I am, as always, going to be completely honest with you all about what news I have to tell you.

When I first received an email asking if I would be interested in being a Shadow Panel Judge for the Sunday Times/University of Warwick Young Writer of the Year Award, I thought it was an elaborate phishing email!

Someone had obviously watched my social media, clocked my love of reading and talking about books, and I was sure they would tell me that in return for me depositing a sum of money into account offshore somewhere, I would of course be a Shadow Judge on one of the most well known literary awards.

The thing is, after replying, the email was totally legitimate!

I am very honoured, a little bit flustered, and quite a bit speechless, to tell you all that I am going to be a Shadow Judge for the 2019 Sunday Times/University of Warwick Young Writer of the Year Award!

It has been so difficult not to say anything to you all, but at last I don’t have to worry about saying something I shouldn’t!

Just in case you don’t know much about The Sunday Times/University of Warwick Young Writer of the Year Award, here’s what you need to know..

It’s an annual award of £5,000 for the best book – fiction, poetry, non-fiction or anything else published in the last year by a writer under 35 and there are three prizes of £500 each for the runners-up. The previous winners include Adam Weymouth, Sally Rooney, Max Porter in recent years, and Zadie Smith, Sarah Waters and Robert MacFarlane have also been recipients of this Award. The prize also signed up The British Council as its international partner in 2017.

The University Of Warwick also offers each year’s winner a not only a ten week residency at the University,  but also year round digital support as well.

I am going to be joined on the Shadow Panel by these amazing bookbloggers too:

Anne Cater who is at Random Things Through My Letterbox

David Harris who is at Bluebookballoon

Linda Hill who is at Linda’s Book Bag

Phoebe Williams who is at The Brixton Bookworm

It’s going to be a fabulous experience, and am so looking forward to us all getting together to decide our Winner in November!

We will be using the hashtag #YoungWriterAwardShadow to keep you all updated.. please do follow us and our hashtag, and if you want to ask any questions, read along with the list, or want to know something, let us know. After all, who doesn’t love to talk about books?

We are acting as the Shadow Panel, but of course there are the 2019 Official Judges too.

They are authors Kate Clanchy, and Victoria Hislop and the panel is completed by the Literary Editor of The Sunday Times Andrew Holgate

In case you are interested, and want to know what we are doing and when, here are some key dates for you:

The Shortlist will be revealed on Sunday 3rd November.

The Shadow Panel Winner will be announced on Thursday 28th November.

The Prize Giving Ceremony and Winner Announcement will be on Thursday 5th December at London Library.

Over the next month, I hope you will join me as I read, review and talk about not only the four shortlisted books, but also show you behind the scenes as to what it is like to be a Shadow Judge for this Award!

So there you have it!  Am still having to pinch myself that it’s really happening, and that this is not all a bookish dream..!

I am so excited not only to read, review and judge the shortlist, but also to be part of such a prestigious award and to work with brilliant and passionate book lovers too!

Here’s hoping you all follow along and do please tell us what you think about the shortlist and I’ll be talking a lot about this on Twitter and Instagram- it’s really important to me that you all feel part of this too!

Now, am off to have a lie down and perhaps pinch myself again as I wait to get ready for the Shortlist, and to find out which authors I will be reading over the next few weeks….

Lots of love,

Clare

xxx