LitfestThere was delight in the Litfest office this morning when we got the news that recent Litfest guest Monique Roffey had made it through to the shortlist for the 2010 Orange Prize!
Monique’s book “The White Woman on the Green Bicycle” (Simon & Schuster £12.99) has made it to the final judging stage alongside Hilary Mantel, Barbara Kingsolver, Rosie Alison, Attica Locke and Lorrie Moore. Nice also to see that 4 of the 6 books are from Independents (2 from Faber and 1 from both Alma and Serpent’s Tail).
Whilst visiting Litfest in March, Monique told us how she received numerous rejections from various publishers for her book, before it was finally accepted by Simon & Schuster. Monique lived in Lancaster for a spell whilst studying for her Creative Writing MA at Lancaster University. Her first novel Sun Dog was published in 2002.
Copies of “White Woman on the Green Bicycle” are available from the Litfest Poetry Bookcase.
“This shortlist achieves the near impossible of combining literary merit with sheer readability,” said chair of judges Daisy Goodwin.
The winner of the £30,000 prize is announced on 9th June.
The shortlist:
The Very Thought of You by Rosie Alison (Alma Books)
The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver (Faber)
Black Water Rising by Attica Locke (Serpent’s Tail)
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel (Fourth Estate)
A Gate at the Stairs by Lorrie Moore (Faber)
The White Woman on the Green Bicycle by Monique Roffey (S&S)
