Authors feature in Queen's Birthday Honours

17.06.13 | Lisa Campbell - The Bookseller

Women's prize for fiction founder and novelist Kate Mosse and author Jackie Collins are among those to receive an OBE in the Queens Birthday Honours.

The roll call of 1,180 names also includes Allan Massie, who received a CBE, Chocolat author Joanne Harris, who received an MBE, and broadcaster and writer Clare Balding, who received an OBE. Copyright Licensing Agency chief executive Kevin Fitzgerald was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George.

Mosse, Collins and Harris all received the honours for services to literature. Mosse told the BBC she "actually jumped up and down," when she found out she was to receive the title. Harris, author of 15 novels, said she hoped the honour sent out the message that "writing is important". She added: "It is always nice for the world of literature when writers get an acknowledgement or an honour. It gets the message to people that writing is important and that it deserves praise."

Fitzgerald was recognised for his services to British economic interests, in particular the promotion of intellectual property internationally. He was also recognised for his work for the welfare of British nationals imprisoned abroad, as chairman of the charity Prisoners Abroad.
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Other people to receive honours included actor and presenter Tony Robinson, who received a knighthood. Macmillan spokesperson said the company was "delighted" to be the publisher of Robinson's Weird World of Wonders.