Dr Sue Black to present FutureBook Awards

Dr Sue Black is to present the FutureBook Awards at this year’s FutureBook Conference, to be held on 1st December in London. Black will also speak at the conference about the importance of innovation and her 20-year advocacy for women in computing.

Black is an honorary professor in Computer Science at UCL, the founder of BCSWomen, a network for women in tech, and leader of the campaign to save Bletchley Park, the home of WW2 codebreakers which led to her first book, Saving Bletchley Park (Unbound). She was awarded an OBE in 2016. Her second book, a user guide to coding, was acquired by Penguin Press imprint Pelican for publication in autumn 2018.

Black said: “With social media, blogs, vlogs and real time news reporting we are all consuming more content than ever. Technology offers the publishing industry so many opportunities to innovate and reach new audiences in different ways while at the same time serving their traditional audiences. I’m looking forward to sharing my insights from a life of turning massive challenges into amazing opportunities at Futurebook 2017, see you there!"

FutureBook associate editor Molly Flatt said: “Having just come out of our judging session, I can’t wait to celebrate the brilliant people, books and campaigns that are pointing the way for the rest of the industry on the 1st. And who better to lead those celebrations than Sue Black? She’s a legend - a strong, authentic, talented woman who has tirelessly fought to prove that technology, especially when teamed with creative publishing, can be a force for social good. Her rallying call at the end of the conference is not to be missed.”

More than 40 people, platforms and products have been shortlisted for this year’s awards, with the winners to be announced at the culmination of the FutureBook Conference. More than 110 entries were submitted from 10 different countries across the eight categories. Penguin Random House UK (PRH) has six shortlistees, HarperCollins has four, Pottermore three and, for the first time, Amazon Publishing features, with two nods for products produced on its Kindle in Motion platform.

The 2017 awards shortlists can also be found here. Tickets for the FutureBook Conference can be booked at the conference website, for group bookings and for preferential rates contact Hilary Bell.