The shortlist for the coveted East Anglian Book Awards 2020 has been revealed, celebrating the very best of publishing, writing, and reading in the region.

Eastern Daily Press: The finalists in the Biography and Memoir category of the East Anglian Book Awards 2020.The finalists in the Biography and Memoir category of the East Anglian Book Awards 2020. (Image: Archant)

Now in their 13th year, the awards celebrate writing talent within the East of England. The East Anglian Book Awards are a partnership between Jarrold, the Eastern Daily Press, and the National Centre for Writing, supported by UEA Faculty of Arts and Humanities and the PACCAR Foundation.

Chris Gribble, chief executive of the National Centre for Writing, said: “This is the 13th year of the East Anglian Book Awards, and perhaps because all the real difficulties that 2020 has brought, it has never been more important to celebrate outstanding writing and publishing in East Anglia. We’ve received over 100 books from more than 60 publishers, proof that the creativity and talent of our region is truly deep-rooted. We’re delighted by the shortlist that the judges have selected this year – these are stories and voices that give life and voice to East Anglia’s past, present and future.”

Caroline Jarrold, community affairs adviser for Jarrold, said: “Once again, we have been excited to see the number, variety and quality of entries to the East Anglian Book Awards. Perhaps this year, where we are all affected by the Covid-19 crisis, reading books is even more important to many, to distract and inspire. I’m really looking forward to reading the shortlisted books and hope that many others will join in and be curious about the titles connected to this wonderful part of the country.”

Eastern Daily Press: The finalists in the Fiction category of the East Anglian Book Awards 2020The finalists in the Fiction category of the East Anglian Book Awards 2020 (Image: Archant)

The shortlisted titles are:

Biography & Memoir

Judged by Alex Hammond, University of East Anglia

Eastern Daily Press: The finalists in the General Non-Fiction category of the East Anglian Book Awards 2020.The finalists in the General Non-Fiction category of the East Anglian Book Awards 2020. (Image: Archant)

· Ghostland: In Search of a Haunted Country by Edward Parnell (HarperCollins)

· How To Be Autistic by Charlotte Amelia Poe (Myriad Editions)

Eastern Daily Press: The finalists in the History and Tradition category of the East Anglian Book Awards 2020The finalists in the History and Tradition category of the East Anglian Book Awards 2020 (Image: Archant)

· Push: My Father, Polio, and Me by Sarah Passingham (Gatehouse Press)

Fiction

Eastern Daily Press: The finalists in the Mal Peet Children's Award category of the East Anglian Book Awards 2020The finalists in the Mal Peet Children's Award category of the East Anglian Book Awards 2020 (Image: Archant)

Judged by Amy Waller, University of East Anglia

· The Choice by Claire Wade (Orion)

Eastern Daily Press: The finalists in the poetry category of the East Anglian Book Awards 2020.The finalists in the poetry category of the East Anglian Book Awards 2020. (Image: Archant)

· She by HC Warner (HarperCollins)

· Spirals of Fate by Tim Holden (Nielsen)

General Non-Fiction

Judged by George McKay, University of East Anglia

· Mary Hardy and her World 1773-1809: Volume 2, Barley beer and the working year 2 by Margaret Bird (Burnham Press)

· New York to California by Jeremy Page (Propolis)

· Wild Child by Patrick Barkham (Granta)

History & Tradition

Judged by Stephen Church and Rebecca Pinner, University of East Anglia

· East Anglian Church Porches and their Medieval Context by Helen E. Lunnon (Boydell and Brewer)

· Imperial Mud: The Fight for the Fens by James Boyce (Icon Books)

· Mary Hardy and her World 1773-1809: Volume 4, Under sail and under arms by Margaret Bird (Burnham Press)

The Mal Peet Children’s Award

Judged by B.J. Epstein, University of East Anglia

· Do You Love Bugs? by Matt Robertson (Bloomsbury)

· The House of One Hundred Clocks by A.M. Howell (Usborne)

· The Misadventures of Frederick by Ben Manley, illustrated by Emma Chichester Clark (Two Hoots)

Poetry

Judged by Alison Winch, University of East Anglia

· A warm and snouting thing by Ramona Herdman (The Emma Press)

· The Remains of Logan Dankworth by Luke Wright (Penned in the Margins)

· So Many Rooms by Laura Scott (Carcanet)

Of the 18 shortlisted titles, 10 are from independent publishers.

They will now be considered for the Book by the Cover Award, judged by members of the East Anglian Writers. The winning book from each category will be considered by a final judging panel of representatives from Jarrold, the EDP, National Centre for Writing and University of East Anglia. One of these six finalists will go on to win the Book of the Year Award with prize money of £1,000, courtesy of the PACCAR Foundation.

Archant’s Emma Lee, who is one of the judges, said: “A huge congratulations to all the authors who have made the shortlist. It’s an honour to have been asked to be one of the judges helping to select the 2020 East Anglian Book of the Year and I can’t wait to read the finalists.”

The category winners, Book by the Cover Award, Exceptional Contribution Award and the Book of the Year Award will be announced in the Eastern Daily Press and East Anglian Daily Times on October 31.

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

Books must have been physically published for the first time between 27 July 2019 and 24 July 2020 – and must have been commercially available in physical bookshops.

Discover more about the category winners – as well as the identity of the winner of the East Anglia Book of the Year Award – at a special online event on Thursday November 19 at 6.30pm. Register for free now at nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk.