Daunt to judge Desmond Elliott Prize

02.02.10 | Katie Allen in The Bookseller

Indie bookseller James Daunt is to join the trio of judges for the £10,000 Desmond Elliott Prize 2010, which will be awarded in June. William Skidelsky, literary editor of the Observer, and author and journalist Elizabeth Buchan complete the panel.

The Desmond Elliott Prize was set up in 2007 as a biennial award for a first novel published in the UK. The inaugural prize went to Nikita Lalwani for Gifted (Penguin) after which the prize became annual. The 2009 winner was Edward Hogan for Blackmoor (Simon & Schuster).

The prize was inaugurated in honour of publisher and literary agent Desmond Elliott.

Buchan, who previously worked as an editor at Random House, said: "Nurturing new writers is always necessary but, in financially uncertain times, it is vital."

This year's longlist of 10 books will be announced in late March, followed by the shortlist of three in May. The winner will be announced on 24th June at Fortnum & Mason, Piccadilly, London.