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University lecturer longlisted for 2008 Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction

The End of Mr. Y by Scarlett Thomas, Lecturer in Creative Writing and English and American Literature at the University of Kent's acclaimed School of English, has been longlisted for the 2008 Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction.

The Orange Prize is for the best novel of the year written by a woman in the English language. Now in its thirteenth year, the Prize celebrates excellence, originality and accessibility in women's writing. This year's longlist features novels by both new and well-established writers, including Stella Duffy, Linda Grant, Anita Nair, Rose Tremain and Booker Prize winner Anne Enright. The shortlist will be announced on 15 April and the winner on 4 June.

Scarlett Thomas is the author of seven novels. She has published short fiction, book reviews and articles in a range of newspapers, magazines and journals, as well as having work broadcast on BBC Radio 4. Scarlett has been teaching at the University of Kent since 2004 and is currently working on her eighth novel. She reviews books for the Independent on Sunday and Scotland on Sunday. She also reviews on the 5Live Books Panel. Her work has been translated into 16 languages. The End of Mr. Y is published by Canongate.

Rod Edmond, Professor of Modern Literature and Cultural History, and Head of the School of English, was among the first to congratulate Scarlett Thomas on her achievement. He said: 'Scarlett's daring and inventive novel has become a world-wide success, and the School of English is delighted with her longlisting for this prestigious award.'

The University of Kent's School of English is one of its most successful research and teaching departments. Its published authors include Scarlett Thomas, Susan Wicks, Patricia Debney, Lucy Ellmann and Todd McEwen. Paradise by Abdulrazak Gurnah, Professor of English and Postcolonial Literatures at the School, was previously shortlisted for the Booker Prize.

The School's alumni include authors Kazuo Ishiguro (Never Let Me Go, When We Were Orphans, The Unconsoled, The Remains of the Day), Sarah Waters (The Night Watch, Affinity, Fingersmith, Tipping the Velvet) and David Mitchell (Black Swan Green, Cloud Atlas, Number9dream, Ghostwritten).

Contact: mediaoffice@kent.ac.uk

Story published at 12:49pm 19 March 2008