The Prize for the New Novelist of the Year #DiscoverADebut DesmondElliottPrize.org
“The most prestigious award for first-time novelists” - Daily Telegraph About the Prize About Desmond Elliott
The Desmond Elliott Prize was founded to celebrate the best first novel by a new author and In life, Desmond Elliott incurred the wrath of Dame Edith Sitwell and the love of innumerable authors and colleagues to support writers just starting what will be long and glittering careers. It has succeeded who regarded him as simply “the best”. Jilly Cooper, Sam in its mission in a manner that would make Elliott proud. Llewelyn, Penny Vincenzi, Leslie Thomas and Candida Lycett Green are among the writers forever in his debt. So, too, Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber: if Elliott In the years since its inception, it has managed to stand Every winner since the first in 2008 has gone on to be had not introduced the aspirant lyricist and composer, the out from other prizes due to the quality of its selections, the shortlisted for, and in many cases win, other high-profile West End—and Broadway—would have been the poorer. prestige of its judges and its unusually focused shortlist— literary awards, among them the Baileys Women’s Prize only three titles make it to that stage. With judges of the for Fiction, the Man Booker Prize and the Costa First In death, Desmond Elliott continues to launch careers for calibre of Geordie Grieg, Edward Stourton, Joanne Harris, Novel Award. In less than a decade, the words ‘Winner he stipulated that the proceeds of his estate be invested in a Chris Cleave, Elizabeth Buchan and Viv Groskop, to of the Desmond Elliott Prize’ have become synonymous charitable trust that would fund a literary award “to enrich name just a few, fantastic winners have been chosen year with original, compelling writing by the most exciting the careers of new writers”, launching them on a path on after year. new talents around. which the footholds are now ever-more precarious. For the agent’s goal was always that his authors be relieved of financial worries, allowed to write in happy security. To that end, he played a dual role, believing that agents should be “Machiavelli and Elizabeth Arden rolled into one”. It served his authors well and continues to do so. At the 2015 winner’s ceremony, Chair of Judges and best-selling author Elliott himself was “a dapper little elf”—five-foot-nothing, Arlington Books operated out of one room in Duke Street Louise Doughty passionately claimed that we must support our new authors sporting Brooks Brothers’ boys’ wear—but a huge Mayfair, a locale from which Desmond would never stray— personality. His widowed mother could not afford to other than to board Concord for New York. He made his “or we risk letting the next Hilary Mantel slip through our fingers.” keep him so he was schooled at Dublin’s Royal Masonic first fortune withThe Pocket Calorie Guide to Safe Slimming, Orphanage from where he was offered a scholarship to which enjoyed 40 reprints. Then came a Barnardo’s Boy, Trinity College. But Desmond was the classic young Leslie Thomas, seeking a business manager. His best-selling man in a hurry and, at 16, he boarded the ferry and memoir was followed by a best-selling novel which became crossed the Irish Sea with just £2 in his pocket. a box-office smash:The Virgin Soldiers. Desmond Elliott was now both agent and publisher.
A brilliant raconteur, who drank only champagne, he always crossed the Atlantic by Concorde and used Fortnum & Mason as his local grocer. His genius was spotting talent and then nurturing and promoting it.
He started his career in publishing “below stairs” at The rest is, indeed, history—history which continues to be Macmillan in 1947. Discovered one morning reading the made as each Desmond Elliott Prize-winner steps forth. directors’ mail, he was obliged to leave and joined another family firm, Hutchinson, where he assisted with the adver- Described by Leo Cooper as “a brilliant though eccentric tising. A self-confessed “snotty little brat”, Elliott passed publisher, a consummate showman and a clever literary swiftly through the offices of every great London publisher agent”, Desmond Elliott was a one-off, a man who took of the day, causing a little light mischief en route. Then, in pleasure in business and whose business was his life. 1960, a £1,000 golden goodbye (“Pioneering as always, I was the first redundant publisher”) enabled him to strike Candida Lycett Green thought him “the best possible out on his own. godfather or kind uncle”. With the Desmond Elliott Prize, he always will be. By Liz Thomson Our 2015 Winner Events
The 2015 shortlist was, arguably, the strongest in the prize’s history. Both “A triumph” We host two receptions annually—first, a spring drinks party for the 10 long- Elizabeth is Missing by Emma Healey and A Song for Issy Bradley were - The Times listed authors, giving them a chance to meet each other, celebrate with their shortlisted for the Costa First Novel Award, which the former won while the publishers and enjoy their moment in the spotlight. We are the only major latter was named Best First Novel by the Authors’ Club. “Extraordinary [...] Fuller writes with prize to hold a party for its longlist, which is particularly appreciated by new a singing simplicity that finds beauty authors. For many it marks the first time they step out as an author for their The ultimate winner wasOur Endless Numbered Days, by Claire Fuller—a true first literary accolade. amid the terror” original, as all other winning titles have been. In haunting, beguiling prose the reader is drawn into the world of eight-year-old Peggy Fairfax, a child who has - Sunday Times We then traditionally host a summer prize ceremony at Fortnum & Mason’s followed her father to, he assures her, the last safe place on Earth. As the years (renowned for its free-flowing champagne and excellent canapés) at which pass in their small wooden cabin, deep in a remote European forest, Peggy “A debut novel that brings to mind the winner is announced. The best and the brightest from publishing attend, such unlikely bedfellows as Thoreau’s matures and begins to realise all is not right with her world. as well as top literary journalists from the Guardian to the Financial Times and Emma Healey, 2015 shortlisted author of Walden and Emma Donoghue’s the BBC. At the 2015 ceremony, BBC Radio 4’s Front Row interviewed Elizabeth is Missing Following its win, the book was catapulted to further success. It was selected for Room...gripping.” winner Claire Fuller live from the ceremony after her win. the Spring 2016 Richard and Judy Book Club, and was also chosen as a 2016 - Guardian Waterstones Book Club Pick.
Our Endless Numbered Days is both shocking and subtle, brilliant and beautiful, a poised and elegant work that recalls the early work of Ian McEwan in the delicacy of its prose and the way that this is combined with some very dark undertones. Jessie Burton, 2015 longlisted author of The Miniaturist - Praise from Chair of Judges, Louise Doughty
We also work closely with the Festival du Premier Roman in Chambéry, France, for which two of our longlisted authors are selected to represent English writers at this international literary festival. In 2015 seven languages were represented in total and 2014 authors Nathan Filer and Kate Clanchy were the elected laureates in attendance.
Claire Fuller (second from left) with judges Viv Groskop, Louise Doughty, and Jonathan Ruppin. Nathan Filer and Kate Clanchy at the Festival du Premier Roman Judges
2008 2012
Penny Vincenzi (Chair), Author Geordie Greig, Editor of the Mail Cristina Odone, Novelist, Sam Llewellyn (Chair), Novelist Tom Gatti, Culture Editor at The Caroline Mileham, Merchandising on Sunday (Formerly Editor for Journalist, and Broadcaster New Statesman (Formerly Deputy Manager at Google Play (Formerly Tatler Magazine) Editor at The Times Saturday Review) Head of Books at Play.com) 2009 2013
Candida Lycett Green (Chair), Suzi Feay, Journalist, Broadcaster, Rodney Troubridge, Bookseller Joanne Harris (Chair), Author Robert Collins, Producer at Miriam Robinson, Programme Author and Critic (Waterstones) Intelligence Squared (Formerly Director for The Bookseller Marketing Deputy Editor at the Sunday Times) & Publicity Conference (Formerly Head of Marketing at Foyles) 2010 2014
Elizabeth Buchan (Chair), Author William Skidelsky, Author and James Daunt, Founder of Daunt Chris Cleave (Chair), Author Isabel Berwick, Assistant Features Patrick Neale, Bookseller (Jaffe & Journalist (Previously Books Editor Books and Managing Director of Editor at FTComment (Formerly Neale), President of the Booksellers for The Observer) Waterstones Associate Editor at Financial Times) Association 2011 2015
Edward Stourton (Chair), Fanny Blake, Journalist Amy Worth, Director of Kindle Louise Doughty (Chair), Author Viv Groskop, Comedian and Jonathan Ruppin, Web Editor Broadcaster and presenter of BBC and Writer Content at Amazon.co.uk Columnist (Foyles) Radio 4 Sunday programme (Previously Presenter for the BBC Radio 4 Today programme) Past Winners of The Desmond Elliott Prize
The Desmond Elliott Prize has gained a 2014 2011 2010 reputation for its exceptionally keen talent- A Girl Is a Half-formed Thing by Eimear McBride Saraswati Park by Anjali Joseph (Fourth Estate) The Girl with Glass Feet by Ali Shaw (Atlantic Books) (Faber/Galley Beggar Press) spotting. The past eight winning titles have Winner: 2011 Betty Trask Prize Shortlisted: 2009 Costa First Book Award received praise from all quarters, most Winner: 2014 Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction Winner (joint): 2010 Vodafone Crossword Book Award for Fiction Longlisted: 2009 Guardian First book Award going on to be listed for and winning other Winner: 2014 Geoffrey Faber prize in India Longlisted: 2010 Dylan Thomas Prize Winner: 2013 Goldsmiths Prize prestigious awards and valuable retailer Joseph’s second novel, Another Country (Fourth Estate), was Shaw’s second novel, The Man Who Rained, was published in 2012. Winner: 2014 Kerry Group Irish Fiction Award published in 2012 and a new novel, The Living, is due in 2016. promotions such as the Richard and Judy Shortlist: 2014 Folio Prize Book Club and Waterstones 11. All authors “This is an extraordinary first novel—bold, original, McBride’s second novel, The Lesser Bohemians, is set to be “It has that feeling that the characters are completely in- tragic and endlessly surprising. In its exploration of have carried on to write second, third or published in 2016. dependent of the author. They live with you after you’ve frozen landscapes, both interior and exterior, and in its even fourth books, which is one of the key finished reading it, and that’s the mark of a real novelist” precisely detailed and articulated fantasy, it is possible “The kind of novel that is written once in a generation aims of the Prize−to nurture our country’s - Edward Stourton, Chair of Judges to see a substantial author of the future” and takes the art to an entirely new place” most promising literary careers. - Elizabeth Buchan, Chair of Judges - Chris Cleave, Chair of Judges
2013 2012 2009 2008
The Marlowe Papers by Ros Barber (Sceptre) The Land of Decoration by Grace McCleen Blackmoor by Edward Hogan (Simon & Schuster) Gifted by Nikita Lalwani (Viking) (Chatto & Windus) Winner (joint): 2013 Authors’ Club First Novel Award Shortlisted: 2008 Dylan Thomas Prize Shortlisted: 2007 Costa First Novel Award Longlisted: 2013 Women’s Prize for Fiction Winner: 2013 Betty Trask Award Shortlisted: 2009 Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award Longlisted: 2007 Man Booker Prize Shortlisted: 2012 National Book Awards Barber’s second novel, Devotion was published in 2015. Hogan’s second novel, The Hunger Trace, was published in 2011. Lalwani’s second novel, The Village was published in 2012. McCleen has since published two novels: The Professor of He also published two novels for young adults in 2013, Daylight “It is as enticing as a top-flight thriller, with the welcome Poetry in 2014 and The Offering in 2015, both with Sceptre. Savings and The Messengers. “Gifted is a book of extraordinary range; it is touching, addition of gorgeous, evocative language as visual and tender, funny and at the same time truly compelling” concise as a screenplay” “Grace McCleen’s voice sparkles with imagery and “It is an extremely profound book for someone so - Penny Vincenzi, Chair of Judges - Joanne Harris, Chair of Judges ideas, and she uses it to tell a story that is simultane- young. What is special about it is the total originality ously multi-layered and absolutely compelling” of his prose and the lyricism of it. He uses metaphors - Sam Llewellyn, Chair of Judges which are completely unlike any I’ve ever read” - Candida Lycett Green, Chair of Judges Prize Longlists
2008 2010 2012 2014
Gifted by Nikita Lalwani (Viking) The Girl with Glass Feet by Ali Shaw (Atlantic Books) The Land Of Decoration by Grace McCleen (Chatto & Windus) A Girl Is a Half-Formed Thing by Eimear McBride Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith (Simon & Schuster) - Shortlisted Before the Earthquake by Maria Allen The Last Hundred Days by Patrick McGuinness (Seren) - Shortlisted (Faber/Galley Beggar Press) Sunday at the Cross Bones by John Walsh (Fourth Estate) - Shortlisted (Tindal Street Press) - Shortlisted The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce The Letter Bearer by Robert Allison (Granta) - Shortlisted Broken by Daniel Clay (HarperPress) Talk of the Town by Jacob Polley (Picador) - Shortlisted (Doubleday) - Shortlisted Ballistics by D. W. Wilson (Bloomsbury) - Shortlisted Kill Your Friends by John Niven (William Heinemann) The Upright Piano Player by David Abbott (MacLehose Press) Absolution by Patrick Flanery (Atlantic Books) Idiopathy by Sam Byers (Fourth Estate) The Messenger of Athens by Anne Zouroudi (Bloomsbury) The Hungry Ghosts by Anne Berry (Blue Door) Bed by David Whitehouse (Canongate) Meeting the English by Kate Clanchy (Picador) The Outcast by Sadie Jones (Chatto & Windus) Rupture by Simon Lelic (Picador) Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson (Doubleday) The Shock of the Fall by Nathan Filer (HarperCollins) Random Acts of Heroic Love by Danny Scheinmann (Doubleday) The Shadow of a Smile by Kachi A. Ozumba (Alma Books) The Bellwether Revivals by Benjamin Wood (Simon & Schuster) Sedition by Katherine Grant (Virago) The Truth About These Strange Times by Adam Foulds The Breaking of Eggs by Jim Powell (Weidenfeld & Nicolson) Care Of Wooden Floors by Will Wiles (HarperPress) The Dynamite Room by Jason Hewitt (Simon & Schuster) (Weidenfeld & Nicolson) Designs for a Happy Home by Matthew Reynolds (Bloomsbury) The Missing Shade of Blue by Jennie Erdal (Little, Brown) The Spinning Heart by Donal Ryan (Doubleday Ireland) Submarine by Joe Dunthorne (Hamish Hamilton) Beauty by Raphael Selbourne (Tindal Street Press) The Spider King’s Daughter by Chibundu Onuzo (Faber & Faber) Marriage Material by Sathnam Sanghera (William Heinemann) Gods Behaving Badly by Marie Phillips (Vintage) 2011 2013 2015 2009 Saraswati Park by Anjali Joseph (Fourth Estate) The Marlowe Papers by Ros Barber (Sceptre) Our Endless Numbered Days by Claire Fuller (Fig Tree) Blackmoor by Edward Hogan (Simon & Schuster) Boxer, Beetle by Ned Beauman (Sceptre) - Shortlisted The Universe Versus Alex Woods by Gavin Extence Elizabeth is Missing by Emma Healey (Viking) - Shortlisted A Girl Made of Dust by Nathalie Abi-Ezzi (Fourth Estate) - Shortlisted Pigeon English by Stephen Kelman (Bloomsbury) - Shortlisted (Hodder & Stoughton) - Shortlisted A Song for Issy Bradley by Carys Bray (Hutchinson) - Shortlisted The Rescue Man by Anthony Quinn (Jonathan Cape) - Shortlisted The Afterparty by Leo Benidictus (Jonathan Cape) The Panopticon by Jenni Fagan (William Heinemann) - Shortlisted The A to Z of You and Me by James Hannah (Doubleday) The Behaviour of Moths by Poppy Adams (Virago) Coconut Unlimited by Nikesh Shukla (Quartet) The Palace of Curiosities by Rosie Garland (Harper Fiction) The Bees by Laline Paull (Fourth Estate) Girl in a Blue Dress by Gaynor Arnold (Tindal Street Press) The Collaborator by Mirza Waheed (Viking) Petite Mort by Beatrice Hitchman (Serpent’s Tail) Chop Chop by Simon Wroe (Viking) Mr Toppit by Charles Elton (Viking) Pub Walks in Underhill Country by Nat Segnit (Fig Tree) The Fields by Kevin Maher (Little, Brown) Glass by Alex Christofi (Serpent’s Tail) Never Never by David Gaffney (Tindal Street Press) The Spider Truces by Tom Connolly (Myriad Editions) Signs of Life by Anna Raverat (Picador) The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton (Picador) The Redemption of Alexander Seaton by Shona MacLean (Quercus) A Vision of Loveliness by Louise Levene (Bloomsbury) Seldom Seen by Sarah Ridgard (Hutchinson) Randall by Jonathan Gibbs (Galley Beggar Press) Little Gods by Anna Richards (Picador) Who is Mr Satoshi? by Jonathan Lee (William Heinemann) Jammy Dodger by Kevin Smith (Sandstone Press) The Wake by Paul Kingsnorth (Unbound) The Alternative Hero by Tim Thornton (Jonathan Cape) The Painted Bridge by Wendy Wallace (Simon & Schuster) The Desmond Elliott Charitable Trust is a charity registered with the Charity Commission (registered charity number 01115496). Its Trustees are Dallas Manderson (Chairman); Elizabeth Thomson and Christine Berry. The registered office of the Desmond Elliott Charitable Trust is c/o Taylor Vinters LLP, Merlin Place, Cambridge CB4 0DP
For prize administration queries, please contact Literary Director Emma Manderson: [email protected]
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