Which Fiction To Uncover?

“We are living, in this country, through a golden age of fiction.”

John Sutherland, the Lord Northcliffe Emeritus Professor of Modern English Literature at UCL

Last night, the eight titles selected for Fiction Uncovered 2012 promotion were announced, representing the best of British fiction.

The eight titles are

• Two Cows and a Vanful of Smoke by Peter Benson, Alma Books
• The Light of Amsterdam by David Park, Bloomsbury
• This is Life by Dan Rhodes, Canongate
• Hit and Runby Doug Johnstone, Faber and Faber
• My Former Heart by Cressida Connolly, Fourth Estate
• When Nights Were Cold by Susanna Jones, Mantle
• Lucky Bunny by Jill Dawson, Sceptre
• Crushed Mexican Spiders by Tibor Fischer, Unbound

The idea behind Fiction Uncovered evolved after a period of discussions between the Arts Council England, numerous publishers, literary agents and other book professionals about how to help UK fiction writers find much wider audiences. Hopefully the eight titles selected will reach a much wider readership and gather a few more fans along the way. Foyles, Waterstones, iBookstore, Amazon and independent bookstores across the UK are all backing the promotion throughout the summer.

Chair of Judges, John Sutherland said that:

“The 2012 judges have found their work both pleasurable and instructive. Fascinating things are happening to British fiction – new evolutions of genre, of regionalism, of voicings. It has long been a truism that we are living, in this country, through a golden age of fiction. But British fiction is a living, changing thing. This, I think, is the conclusion all of us privileged to enjoy these titles are agreed on.”

Joining him on the judging panel were Katy Guest (Literary Editor, The Independent on Sunday), Jasper Sutcliffe (Head of Buying, Foyles Group) and the writer Matt Thorne.

So which of these will you ‘uncover’ first? I’ll be checking out the Dan Rhodes then move on to Crushed Mexican Spider I think…

Rob Chilver – @robchilver