Entries have already begun pouring in from around the world for the Dundee Book Prize just three months since the launch of the latest round of the competition.
Manuscripts have so far been received from Australia, Spain, Ireland, Wales and England as well as from across Scotland for the third round of the Dundee Book Prize which offers a cash award of £6000 and publication of the novel to the winner.
Requests for application forms have also been received from America and across Europe reflecting a growing interest in the book prize which recognises the best in emerging literary talent and celebrates the City of Discovery's literary heritage.
Lord Provost John Letford, chairman of the City of Discovery Campaign, which sponsors the prize along with the Polygon imprint of publishers Birlinn and Dundee University, said the organisers had been delighted with the level of interest so far.
"We have been very pleased with the number of entries that have come in in the first three months," he said. "The book prize has been opened up further this year with no restrictions on theme, genre or setting and that has undoubtedly had an effect on the number of entries.
"But equally the book prize is now firmly established on the literary scene and we know from the level of interest we have had from publications such as Writers' News that emerging writers from all over the UK and beyond are very enthusiastic about the prize."
The deadline for entries is not until March 31, 2004 and the organisers are confident that last year's total of 63 entries will be exceeded this time round.
The judges for this year's competition are bestselling Scottish author Ian Rankin, BBC broadcaster Edi Stark and St Andrews University lecturer in creative writing John Burnside.
Entry forms for the Dundee Book Prize are available from the City of Discovery Campaign, Dundee City Council, 3 City Square, Dundee, DD1 3BA. E-mail: deborah.kennedy@dundeecity.gov.uk. Website: www.dundeecity.gov.uk/bookprize/main.htm