24 October 2013
Irish debut novelist wins £10,000 book prize
Irish writer Nicola White will tomorrow be unveiled as the winner of the 2013 Dundee International Book Prize - the UK's
most lucrative award for debut novelists.
Nicola will receive a cash prize of £10,000 and a publishing deal with leading UK independent Cargo Publishing for In
The Rosary Garden, a crime thriller inspired by a notorious true case of infanticide in Ireland in the 1980s.
More than 350 entries from around the world were read before a judging panel that included TV personality Lorraine Kelly,
actor Brian Cox and Costa Prize-winning novelist AL Kennedy decided on the winner, describing Nicola's book as 'courageous
and intelligent.'
She will be presented with her award at a gala dinner, staged as part of the Dundee Literary Festival, at Apex City Quay
Hotel & Spa on Thursday, 24th October. Earlier that day, Nicola will be available for interview at a press event held at
Roseangle Arts Cafe, Perth Road.
Although In The Rosary Garden is Nicola's first novel, her short stories have been published widely and broadcast on radio.
Last year she was Leverhulme Writer in Residence at the University of Edinburgh and was the 2008 winner of the Scottish Book
Trust New Writers Award.
The author grew up in Dublin and New York and now lives on the Clyde coast. Previously she worked as a contemporary art
curator in Glasgow and produced arts programmes for BBC radio and television.
Luminaries of the literary world have been effusive in their praise for the winning entry, with crime writing star Val
McDermid calling it 'mesmerising' and Denise Mina describing the book as being 'as good as it gets.'
Nicola spoke of her delight at winning the award for a labour of love that was first conceived several years ago.
'Winning the prize feels like finding the express elevator after five flights plodding up the stairs,' she said. 'I did
have some early success with the manuscript in that it brought me an agent and a New Writer Award from the Scottish Book Trust,
but things stalled after that and it hibernated in a virtual bottom drawer for a couple of years.
'I'm just very pleased that the book gets to be ushered into the world in the best way, with editorial care and a bit of
fanfare - and the money is no small thing. It's altogether wonderful. I want to sincerely thank all the team at Literary
Dundee and Cargo Publishing who have been a real pleasure to work with.'
The Dundee International Book prize is a joint venture between the 'Dundee - One City, Many Discoveries' initiative, Cargo
Publishing and the University of Dundee. Convener of City Development at Dundee City Council Will Dawson, said, 'It never fails
to surprise and impress me that each time the Dundee International Book Prize is awarded the number and quality of entries
is so high.
'It has now taken its rightful place as one of the premier competitions for debut novelists and has helped to cement Dundee's
position on the world literary map. This year's winner has received high praise from the judges and I am looking forward
to seeing it in print so that I can read it for myself.'
Director of Literary Dundee Anna Day commented 'This year our winning book is a smart, sophisticated thriller but it's so
much more as well. It's a coming-of-age tale, a morality tale and, most of all, a brilliant read. I couldn't put it down
and am very proud that the Dundee International Book Prize brought this marvellous book to fruition.'
Cargo Managing Director Mark Buckland said, 'One of our goals as a company is to bring exciting new voices to the reading
public and Nicola White is one of the most exceptional debut authors I've encountered. The book is thrilling but is also
deeply moving. I'm delighted that the Dundee International Book Prize has once again unearthed a unique talent with
so much to say about how we live.'
The Dundee International Book Prize was first awarded in 2000 and since then has grown in stature to become one of the
UK's most prestigious literary awards and the largest cash prize for debut authors.
Entries for the prize come from all over the world, with the 2013 longlist containing novels set in Iran,
South Africa, Romania, Japan, Puerto Rico and Dublin and had authors coming from as far afield as Texas and Japan.
In The Rosary Garden will be released on October 25th, priced £8.99. Review copies are available for selected press.
For media enquiries contact:
Grant Hill
Press Officer
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384768
E-MAIL: g.hill@dundee.ac.uk
MOBILE: 07854 953277 |
