London, 18 March 2008: The Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction, the UK’s only annual book award for fiction written by a woman, today announces the 2008 longlist. Now in its thirteenth year, the Prize celebrates excellence, originality and accessibility in women’s writing.

'There were lots of big names in contention this year and stiff competition for places on the longlist,' commented Kirsty Lang, Chair of Judges, 'so we were surprised and excited to find so many new voices that fought their way through. There is,' she continued, 'a great balance on this list, not only in its international reach and range of human experience, but also between first novels and some established writers that haven’t perhaps had the recognition they deserved.”

This year’s longlist features both new and well-established writers, including seven first novels alongside a former Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction winner; Linda Grant, who took the prize in 2000 for When I Lived in Modern Times.  Three authors appearing on this year’s list have previously been longlisted for the Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction, and Rose Tremain was shortlisted in 2004.

see the longlist
press release