LGBT book prize longlist announced
Organisers of the Polari First Book Prize have announced the long list for 2012.
The competition is for a writer’s first book “exploring the LGBT experience.”
Paul Burston, Chair of the judges, said, “This is a strong long list which reflects the diversity of LGBT literary voices and the variety of ways in which authors make their voices heard. The judges would like to thank Linda Riley of Square Peg Media for her generous support in celebrating the inventiveness, distinctiveness and excellence of the very best of queer writing.”
The judges for this year’s contest are Paul Burston, chair and host of literary salon Polari, Rachel Holmes, the head of literature at the Southbank, literary critic Suzi Feay, books buyer Joe Storey-Scott and the writer and critic Bidisha.
The ten short-listed books were announced at last night’s Polari event at the Southbank. They are as follows:
Rory’s Boys – Alan Clark (Bliss/Arcadia Books
Pennance – Claire Ashton (self published on Kindle)
The Frost Fairs – John McCullogh (Salt)
Becoming Nancy – Terry Ronald (Transworld)
Exit Through The Wound – North Morgan (Limehouse Books)
Body of Water – Stuart Wakefield (self published)
Modern Love – Max Wallis (Flap)
Ey Up and Away – Vicky Ryder (Wandering Star Press)
Grrl Alex – Alex Drummond (self published)
Perking The Pansies – Jack Scott (Summertime Publishing)
The Polari First Book Prize is open to any work of poetry, prose, fiction or non-fiction published in the UK.
The short list will be announced in September, with the winner announced at the Polari fifth birthday party in November.
The winner will receive a cheque for £1,000, courtesy of media partners Square Peg Media, publishers of Out In The City and g3 magazines.
