RTÉ presenter Richard Downes, Patrick McCabe, Cecelia Ahern, John Boyne and John Connolly are among the authors who have been shortlisted for the upcoming Irish Book Awards 2007.
Downes is nominated for his book 'In Search of Iraq'; Ahern is nominated for 'A Place Called Here'; Connolly is nominated for 'The Book of Lost Things' while McCabe and Boyne are nominated in a number of categories for their books 'Winterwood' and 'The Boy in the Striped Pajamas' respectively.
The awards are open to all Irish authors who had a book published in 2006, and shortlists are chosen from a ballot of over 200 booksellers.
Other authors shortlisted include: Maeve Binchy, Benjamin Black, Ruth Gilligan, Marian Keyes, Claire Kilroy, Philip O'Ceallaigh and Claire Messud.
This year the Irish Book Awards event has expanded to a total of nine categories and the overall winners in each category will be announced at a gala awards ceremony in March.
The nine categories are:
Irish Novel of the Year
Irish Non-Fiction Book of the Year
Irish Popular Fiction Book of the Year
Irish Sports Book of the Year
Irish Newcomer of the Year
Irish Published Book of the Year
The Tubridy Show Listeners' Choice Award
Irish Children's Book of the Year – Junior and Senior
Read a review of Richard Downes' 'In Search of Iraq' here.
Watch Patrick McCabe discuss 'Winterwood' on 'The View' here.
