- Judges
Susan Hill published her first novel in 1961. Her books have won the Whitbread (now Costa), James Tait Black and Somerset Maugham Prizes and were shortlisted for the Man Booker. The play adapted from her best-selling ghost story The Woman in Black has been running in London’s West End for 30 years. Susan has been a judge for most British book prizes, and was made a CBE in 2012 for services to literature.
Commenting on the award. she said “When I started out in 1958 there were no such prizes but what I did receive was massive encouragement and support from other writers and this Prize gives that too, and more. Young writers need to feel valued and given a kick-start by just such a prize as this. I am honoured to be a judge of this as it is probably more important than most.”
