Historia Magazine

The magazine of the Historical Writers Association

  • Features
  • Interviews
  • Reviews
    • New Books
    • TV, Film and Theatre
    • One From The Vaults
  • Latest Releases
  • Columns
    • Doctor Darwin’s Writing Tips
    • Watching History
    • Desert Island Books
  • Awards
  • Events
  • Contact
  • Historia in your inbox

Debut Crown Shortlist Announced!

1 July 2016 By Editor

The shortlist for the HWA Goldsboro Debut Crown 2016 was announced at this year’s History In The Court event on Thursday evening (30th June).

The judges revealed the chosen six finalists from the longlist of twelve as historical writers and readers gathered for the annual literary event hosted by Goldsboro Books at their Cecil Court, London bookshop.
 
The titles on the shortlist include Death and Mr Pickwick by Stephen Jarvis, Eden Gardens by Louise Brown, The Hoarse Oaths of Fife by Chris Moore, Mrs Engels by Gavin McCrea, Summertime by Vanessa Lafaye and Wolf Winter by Cecilia Ekbäck.

The HWA Goldsboro Debut Crown award and prize money of £1,000 will be presented at the Harrogate International Festivals’ 2016 Harrogate History Festival, which takes place between 21st – 23rd October this year. 
As well as revealing their shortlist titles, the judges provided a brief insight into why they chose each book, which is detailed on the full shortlist below.

“History In The Court is a wonderful event for historical fiction fans and writers to come together and celebrate the genre,” says HWA Chair Imogen Robertson. “With Goldsboro Books sponsoring the HWA Goldsboro Debut Crown, the event was a wonderful chance to reveal our shortlist. There are such excellent books in contention, I don’t envy the judges in trying to narrow it down to one winner.”

The HWA Goldsboro Debut Crown shortlist in full:

DEATH AND MR PICKWICK STEPHEN JARVIS smallDeath and Mr Pickwick by Stephen Jarvis, published by Jonathan Cape

The judges said: “A splendidly ambitious and tongue-in-cheek pastiche of the Victorian novel: The Pickwick Papers will never be the same again.”

 

 

 

 

EDEN GARDENS LOUISE BROWN smallEden Gardens by Louise Brown, published by Headline

The judges said: “White trash in British India: a poignant mother-and-daughter story provides an unexpected perspective on the Raj.”

 

 

 

 

THE HOARSE OATHS OF FIFE CHRIS MOORE smallThe Hoarse Oaths of Fife by Chris Moore, published by Uniform Press

The judges said: “From Fife in the 1960s to Loos in World War I: a wry and moving novel about fathers and sons that also meditates on war and race.

 

 

 

 

MRS ENGELS GAVIN MCCREA smallMrs Engels by Gavin McCrea, published by Scribe

The judges said: “The private lives of Marx and Engels are revealed as never before in this brilliant act of literary ventriloquism.”

 

 

 

 

SUMMERTIME VANESSA LAFAYE smallSummertime by Vanessa Lafaye, published by Orion

The judges said: “A powerful and accomplished novel of love and loss that focuses on the plight of unwanted veterans and Florida’s disastrous 1935 hurricane.”

 

 

 

 

WOLF WINTER CECILIA EKBACK smallWolf Winter by Cecilia Ekbäck, published by Hodder

The judges said: “Finnish settlers are immersed in a powerful, beautifully written gothic murder mystery in a remote area of eighteenth-century Lapland.”

 

 

 

 

For further information, please contact Kate White, press officer for the Historical Writers’ Association at kate@frontpagemediauk.co.uk or on 07814791775.

Share this article:Share on Facebook
Facebook
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter
Email this to someone
email

Filed Under: Features, News Tagged With: Cecilia Ekback, Chris Moore, Debut Crown, Gavin McCrea, Goldsboro Books, HWA, Louise Brown, Shortlist, Stephen Jarvis, Vanessa Lafaye

Search

Latest Releases

The Three Paradises by Robert Fabbri

7 January 2021

The Wolf Hunt by Tim Hodkinson

7 January 2021

A Remedy In Time by Jennifer Macaire

7 January 2021

See more new releases

Let’s stay in touch

Sign up for our monthly email newsletter:

Or follow us on social media:

Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Facebook

Editor’s Picks

Entrance to Auschwitz

Torn from home

27 January 2019

Was America, not Wallis, the real reason Edward VIII abdicated?

23 September 2018

Mutiny on the Bounty

10 January 2018

Popular Topics

16th century 17th century 18th century 19th century 20th century 2020 Ancient Rome Anglo-Saxons author interview biography book review Catherine Hokin Competition Debut Crown Elizabeth Fremantle Emma Darwin Giveaway historical fiction Historical Writers Association history HWA HWA Crown Awards HWA Non-Fiction Crown Imogen Robertson interview Katherine Clements Matthew Harffy medieval new release paperback research review Second World War Shortlist short stories the writing life Tudors TV drama TV review Vikings World War II writing writing advice writing tips WWII

The Historical Writers’ Association

Historia Magazine is published by the Historical Writers’ Association. We are authors, publishers and agents of historical writing, both fiction and non-fiction. For information about membership and profiles of our member authors, please visit our website.

Read more about Historia or find out about advertising and promotional opportunities.

ISSN 2515-2254

Recent Additions

  • Researching the Palaeolithic
  • Books to look for in 2021
  • The Three Paradises by Robert Fabbri

Search Historia

Contact us

If you would like to contact the editor of Historia, please email editor@historiamag.com.

Copyright © 2014–2021 The Historical Writers Association