfolk and Suffolk, and the area of Fenland District Council.

Books must have been physically published for the first time between July 21, 2017, and July 27, 2018 – and must have been commercially available in bookshops.

Since the awards launched in 2008, they have highlighted the works of almost 150 authors, nearly 190 titles, and more than 90 publishers.

Chief Executive at the National Centre for Writing, Chris Gribble, says:

“It has been another bumper year for the East Anglian Book Awards, with over 50 published submitted books demonstrating that we’re a hotbed of talent and creativity.

“The stories – of the past, present and emerging – show our region flourishing imaginatively and full of confidence for the future.”

Find out who the winners of this years awards are – as well as the winner of the East Anglian Book of the Year Award – at the East Anglian Book Awards 2018 and Jarrold Literary Lunch on Friday 23 November, 12pm, at Norwich City Football Club >>