Strong Female Character

Written and narrated by Fern Brady

Brazen

WINNER Book of the Year - Audiobook: Non-Fiction

Bunny vs Monkey: Multiverse Mix-up

Written and illustrated by Jamie Smart

David Fickling Books

WINNER Book of the Year - Children's Illustrated

Brilliant Black British History

Atinuke, illustrated by Kingsley Nebechi 

Bloomsbury Children's Books

WINNER Book of the Year - Children's Non-Fiction

Lessons from Our Ancestors

Raksha Dave, illustrated by Kimberlie Clinthorne-Wong 

Magic Cat Publishing

WINNER Book of the Year - Discover

None of This is True

Lisa Jewell

Century 

WINNER Book of the Year - Fiction: Crime & Thriller

In Memoriam

Alice Winn

Viking

WINNER Book of the Year - Fiction: Début

Politics on the Edge

Rory Stewart

Jonathan Cape 

WINNER Book of the Year - Non-Fiction Narrative

Bookshop.org

Bookshop.org’s value to independent booksellers during Covid was recognised by this award in 2022. Last year it passed the milestone of £3m profits earned for 600 indies, plus affiliates including the Women’s Prize. It stepped up promo work with social media influencers, added new strands to its children’s books offer and launched a charitable Read It Forward initiative with BookTrust. 

LoveReading

Like Bookshop.org, recommendation and retail platform LoveReading has a social purpose that goes well beyond selling books. Its model of sending a quarter of buyers’ spend to schools of their choice is helping cash-strapped libraries to get more children reading for pleasure. It is also starting to support in-person events, including as partner of The Week’s book awards and festival. 

National Trust

With 121 retail sites, and second-hand shops at many more of its properties, the National Trust is a bigger bookseller than some realise—and a particularly valuable one for its publishing partners, HarperCollins and Nosy Crow. Shortlisted at the British Book Awards for the first time since 2017, its team’s market knowledge, merchandising and promos are the equal of many pure book retailers. 

Waterstones

A ninth shortlist place in 10 years shows the consistency of Waterstones since James Daunt took the helm in 2011. It seized good shares of many of 2023’s biggest sellers, especially Prince Harry’s Spare and G T Karber’s Murdle, while helping to break out many more new voices. Events revenue was the best ever and seven new openings showed its confidence for the future. 

Making It So

Written and narrated by Patrick Stewart

Gallery UK/Simon & Schuster

The icon of British television and film Patrick Stewart narrates his charming memoir Making It So in what was a carefully considered and thoughtful publication from Gallery UK that helped this audiobook top the Audible charts on release. The campaign lent into all aspects of Stewart’s life, from his career on screen to his childhood in Yorkshire, with outdoor advertising across the north of England presenting scannable QR codes to play audio clips.  

Spare

Written and narrated by Prince Harry 

Penguin Random House Audio

Prince Harry’s record-breaking memoir Spare, written with J R Moehringer, ruled the audiobook charts on release, with deft narration from the royal himself creating an intimate listening experience. Penguin implemented a meticulous, global campaign and made the decision to run no advertising on social media or spaces where users could leave comments, instead running ads with podcasts with a listening base interested in mental health and wellness. 

The Diary of a CEO

Written and narrated by Steven Bartlett

Penguin Random House Audio

Author and narrator Steven Bartlett brings his conversational podcast style and entrepreneurial and self-development expertise to the audio edition of The Diary of a CEO. With only two weeks of Bartlett’s time available to promote the audio edition, Penguin Random House Audio instigated a no-holds-barred campaign, running its first ever advertising on Apple News and sending padlocked golden boxes to influencers with a download code for the audiobook. 

None of This is True

Lisa Jewell, narrated by Nicola Walker and Louise Brealey

Penguin Random House Audio

Lisa Jewell’s crime hit None of This Is True, follows podcaster Alix who becomes immersed in her birthday twin’s life after a chance encounter. With 12 narrators, including actors Nicola Walker and Louise Brealey in the titular roles, Penguin Random House Audio produced an immersive listening experience, incorporating the podcast and true-crime documentary elements of the novel into the audiobook. 

Poor Things

Alasdair Gray, narrated by Russ Bain and Kathryn Drysdale

W. F. Howes

In an example of savvy publishing, W F Howes released Alasdair Gray’s Poor Things with a striking film tie-in audiobook cover. Gray’s story of a reanimated woman named Bella, and her growing sense of autonomy and curiosity, is the first of his novels to be adapted for audio. The publisher worked with Gray’s Estate to cast Scottish actor Russ Bain alongside Kathyrn Drysdale in this considered production. 

The List

Yomi Adegoke, narrated by Sheila Atim and Arinzé Kene

4th Estate

Ola and Michael are happily engaged, but when Michael’s name appears on a roster of abusive men, everything is put at risk. This is the premise of Yomi Adegoke’s conversation-starting debut novel The List, voiced by actors Shelia Atim and Arinzé Kene. 4th Estate put authenticity at the heart of its campaign; The List was selected as the Guardian’s audiobook of the week and was championed as part of Spotify’s audiobook launch. 

Powerless 

Written by Lauren Roberts

Simon & Schuster Children’s Books 

The debut enemies-to-lovers fantasy novel from BookTokker Lauren Roberts fired up the team at S&S Children’s to produce a nimble and creative campaign to hit publication, a short three months after acquisition. Previously self-published, S&S improved on Powerless’ original cover, clinched a Waterstones exclusive sprayed-edge edition and marshalled BookTok creators with limited-edition mailing packages. Even with a short lead time, Powerless became S&S Children’s number one YA fiction title of the year. 

Skandar and the Phantom Rider

A.F. Steadman

Simon & Schuster Children's Books

The second in A F Steadman’s ferocious unicorn series hit number one in the children’s and YA fiction charts on publication. S&S Children’s produced exclusive editions of Skandar and the Phantom Rider for Waterstones and indies that capitalised on the stormy, electric-blue front cover, while Steadman committed to a six-week tour around the world, visiting schools, festivals and bookshops.

The Completely Chaotic Christmas of Lottie Brooks

Written and illustrated by Katie Kirby

Puffin

Katie Kirby’s The Completely Chaotic Christmas of Lottie Brooks cemented this hilarious and relatable tween series as a firm favourite for readers. Puffin organised four sold-out signing events, appearances at Bath and Ilkley literature festivals and a holiday-giveaway competition with Tesco. Social media posts engaged fans by teasing the topsy-turvy festive story and Puffin partnered with The VIP Suite for influencer giveaways. 

Dog Man: Twenty Thousand Fleas Under the Sea

Written and illustrated by Dav Pilkey

Scholastic

Dubbed the “godfather of the children’s graphic novel”, the 11th instalment in Dav Pilkey’s hilarious series marked a 27% increase in year-on-year sales for the author-illustrator, despite a two-year hiatus. Scholastic managed a supermarket sweep and support from W H Smith and Waterstones to produce a slew of kid-safe and family targeted advertising to make Dog Man: Twenty Thousand Fleas Under the Sea the second-bestselling graphic novel of 2023 in the UK. 

Heartstopper: Volume 5

Written and illustrated by Alice Oseman

Hodder Children’s Books 

The fifth instalment in Alice Oseman’s iconic series celebrating queer love and friendship became the fastest-selling graphic novel ever in a globally orchestrated publication. Not only did Heartstopper rack up the highest pre-order sales of any Hodder Children’s Book title, but the Waterstones exclusive edition also sold out in under an hour. A cover reveal with Cosmopolitan and a takeover at Hay Festival helped bring readers old and new to the series. 

This is Me

George Webster and Claire Taylor, illustrated by Tim Budgen

Scholastic 

George Webster’s joyful picture book based on his life celebrates representation and inclusion. Co-written with Claire Taylor and illustrated by Tim Budgen, This Is Me was treated with the utmost care in-house, with Webster’s comfort prioritised at every moment of the campaign. Scholastic secured a spread of national newspaper and broadcast opportunities, including interviews on “The One Show” and “BBC Breakfast”, to help launch the CBeebies presenter as a new voice in children’s literature.  

Brilliant Black British History

Atinuke, illustrated by Kingsley Nebechi 

Bloomsbury Children’s Books  

Atinuke’s vital exploration of Black British history covers the longest period of time of any children’s book on this subject. With moving artwork from debut illustrator Kingsley Nebechi, Brilliant Black British History was truly a collaborative effort. Bloomsbury Children’s created a positive, education-led campaign with multiple school events and commissioned a headline-grabbing survey on the need for comprehensive Black history education in response to a media backlash.  

Kay's Incredible Inventions

Adam Kay, illustrated by Henry Paker

Puffin

Adam Kay and Henry Paker’s unique education-entertainment brand continues to delight readers, with Kay’s Incredible Inventions designed to inspire the next generation of scientists. Puffin took this mission to heart, launching a competition with the Young V&A to challenge children to imagine their own invention, with the winner to be featured in the upcoming paperback edition. Kay and Paker also embarked on a school tour and hosted a Puffin virtual visit to 117 classrooms.  

Stolen History

Sathnam Sanghera, illustrated by Jen Khatun

Puffin Books

Puffin created a powerful social impact campaign for Sathnam Sanghera’s considered history of British colonialism with warm illustrations from Jen Khatun. Sanghera embarked on a two-week school tour, speaking to nearly 3,000 children about Stolen History, while also appearing on “London ITV News” and “The Andrew Marr Show”. The publisher worked with Media Hive, a specialist agency, to plan publication sensitively and target communities where Sanghera’s book would be most wanted. 

April’s Garden

Isla McGuckin, illustrated by Catalina Echeverri

Graffeg 

Longlisted for the Carnegie Medal for Illustration 2023 and selected as one of the Children’s Books Ireland’s picture books for 2023, April’s Garden is the debut from Isla McGuckin, who appeared on last year’s “New Voices” panel at the Children’s Books Ireland International Conference. Exploring poverty, homelessness and displacement, the story is sensitively illustrated by Catalina Echeverri and published with teaching notes to provide discussion points in classrooms. 

Imad’s Syrian Kitchen

Imad Alarnab, illustrated by Evi-O.Studio

HQ 

Imad Alarnab’s strikingly designed cookbook offers more than just recipes from the author’s homeland, also featuring essays reflecting on his life. HQ’s PPC-shortlisted campaign worked with The Unmistakables agency and secured broadcast and print publicity, including a slot on “Saturday Kitchen” on publication week. Imad’s Syrian Kitchen was selected as one of the Times’ best cookery books of the year and is one of the top 10 cookery debuts of 2023.  

Pageboy: A Memoir

Elliot Page

Doubleday  

Acquired in a 16-publisher auction, Pageboy found a home at Doubleday after editor Bobby Mostyn-Owen filmed a personal video for Elliot Page. Author care was at the heart of the sensitive publicity campaign: journalists and producers were vetted, provided with a style guide and a list of no-go topics. Doubleday also championed queer independent bookshops, which received signed copies, and ran a pre-order competition with the Queer Lit bookshop. 

Iron Flame

Rebecca Yarros

Piatkus

The sequel to Fourth Wing was published six months after the phenomenal success of the first in the series and flew straight to the top of the charts, selling more than 57,000 copies in its first week. The Waterstones special edition became the fastest-selling pre-order title in a single day on the retailer’s website, selling out the entire print run in just seven hours. Piatkus responded to the fan love by running a competition in which the winner saw her artwork featured as endpapers in the UK edition. 

So Late in the Day

Claire Keegan

Faber

Following the response to Small Things Like These in 2021, Faber decided to publish this standalone short story as a hardback to celebrate Claire Keegan as one of the most acclaimed authors of literary fiction writing today. Lead interviews in the Observer and the Irish Times created a significant publication splash. A special edition was created for indie bookshops, always passionate champions of the author, and four bookshops were selected for bespoke painted windows.  

The Ghost Ship

Kate Mosse

Mantle

This historical epic is the third in the Joubert Family Chronicles but also works as a standalone, telling a queer love story between two female pirates amid adventure on the high seas. In a no-stone-unturned PR campaign, Kate Mosse undertook 35 press interviews, 27 broadcast interviews and 58 in-person events including bookshop and festival appearances. The Ghost Ship also had its very own sea shanty, a folk interpretation of the book, which was listed on Spotify and played on BBC 6 Music, generating additional publicity. 

Godkiller

Hannah Kaner

HarperVoyager

Epic fantasy Godkiller became the bestselling fantasy debut of 2023. With a stunning jacket featuring a luminous woodland scene from artist Tom Roberts, three special editions were produced for subscription box Illumicrate, specialist SFF bookshop The Broken Binding and Waterstones, which sold out before it was even released. Rave reviews from individual Waterstones booksellers were turned into personalised quote cards and shared across social media. 

In Memoriam

Alice Winn

Viking

In Memoriam, which scooped the Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize and Waterstones Novel of the Year, tells of the love between two First World War soldiers. The original cover design centres the men rather than the war, to appeal to readers of contemporary as well as historical fiction. Review coverage from the Sunday Times to Women’s Weekly and a post-publication UK tour for US-based Alice Winn helped make In Memoriam the bestselling hardback fiction debut of 2023. 

Talking at Night

Claire Daverley

Penguin Michael Joseph

Falling for the epic love story between Will and Rosie, Penguin Michael Joseph moved swiftly to pre-empt Talking at Night. With author Claire Daverley a complete unknown, with no existing platform or subscription box support, the publisher focused on finding individual bookseller champions. On TikTok, user-generated videos raving about the book have received 1.5 million views, and the book has inspired playlists, character art – and at least one Talking at Night tattoo!  

None of This is True

Lisa Jewell

Century

None of This Is True is Lisa Jewell’s bestselling hardback in her career of more than 20 years, powered by an irresistible hook and a standout Book Marketing Society-winning marketing campaign. Century brought the podcast from the novel to life, creating four true-crime inspired episodes released weekly in the run-up to publication, with the final episode revealing that the podcast was, in fact, a genius stunt. Impactful TV advertising across ITVX and Netflix added to the impressive online engagement.  

The Last Devil To Die

Richard Osman

Viking

The Secret Hours

Mick Herron

Baskerville

Both a gripping standalone spy thriller and a prequel to Mick Herron’s bestselling Slough House series, The Secret Hours was powered by the biggest marketing and publicity strategy to date, securing the author a spread of high-profile interviews in print from the Sunday Times to You Magazine and the Radio 4 “Book at Bedtime” slot. At a secret pop-up event at Harrogate Crime Festival, fans joined the author for a one-off Q&A and reading. HB sales grew by 10% on Herron’s previous novel.  

Ghosts: The Button House Archives

Mathew Baynton, Simon Farnaby, Martha Howe-Douglas, Jim Howick, Laurence Rickard and Ben Willbond

Bloomsbury General

The official companion to the much-loved hit TV series, Ghosts: The Button House Archives needed to encapsulate the warmth, gentle humour and emotional depth of the show. Working with the six authors, who are also the show’s scriptwriters and actors, to a tight timeline, Bloomsbury produced a beautiful, high-spec treasure trove of historical artefacts belonging to the ghosts for readers young and old. It was Bloomsbury’s third-bestselling hardback of the year. 

Let The Light Pour In

Lemn Sissay

Canongate

For 10 years, Lemn Sissay has written a poem as dawn is breaking. Let the Light Pour In is both a collection of his best work, and also a model of how a daily practice of art might improve mental health and well-being. A coveted spot on BBC Breakfast, focusing on morning practices, saw pre-orders spike. Canongate worked with Waterstones, World Poetry Day and the Natural Voice Network choir, who performed one of Lemn’s poems live at sunrise on publication day. 

Murdle 

G. T. Karber

Souvenir Press 

The standout Christmas gift bestseller, Murdle is best described as Cluedo crossed with Sudoku; a new type of logic puzzle that invites the reader to solve a murder mystery. The book’s distinctive, eye-catching design made it an irresistible till-side purchase for fans of smart puzzling. With bookshops encouraged to host their own ‘Murdle Nights’, word-of-mouth soon spread. With impressive sales from publication onwards, it took the coveted Christmas number one slot. 

Politics on the Edge

Rory Stewart

Jonathan Cape

Jonathan Cape set out to publish a political memoir “like no other”, a book with an urgent mission to expose the issues at the heart of our government in a falling market for political books. The striking photographic jacket, capturing Rory Stewart mid-stride, perfectly positioned the book outside the Westminster bubble. An impressive raft of TV interviews reached an audience of all political hues and the book hit number one in the non-fiction charts on publication. Indie retailers did particularly well, taking 34% market share.  

Spare

Prince Harry

Bantam

Meticulous planning with retailer partners, extra tight security and “one of the most complicated and sensitive logistics plan any of us will ever experience” (according to one retailer) underpinned the success of Spare, the first memoir from a serving member of the British royal family. Prince Harry’s book, written with J R Moehringer, which set the news agenda both before and after publication, sold more than 700,000 copies through the TCM. It is the fastest-selling non-fiction hardback since records began and finished 2023 as the biggest-selling book of the year.  

The Extra Mile

Kevin Sinfield

Century

The memoir from Rugby League legend Kevin Sinfield, co-written by Paul Hayward, documents not just the athlete’s sporting achievements but also his commitment to raising awareness of motor neurone disease (MND), which has afflicted his best friend and fellow rugby star Rob Burrow. Century worked with the MND Association to deliver an online event for MND sufferers, and during publication week MND charities raised an estimated £40,000. The Extra Mile is the bestselling sports autobiography of 2023.  

Sophie Clarke, Imogen Whiteley and Katie Hall

The Orange and Other Poems by Wendy Cope

Faber

Faber’s marketers didn’t just promote Wendy Cope’s The Orange and Other Poems: they created it. After Cope’s poem caught fire on TikTok, the marketing trio of Sophie Clarke, Imogen Whiteley and Katie Hall turned round a campaign in just six weeks, using brilliant artwork and influencer promos to reach non-traditional poetry buyers. 

Rebecca Ikin, Lydia Weigel and Cameron Watson

#Merky Books Literature Festival

#Merky Books, Penguin Random House

PRH celebrated five years of its imprint with a #Merky Books Literature Festival in collaboration with Netflix. Rebecca Ikin, Lydia Weigel and Cameron Watson helped put together talks, workshops, seminars, clinics and more, with the emphasis on accessibility and appealing to readers who might not otherwise have been found. 

Hayley McMullan, Genevieve Barratt and Rich Vlietstra

The Woman in Me by Britney Spears

Simon & Schuster

The Woman in Me by Britney Spears was always going to be one of the biggest books of the year, but the Simon & Schuster trio of Hayley McMullan, Genevieve Barratt and Rich Vlietstra smashed all forecasts. The campaign had sensitivity as well as blockbuster activity that led to TCM sales of 250,000 copies in just 10 weeks. 

Katrina Northern, Helia Daryani and Amelia Rushen

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin 

Vintage

Gabrielle Zevin’s Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow was impossible to ignore in 2023. Vintage’s team of Katrina Northern, Helia Daryani and Amelia Rushen, supported with memorable design from Sally Felton, blitzed bookshops and online platforms and helped make it the TCM’s seventh biggest book of the year.

Demeter Scanlon

Bored of Lunch: The Healthy Air Fryer Book by Nathan Anthony

Ebury

Nathan Anthony’s Bored of Lunch hit the top of the charts in the first week in January and rolled on all year, becoming the fifth biggest seller of 2023. In between, the Ebury team led by Demeter Scanlon led superb marketing through retailers, socials and influencers, and even managed to turn running out of stock into a selling point. 

Halfway up the Stairs

Greystones

This County Wicklow independent is shortlisted for the fourth year in a row, and is Ireland’s An Post Bookshop of the Year to boot. Its winning formula includes superb customer service, popular subscription deals, great book clubs and school supply. This is a small bookshop that punches way above its weight in Ireland. 

Imagine Me Stories

Online

A monthly subscription box set up to promote black children's literature, Imagine Me is one of the most inspiring new children’s booksellers of recent years. Founder Keisha Ehigie has helped fill a glaring gap in representation and worked tirelessly on outreach to primary schools, marketing to parents and the creation of black history resources.  

Sevenoaks Bookshop

Sevenoaks

This Kent independent is a local institution that has welcomed generations of children since the 1940s. It engages readers of all ages through talks, workshops, subscription services, peer book reviews and much more. Inclusivity and representation are at the heart of everything, and there is a particular focus on autism and dyslexia. 

The Children's Bookshop

Muswell Hill, London

Muswell Hill’s Children’s Bookshop turns 50 in 2024 but remains as youthful and energetic as ever. Adding new book clubs and a creative writing course in 2023, it has a special place in the hearts of writers and publishers, attracting big names including David Walliams and Julia Donaldson. “You can feel the love vividly at work,” said one author. 

David Fickling Books

David Fickling’s eponymous list had a stunning year, with sales rocketing 73% in the TCM, where it is now five times bigger than five years ago. Jamie Smart’s Bunny vs Monkey series had a lot to do with that, but there was much more besides, including S F Said’s multi-award-winning Tyger. 

Hachette Children's Group

Years of work to pull together Hachette’s disparate imprints and acquisitions into a united unit paid off handsomely in 2023. Alice Oseman’s Heartstopper hit number one and there were big sales across the backlist, especially from Enid Blyton. Globally, the rights and licensing team had a record year. 

Oneworld

Oneworld is shortlisted for its YA imprint Rock the Boat, which had another remarkable year. It owes a lot to TikTok, which has powered Kathleen Glasgow’s Girl in Pieces and Amber Smith’s The Way I Used to Be. Hits from its small but focused and diverse frontlist included Josh Silver’s LGBTQ+ thriller HappyHead.  

Scholastic

Scholastic had its best ever year in the TCM, bursting back into the list of top 10 publishers with 9.2% growth. Like Macmillan it benefited hugely from Julia Donaldson. Suzanne Collins was a second big contributor on the back of a film adaptation, and Dav Pilkey had yet another good year. 

Sweet Cherry Publishing

Sweet Cherry has done more than most to improve diversity and accessibility in publishing, and in 2023 it launched Every Cherry, a new special educational needs and disabilities imprint. Elsewhere its focus on box sets and global licensing delivered stellar growth domestically and internationally. 

Beatrice Cross

Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell

Bloomsbury Children's Books

Beatrice Cross’ campaign for Katherine Rundell’s Impossible Creatures dovetailed with Bloomsbury’s marketing strategy to make this one of the children’s book events of the year. Cross first built a pre-publication buzz, then generated acres of review and interview coverage and steered a long programme of events. 

Etty Eastwood

Ultra-Processed People by Chris van Tulleken

Cornerstone

Publicity for Ultra-Processed People by Chris van Tulleken created one of the most talked-about books of the year. Etty Eastwood, shortlisted for the second successive year, helped the book smash all sales expectations through media awareness campaigns, well-placed interviews, podcasts, social media activity and more. 

Maria Garbutt-Lucero

ESEA Lit Fest

Sceptre

Sceptre’s publicity director is shortlisted in her capacity as co-founder of the ESEA Publishing Network. In September she partnered with Foyles to stage ESEA Lit Fest, the UK’s first festival dedicated to East and South East Asian writers. On a shoestring she delivered a sell-out event and widespread media interest. 

Drew Jerrison

The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels by Janice Hallett

Profile

Profile’s Drew Jerrison, winner of this Award in 2022, is back for his work on Janice Hallett’s The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels. The year-round campaign built Hallett’s media profile, earned retailer support and improved the author’s own confidence, laying the ground for a major crime brand.  

Grace Nzita-Kiki

For Thy Great Pain Have Mercy On My Little Pain by Victoria MacKenzie

Bloomsbury

Grace Nzita-Kiki’s campaign for Victoria MacKenzie’s For Thy Great Pain Have Mercy On My Little Pain won her the Newcomer category at the PPC’s Awards. It made careful use of a first-time author and used the historical aspects of the book as hooks for widespread coverage in literary media.

Rachel Phillipps

This is Me by George Webster

Scholastic

Rachel Phillipps ran a sensitive and powerful campaign for This is Me by children’s TV star George Webster, producer Claire Taylor and illustrator Tim Budgen, generating impactful media coverage and good sales. More importantly, it did great work to promote understanding of learning disabilities and celebrate inclusion.

Amanda Dunne Fulmer

Halfway up the Stairs

Amanda Dunne Fulmer of County Wicklow’s Halfway up the Stairs, a Children's Bookseller of the Year contender, has helped hundreds of young readers build their love of books. The personalised book subscription service she runs has been very popular. “The future of children’s books is bright with booksellers like Amanda,” said a colleague. 

Olivia Kekewich

The Edinburgh Bookshop

The Edinburgh Bookshop’s assistant manager and events coordinator Olivia Kekewich is a superb hand-seller and staunch believer that there is a book out there for everyone. She steered nearly 60 events in 2023, set up the new Edinburgh Women’s Fiction Festival and was a big champion of debuts and romance.  

Serena Russo

Waterstones

Heather Slater

Forum Books

Heather Slater was promoted to manager at Forum Books in Corbridge in 2023, a reward for her superb work in events in particular. As well as author readings and school visits she ran a popular Summer Book Camp and bookshop socials. One of her visiting authors said: “If you look up the word 'bookseller' in the dictionary, it simply reads: 'See Heather Slater’.” 

Will Francis

Janklow & Nesbit

Will Francis of Janklow & Nesbit has a flair for building agenda-setting non-fiction, from Adam Rutherford, Tracy King, Mary Ann Sieghart and Ed Yong among others in 2023. He’s a very strategic agent with an eye on the long-term rather than instant hits, and with Rangan Chatterjee has shown he can build big author brands. 

Amanda Harris

YMU Literary

Amanda Harris, global managing director at the YMU agency, is shortlisted for the third time. She has been the force behind the success of Davina McCall, Fearne Cotton and many more from the world of entertainment – but beyond the big celeb deals she was a powerful supporter of new voices and literacy projects in 2023.  

Harry Illingworth

DHH Literary Agency

Ivan Mulcahy

MMB Creative

The Mulcahy Sweeney agency had its best ever year in 2023, with several long-term author projects paying dividends. David Mitchell and Miriam Mulcahy topped bestseller lists having been carefully placed with publishers. Among new voices, he built a big buzz among publishers around Africa Brooke and Kuba Shand-Baptiste. 

Emma Shercliff

Laxfield Literary Associates

Emma Shercliff has shown agents the way on diversification since founding Laxfield Literary Associates. She has brought many under-represented voices to wider attention, especially from Africa, and ensured the legacy of the late Ukrainian writer Victoria Amelina. She found time to run a book prize, festival and writer development programme too.