Bibliofemme News

This year's shortlist honours both new and well-established writers. None of the writers featured on the 2005 list has previously been shortlisted for the Orange Prize for Fiction.

Marina Lewycka, who now lives in Sheffield, has been nominated for her debut novel A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian, a dark comedy about family feuding. Lewycka was born in a refugee camp in Germany after World War II.

Jane Gardam another British nominee has been shortlisted for her 15th novel, Old Filth, about a former international lawyer whose name stood for Failed in London Try Hong Kong. Gardam is the only author to have ever won the Whitbread Novel of the Year award twice.

Joolz Denby, from Bradford, has been shortlisted for her third novel, Billie Morgan, about a 40-something woman running a jewellery shop who is trying to forget her past as a biker chick and murderer.

The other nominees who are all American are Sheri Holman for The Mammoth Cheese, her third novel, which focuses on the secrets which unravel in her hometown after the media descend on it when Manda Frank gives birth to 11 babies. Malie Meoy has been nominated for her first novel, Liars and Saints, about a family haunted by a kiss. The final author to be shortlisted is Lionel Shriver, an American who lives in London and New York, is nominated for her seventh novel, We Need to Talk About Kevin.

The judges for the 2005 Orange Prize for Fiction are:
Jenni Murray OBE, Broadcaster and author (Chair)
Jo Brand, Comedienne and author
Joanne Harris, Author
Jude Kelly OBE, Theatre Director
Moira Stuart OBE, Broadcaster

The Orange Prize was set up in 1996 to celebrate and promote fiction by women throughout the world to the widest range of readers possible and is awarded for the best novel of the year written by a woman.

The winner will be announced on 7th June 2005.

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