The finalists for the Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust Book Awards 2012, in partnership with Creative Scotland, have been announced today. The Fiction winner is Ali Smith for There but for the (Hamish Hamilton); the Non-Fiction winner is Janice Galloway for All Made Up (Granta); the Poetry winner is Angus Peter Campbell for Aibisidh (Birlinn); and the First Book winner is Simon Stephenson for Let Not the Waves of the Sea (John Murray).

Each of the four finalists will receive £5,000.  All four authors are in the running to win the overall Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust Book of the Year prize of £30,000. The winner will be announced at the Edinburgh International Book Festival on the 17 August 2012, after the public vote takes place.

The public are set to help the Judging Panel decide who will claim the prize as they are invited to read, discuss and get involved with the finalists and vote for their favourite book. By including a public vote, it’s hoped that people will feel more empowered to read, and will connect with the authors and want them to succeed. Voting will open on 13 June and close on 6 August 2012. Full details here: www.scottishbookawards.com/vote

Spread across four categories – Fiction, Non-Fiction, Poetry, and First Book – the Awards recognise and reward the literary talent of authors from or resident in Scotland, or those whose books are of particular Scottish interest.

Dr Gavin Wallace, Chair of the Judging Panel and Portfolio Manager for Literature, Publishing and Language at Creative Scotland, said: 
‘In this Year of Creative Scotland 2012, the Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust Book Awards – the largest literary prizes in Scotland and the fourth largest in the UK – are a chance for us to celebrate and reward Scotland’s literary talent.  As a nation we are replete with literary excellence and rich diversity across all genres, as this year’s shortlist amply confirms.’

Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs, said:

‘The Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust Book Awards have been celebrating Scotland’s exceptional writing talent and spotlighting the very best of our excellent literary works for 40 years.   
‘Each year the shortlist captures the incredible quality and scope of literature produced in Scotland, and 2012 – The Year of Creative Scotland – is no exception.

‘The finalists can be proud of the unique and valuable contribution they are making to Scotland’s rich and vibrant culture.’

The finalists commented:

‘I’m absolutely thrilled that Let Not the Waves of the Sea has won the First Book Prize.  I’ve followed the awards for years and it means a tremendous amount to me that my own book should now be recognised in this way.’ – Simon Stephenson (First Book)

‘I am delighted to have won this major poetry award from what really was a tremendous shortlist. Best if I could dedicate it to our greatest living Gaelic poet, Donald MacAulay, who not only encouraged me personally at the very beginning of my career but whose parallaxes have helped me navigate the skerries since. Nuair a sheatlaigeas a’ mhòine,‘s e an luimead a dhealras.’ – Angus Peter Campbell (Poetry)

‘I can’t believe my luck, I’m totally over the moon about it and I’m proud to be on such a strong shortlist.’ – Ali Smith (Fiction)

‘I’m delighted to have been selected as the non-fiction winner from such a strong list – it’s a genuinely unexpected honour, pleasure and confidence boost.’ – Janice Galloway (Non-Fiction)

In all, over 90 titles were reviewed by a panel of expert judges, chaired by Dr Gavin Wallace of Creative Scotland,  comprising Alistair Moffat, Artistic Director of the Borders Book Festival; Tom Pow, award-winning writer and poet; Sally Magnusson, broadcaster and writer; and David McCormack, Assistant Manager of Waterstones in Dunfermline. 

For a fourth year, Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust is proud sponsor of the Awards, which have been running since 1970.  John Scott, Chairman of Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust, said:
’Scottish Mortgage is pleased to be sponsoring the book awards for another year.  The shortlist shows that there is an abundance of diverse talent in print and that Scotland’s rich literary tradition is alive and well.’

Previous winners of the prestigious Award include renowned and acclaimed authors such as Jackie Kay for her autobiography Red Dust Road in 2011; Donald Worster for his biography A Passion for Nature: The Life of John Muir in 2010; James Kelman for his novel Kieron Smith, boy in 2009; and Edwin Morgan for his poetry collection A Book of Lives in 2008.

For more information about the awards, including previous winners, please visit scottishbookawards.com

Source: Creative Scotland