EVENTS

Monday 20 June

6.30 – 8pm at St Mary’s Church, Lowdham

East Midlands Book Award presented by Ian McMillan

Lowdham Book Festival is pleased to host the prize-giving for the first East Midlands Book Award*.

The East Midlands Book Award is an independent annual award, for the best book published in the previous year by an East Midlands writer. The shortlist for the first Award comprises:

Maria Allen (Leicestershire) Before the Earthquake.

Judith Allnatt (Northamptonshire) The Poet’s Wife.

Stephen Baker (Derbyshire) Hemispheres.

Ann Featherstone (Derbyshire) The Newgate Jig.

Rosie Garner (Nottinghamshire) The Rain Diaries.

Mark Goodwin (Leicestershire) Shod.

Adrian Magson (Northamptonshire) Death on the Marais.

Anne Zouroudi (Derbyshire) The Lady of Sorrows.

The judges for this year’s award are the poet and broadcaster Ian McMillan, Jaci Brumwell (Head of Libraries and Heritage, Derbyshire County Council) and John Holmes (BBC Radio Nottingham). Ian McMillan commented: “The shortlist shows the quality of prose and poetry being created in the East Midlands…at a time when the publishing business seems to be more and more London-centric, it’s great to see the so-called regions (or are they the provinces?) leading the way in new writing.”

The award ceremony will be hosted by Ian McMillan, with the winner being presented with a cheque for £1000.

Free, no ticket required. Refreshments available.

The East Midlands Book Award is administered by Writing East Midlands. *Nominations for the best book published in 2011 are now open, please see: http://www.writingeastmidlands.co.uk/awards for more information.