Dundee book prize winners in spotlight

Three new novelists have added their voices to the Scottish literary scene after being named as finalists for Dundee Book Prize 2004. The finalists will each have their previously unpublished manuscripts published by Polygon and will compete for the £6000 cash prize, which will be awarded next spring.

The judging panel, comprised of celebrated crime author Ian Rankin, award-winning BBC broadcaster Edi Stark and poet and creative writing expert John Burnside, selected 'The Curiosity Cabinet' by Catherine Czerkawska, from Kirkmichael in Ayrshire; 'Whales for the Wizard' by Malcolm Archibald, from Dundee; and 'Treading Water' by Claire Collison, from London.

Ian Rankin paid tribute to those who had entered and said he had been impressed with the range and depth of the shortlisted manuscripts. "The three finalists have done tremendously well to get this far from such a big field of entries. There were lots of good, well written books entered so it is a real achievement. At one stage I was in the same position as them, entering competitions and desperately trying to get my work published. Having your work published in a competition like this is a major step forward and I wish them the best of luck with their writing careers."

The three novels will be circulated to book groups around the country to carry out the difficult task of deciding the outright winner by next spring.

Lord Provost John Letford, chairman of the City of Discovery Campaign, said, "I congratulate the three finalists on achieving every budding writer's dream of publication. This has been an important year for the book prize and I think the quality and quantity of entries has definitely taken it to a new level."

from left: Ian Rankin, Clare Collison, Malcolm Archibald, Catherine Cerkawaska and Edi Stark.