Orange Prize Judges Announced

KIRSTY LANG TO CHAIR OUTSTANDING ORANGE BROADBAND PRIZE FOR FICTION

Longlist Announcement: tbc
Shortlist Announcement: 15 April 2008
Awards Ceremony: 4 June 2008


Now in its thirteenth year, the Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction is the UK's most prestigious annual book award for fiction written by a woman, celebrating excellence, innovation and accessibility and the best of outstanding international fiction in women's writing.

The judges for the Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction in 2008 have been confirmed as:

Kirsty Lang (Chair), Journalist & Broadcaster
Lisa Allardice, Editor of Guardian Review
Lily Allen, Musician
Philippa Gregory, Novelist
Bel Mooney, Novelist, Journalist & Children's Author

"I was extremely honoured to be asked to chair this year's Orange Broadband Prize if not a little daunted by the task. However I do have a very strong line-up of judges which should make for some lively debates." said Kirsty Lang.
"I'm excited by the international aspect of this prize and one of the best books I read last year was Half of a Yellow Sun and I would probably not have read it had it not won the Orange. I also think that in an increasingly crowded book market, the Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction is more important than ever in getting women writers the exposure they need."

The Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction was set up in 1996 to celebrate and promote international fiction by women throughout the world to the widest range of readers possible and is awarded for the best novel of the year written by a woman. Any woman writing in English – whatever her nationality, country of residence, age or subject matter – is eligible.

The winner will receive a cheque for £30,000 and a limited edition bronze figurine known as a 'Bessie', created and donated by the artist Grizel Niven. Both are anonymously endowed.
Hattie Magee, Head of Entertainment & Brand Marketing at Orange, commented: "It's been an outstanding year for the recently re-branded Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction. We remain committed to exploring innovative ways of promoting female fiction through our association with technology and hope to bring their work to a wider audience.

"The Orange Broadband Prize shortlist has always been met with popular approval by critics, booksellers and readers alike and I'm sure this year's fine panel of judges will create another memorable shortlist."

Previous winners of the Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction are Helen Dunmore for A Spell of Winter (1996), Anne Michaels for Fugitive Pieces (1997), Carol Shields for Larry's Party (1998), Suzanne Berne for A Crime in the Neighbourhood (1999), Linda Grant for When I Lived in Modern Times (2000), Kate Grenville for The Idea of Perfection (2001), Ann Patchett for Bel Canto (2002) Valerie Martin for Property (2003), Andrea Levy for Small Island (2004), Lionel Shriver for We Need to Talk about Kevin (2005), Zadie Smith for On Beauty (2006) and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie for Half of a Yellow Sun.

For the 2008 Orange Broadband Prize, novels must be published in the UK between 1st April 2007 and 31st March 2008. The prize is administered by Book Trust, the UK charity for books and reading. Orange has sponsored the prize since its inaugural year, 1996. For more information, please visit www.orangeprize.co.uk