Two Seren authors shortlisted for Wales Book of the Year 2023
Two Seren authors shortlisted for Wales Book of the Year 2023
Seren authors Sophie Buchaillard and Paul Henry have both been shortlisted for Wales Book of the Year 2023.
The shortlists were announced on BBC Radio Wales on Sunday 21st May. Sophie Buchaillard’s debut novel This is Not Who We Are is shortlisted for The Rhys Davies’ Trust Fiction Award. Meanwhile Paul Henry is shortlisted for The Poetry Award with his collection As If To Sing, the second time he has been shortlisted.
This year’s judges include Emily Burnett, Emma Smith-Barton, Kristian Evans and Mike Parker. Following the announcement, Mike Parker said “...the standard of this year’s Wales Book of the Year shortlist is extraordinarily high. To arrive at it, we had to lose wonderful books in every single category – it was a very hard-fought battle, and a supremely intense discussion. Picking the winners will be an even tougher challenge!”
Wales Book of the Year is an annual prize run by Literature Wales, which celebrates outstanding literary talent from Wales across many genres and in both English and Welsh. There are four categories in each language – Poetry, Fiction, Creative Non-fiction, and Children & Young People, with one of the four category winners announced as the Overall Winner, and claiming the title Wales Book of the Year 2023.
Literature Wales Executive Director Clare Furlong said, “It is a pleasure to co-celebrate Welsh Literature with writers, publishers, readers, and the whole literary sector... I encourage you all to go ahead and read the shortlist, and wherever you are – at the library, the office, or at the school gate – discuss, celebrate, and encourage others to do the same.”
The category winners and overall Wales Book of the Year 2023 will be announced in a ceremony at the Tramshed in Cardiff on Thursday 13th July 2023. Voting is now open for the Wales Book of the Year People’s Choice Award via the Wales Arts Review website, where you can vote for your favourite title on any of this year’s shortlists.