The Desmond Elliott prize reminds us that authors need long-term support

With her prizewinning debut, Claire Fuller could be following in the footsteps of Ian Rankin and Hilary Mantel who found success with their later work – but only with the support of her publisherAs one of the judges for the Desmond Elliott prize for best debut novelist this year, I couldn’t help reflect on some of the challenges still to come for the authors. With three such accomplished novels on our shortlist, there was some hard talking in the judges’ room, but in the end we decided, by an honourable 2:1 vote, to award the prize to Claire Fuller for Our Endless Numbered Days. It is a dark and perfectly poised account of a survivalist father hiding out in a remote forest with his increasingly embattled daughter that recalls the early work of Ian McEwan in its brooding slow build to a dramatic climax. But nobody could dispute the literary skill evident in the other books on the shortlist: Elizabeth Is Missing by Emma Healey and Carys Bray’s A Song for Issy Bradley.The vital thing now is that these writers are offered long-term support from their agents and publishers. The amount of publicity given to those first novels that become instant bestsellers distorts the reality for the majority of debut novelists, even very gifted ones: a moderate advance, a small amount of acclaim, a continuing battle to get their next book written and then published. This is the reality for authors who want a sustained career in books. Related: Desmond Elliott prize goes to Claire Fuller's... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2015-07-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #emma healey #carys bray #debut novelists #book written #sustained career

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Doris Lessing, Nobel Prize-winning author, has died at 94

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[ Los Angeles Times | 2013-11-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Edinburgh author Angela Jackson is named the winner of the 2013 Edinburgh International Book Festival's First Book Award. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2013-10-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Will the Man Booker Prize be open to US authors next year?

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Man Booker Prize long list includes writers Colum McCann, Tash Aw

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[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-07-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Barber wins Desmond Elliott

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[ The Bookseller | 2013-06-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Dyslexic author wins book prize

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[ BBC News | 2013-06-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Jack Vance, prolific, prize-winning pulp author, dies at 96

Jack Vance, prolific author of science fiction, mystery and epic fantasy, died Sunday at 96, his son John told the Associated Press. He had written more than 60 books during his long life.Jack Vance, prolific author of science fiction, mystery and epic fantasy, died Sunday at 96, his son John... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2013-05-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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[ The Bookseller | 2013-05-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Audible 2.0 for iOS brings long-expected iPad support and a UI overhaul

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[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-01-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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[ BBC News | 2012-10-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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[ The Bookseller | 2012-10-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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[ The Bookseller | 2012-04-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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