To celebrate World Book Day 2020, Literature Wales has announced the panel of judges for this year’s Wales Book of the Year Awards.
Judging the English-language books this year are author and illustrator Ken Wilson-Max; Western Mail’s Chief Reporter Martin Shipton; author, teacher and translator Sampurna Chattarji; and Fulbright Scholar, Senior Lecturer and Hay Festival fellow, Tiffany Murray.
The Wales Book of the Year Award is an annual prize celebrating 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 for the first time this year, Children & Young People. This brand-new category has been includedfollowing sector consultation and exciting developments in the field. We hope that it will encourage a new generation of creative readers and writers and will help raise the profile of Wales and its talented authors.
On the Welsh-language panel this year are Journalist and Former-editor of BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Cymru Fyw,Betsan Powys; cartoonist, author and presenter Siôn Tomos Owen; Award-Winning Poet and Head of Law and Criminology at Aberystwyth University, Emyr Lewis; and Singer-Songwriter Casi Wyn. Further information about all this year’s judges can be found here. [insert link]
The judges are busy reading and discussing the books submitted ahead of deciding on this year’s shortlist for each category, which will be announced on 11 May 2020.
The Wales Book of the Year Awards play an essential part in delivering the Literature Wales Strategic Plan 2019-22 through its key role in celebrating Wales’ authors, its heritage and rich literary Culture. The prize offers an invaluable platform to writers publishing their first book as well as recognising some of Wales’ most prominent writers.
Each category winner and the Overall Wales Book of the Year Winner will be announced at a glittering award ceremony taking place at Theatr y Werin at the Aberystwyth Arts Centre on 25 June 2020.
