East Anglian Book Awards 2018 entries now open

It's time to open another chapter in our annual celebration of the region's writing talent.

The East Anglian Book Awards will be returning for its 11th year, with entries open from today, June 2 2018. As ever, they are organised by the EDP, Jarrold, and Writers' Centre Norwich (soon to be the National Centre for Writing), in association with the UEA.

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

For 2018 we will once again be offering a top prize of £1,000 to the overall East Anglian Book of the Year, courtesy of PACCAR Foundation.

The overall winner of the 11th awards will follow in the footsteps of Lapwing & Fox, based round a series of letters between critic and writer John Berger and his friend, the artist John Christie, produced by Framlingham-based imprint Objectif Press, which was named East Anglian Book of the Year 2017.

Previous winners include Norwich's Sarah Perry, whose novel The Essex Serpent was a massive success across the country. She has recently paid tribute to the EABA in helping her in her career – and how she used her prize money to buy the computer on which she wrote her hugely-acclaimed bestseller.

As well as the six subject categories (from which the overall winner is chosen), this year will also see the return of our award for lifetime achievement in local publishing. The awards will also include 'Book by the Cover' design award, sponsored by the East Anglian Writers.

Chris Rushby, Books & Stationery Buyer, Jarrold, said: 'We're delighted once again to be part of the East Anglian Book Awards, helping to celebrate

the best of writing from and

about the region.

'We may be slightly biased,

but are pretty certain there's no other part of the UK with the same breadth and depth of writing and publishing talent as exists here. These awards showcase and celebrate the

best of that talent.'

Chris Gribble, Chief Executive of Writers' Centre Norwich, commented: 'Over the past ten years we've read, shared and enjoyed so many wonderful books though the East Anglian Book Awards.

'Each year we're surprised and delighted by the books published in, written in and about our region so we're very excited about the eleventh year of the awards and can't wait to see what this year's books will be.'

Awards co-founder the EDP is also proud to sponsor the

awards. David Powles, editor-in-chief of the EDP and Evening News, said: 'The East Anglian Book Awards are now into their second decade and they continue to be an excellent showcase

for the region's rich literary talent. We are proud to support them once again.''

And the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at the University of East Anglia is once again pleased to support the 2018 East Anglian Book Awards.

Professor Sarah Barrow of Film and Media and PVC HUM, UEA, said: 'The Faculty of Arts and Humanities at UEA is delighted to supported this year's East Anglia Book Awards.

'We're committed to supporting the work of all regionally-based artists and are very pleased to have the opportunity to work with partners on this celebration of literary culture across East Anglia.

'We wish all the entrants the very best of luck.'

The presentation event – details to be announced later in the

year - will take place in the autumn in Norwich.

Last year's winners were: Fiction – Madame Zero, by Sarah Hall (Faber); Biography & Memoir – The Owl at the Window, by Carl Gorham (Coronet); History & Tradition – Holkham, by Christine Hiskey (Unicorn Press); Poetry – Was and Is, by Neil Powell (Carcanet), which also won the 'Book By the Cover' award, sponsored by the East Anglian Writers; and the Mal Peet Children's Award – The Nearest Far Away Place, by Hayley Long (Hot Key Books).

Lapwing & Fox by John Berger and John Christie also won the General Non-Fiction category.

Peter Stibbons, of Poppyland Publishing, received the 2017 Exceptional Contribution Award.

HOW TO ENTER

How to enter the 2018 EDP Jarrold East Anglian Book Awards, in association with Writers' Centre Norwich and UEA.

We welcome entries in the following categories: Fiction; Poetry; History and Tradition; Biography and Memoir; General Non-Fiction; and Children's Books.

To qualify works have to be set largely in East Anglia or be written by an author living in the region, which for the awards' purposes is defined as the counties of 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.

To enter, simply submit TWO physical copies of your nominated book, plus a covering letter which includes details of which category you would like it to be entered for.

You should include an email address if you would like your entry to be acknowledged.

Please note we are unable to return entries.

Send your entries to Florence Reynolds, East Anglian Book Awards, Writers' Centre Norwich, Dragon Hall, King Street, Norwich, Norfolk NR1 1QE. Any entry queries should also be addressed to florence.reynolds@writerscentrenorwich.org.uk with 'EABA' in the subject line.

The closing date for entries is noon on FRIDAY JULY 27 2018. To help the judging process, please do not leave your entry to the last minute.

All titles will be considered before the judges draw up their shortlist for each category.

Please note that organisers reserve the right to withdraw or amend any category depending on number of entries received. Due to the volume of entries, we regret that we are not able to give feedback to entrants.

This shortlist will be published

in the Eastern Daily Press, Evening News, East Anglian Daily Times and on-line, by early October. Shortlisted authors or their publishers will also be informed direct.