BBA Winners 2005


	How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff has won the Branford Boase Award. She was unable to attend the ceremony but she did have a message for all those who were in attendance: “As a 48 year old first-time novelist, it's a wonderful honour and encouragement to be awarded the Branford Boase Award. I love the idea that How I Live Now could be the start of a new fifty year career!” The prizegiving ceremony took place at Walker Books in London on Thursday evening of 30th June. Graham Marks of Publishing News, who was a judge this year, talked about the high quality of the shortlist and Jacqueline Wilson, Children’s Laureate, presented the Award and a cheque for £1000. The joint winner of the award is Meg's editor at Puffin Books Rebecca McNally who was also unable to attend the ceremony. Both receive a handcrafted African hardwood box in the shape of a book, inlaid with the BBA logo. * * * * * * * The Branford Boase Award is awarded annually for the most promising first novel to a first-time writer of a book for young people. At the same time, it marks the important contribution of the editor in identifying and nurturing new talent. See the 2005 Shortlist


			Megs' thoughts on the Award: How many good things can you cram into a single award? The Branford Boase honours the memory of a close and successful writer/editor team (Wendy Boase and Henrietta Branford) reminding us that it isn’t just the lonely writer and the computer who create a good novel. Add to that, a great rush of recognition for the ever-pessimistic first novelist, convinced his/her readership will be limited to members of the immediate family, and you have a prize that buoys spirit and ambition. (Now if only we could have a similar incentive for the painful second novel, to counteract the winner’s tendency to imagine his/her career has already peaked....) Full BBA Winners 2005 press release Party Photos 2005 More party photos in HBWC 2005 section Henrietta Branford Writing Competition Winners 2005 Past BBA Winners

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