BRITISH AUTHORS SHORTLISTED FOR THE COSTA BOOK AWARDS 2007

Costa, the UK’s fastest growing coffee chain, today announced the shortlists in the First Novel, Novel, Biography, Poetry and Children’s Book Award categories.

Originally established in 1971 by Whitbread Plc, Costa announced its takeover of the sponsorship of the UK’s most prestigious book prize in 2006. The Awards recognise the most enjoyable books of the last year by writers based in the UK and Ireland.

This year’s Awards attracted 553 entries, including a record number of submissions in both the novel and children’s categories. Each shortlist was chosen by a panel of three judges, including actress and writer Helen Lederer; author and lyricist Polly Samson; writer and columnist Danny Danziger and broadcaster and journalist Julia Somerville.

The five category winners, who each receive £5,000, will be announced on Thursday 3rd January 2008. The overall winner of the Costa Book of the Year 2007 will receive £25,000 and will be announced at an awards ceremony in at the Intercontinental Hotel in central London on Tuesday 22nd January 2008.