Press
Press Release
09/15/2008
Judges Announced for 2008 Costa Book Awards
Costa, the UK's largest and fastest-growing coffee shop brand, today announces the judging panels for the 2008 Costa Book Awards.
They include journalist, broadcaster and writer Michael Buerk; authors Lisa Jewell and Victoria Hislop; writer and broadcaster Matthew Sweet; poet and broadcaster Roger McGough and writer and actress Pauline McLynn.
The full panels are listed below:
COSTA FIRST NOVEL AWARD
Sarah Broadhurst: Book reviewer
Lisa Jewell: Author
Chris Rushby: Buying Director, Bertrams/THE
COSTA NOVEL AWARD
Dan Fenton: Director, John Sandoe (Bookshop) Limited
Pauline McLynn: Actress and writer
Matthew Sweet: Writer and broadcaster
COSTA BIOGRAPHY AWARD
Michael Buerk: Journalist, broadcaster and writer
Peter Saxton: Biography Buyer, Waterstone's
Marilyn Warnick: Books Editor, Mail on Sunday
COSTA POETRY AWARD
Rachel Campbell-Johnston: Art critic, The Times
Roger McGough CBE: Poet and broadcaster
Robyn Marsack: Director, Scottish Poetry Library
COSTA CHILDREN'S BOOK AWARD
Victoria Hislop: Writer
John Newman: Children's buyer, Newham Bookshop
Sue Polchow: Northamptonshire Schools Library Service Advisor
Plus three young judges selected through an online competition at www.costabookawards.com
The judges' task now is to read through the total of 621 books entered for this year's Costa Book Awards - the highest number of entries ever received.
They will then select shortlists and winners in their respective categories (First Novel, Novel, Biography, Poetry and Children's Book) and the five award winners will form the shortlist for the 2008 Costa Book of the Year, which will be announced at an awards ceremony at The Intercontinental Hotel in central London on January 27th, 2009.
The Costa Book Awards have the single aim of celebrating the most enjoyable books of the last year by writers based in the UK and Ireland. Originally established in 1971 by Whitbread Plc, Costa, the UK's fastest-growing coffee shop chain, announced its takeover of the sponsorship of the UK's most prestigious book prize in 2006.
For additional information on this year's awards and category judges, go to www.costabookawards.com.
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For further press information, please contact:
Amanda Johnson
Costa Book Awards Press and Publicity
Telephone: 07715 922180 (mobile)
Email: amanda@amandajohnsonpr.com
The Costa Book Awards:
* The Costa Book Awards, formerly the Whitbread Book Awards, were established in 1971 to encourage, promote and celebrate the best contemporary British writing.
* The Costa Book Awards have the single aim of celebrating the most enjoyable books of the last year by writers based in the UK and Ireland and have five categories: Novel, First Novel, Biography, Poetry and Children's Book.
* The 2007 winner of the Costa Book of the Year was A.L. Kennedy for Day (Cape).
About Costa:
* Costa is now officially the largest and fastest growing coffee shop chain in the UK. It opened its 1000th milestone store in March 2008 in Moscow.
* Costa was founded by Italian brothers Sergio and Bruno Costa in 1971. With 764 stores in the UK and over 300 internationally, Costa has enjoyed a remarkable period of growth since it opened its first store. It now operates in 23 countries.
* Costa Coffee is the first UK coffee shop chain to commit sourcing Rainforest Alliance Certified Coffee.
* Costa's in-store baristas are all coached in the art of coffee making at the company's unique Costa Coffee Academy based at its own roastery in Lambeth, London.
* Costa has won the British Sandwich Association's award for Best Coffee Bar Retailer 2008.
* Costa has been voted as one of the strongest UK brands by experts and consumers and has been awarded 'Superbrand' status
* Costa set up a registered charity (no.327489) in 2006 called 'The Costa Foundation' to give something back to the communities within the countries from which Costa sources its coffee beans.
* Costa is part of the Whitbread family of brands.
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