Two Tindal Street authors in Desmond Elliot Prize long-list
Wednesday, 14th April 2010
For the second time in consecutive years, two Tindal Street Press authors have been long-listed for this year’s prestigious Desmond Elliot Prize.
Beauty by Raphael Selbourne and Before the Earthquake by Maria Allen have both been listed for the prize, which is awarded to an exceptional first novel published in the UK.
Beauty, winner of the 2009 Costa First Novel Award, is the story of a young Bangladeshi woman in inner-city UK, torn between family duty and personal freedom when she runs away from home and is rescued from danger by the type of white man she’s always been taught to fear.
Before the Earthquake is set in 1900 in the southern Italian region of Campania, and has created quite a buzz since publication: the novel has been chosen as one of Amazon’s ‘Rising Stars’ and is to be read this July on BBC Radio 4’s ‘Book at Bedtime.’
The Desmond Elliot Prize was established in 2007 in memory of a leading agent and publisher who died in 2003. The prize aims to reward debut novels with compelling narratives and arresting characters, which are both vividly written and confidently realised.
It is the second time in as many years that two Tindal Street authors have been appeared on the 10 strong list. In 2009, Girl in a Blue Dress by Gaynor Arnold and the comic thriller Never Never by David Gaffney were both listed for the prize.
The shortlist of three will be announced on 26 May, with the winner announced on the 23 June at Fortnum & Mason, in London.
