Big-name authors Alan Titchmarsh and Hunter Davies took to the stage at the Island Sailing Club in Cowes in October, for the 2022 Isle of Wight Book Awards Charity Lunch.
The two nationally-known writers were on hand to give a professional view of entries to the new writing competition, with its three categories of fiction, nonfiction and children’s books.
At the end of the lunch the overall winner of the Isle of Wight Book of the Year 2022 was announced as Kenneth Hicks, who received his £500 prize courtesy of David and Patsy Franks of Cowes. Meanwhile, everyone on the shortlists received a certificate and the winners each got £100.
The brief for authors was that their book had to have some connection with the Isle of Wight, the object being to encourage people who know and love the Island to record their own memories, experiences, family stories, local histories or write about their interests and research.
A variety of writing awards
The event included a short presentation by Nigel Hartley of the Mountbatten charity and a prize draw for donors, with prizes including a bottle of champagne, a meal for two at The Heron in Ryde, meal for two at The Dell, ride for two at Wight Karting, plus copies of the shortlisted books.
The awards were non profit-making but three local businesses generously supported the event:
Hovertravel, The Isle of Wight Music Festival and estate agents, Hose Rhodes Dickson plus the Medina Bookshop in Cowes and Monkton Arts in Ryde.
Overall winner of the IoW Book Awards 2022:
Kenneth Hicks for An Island Legacy
Winner, Non Fiction:
Kenneth Hicks for An Island Legacy
Short Listed:
Kirsty Stonell Walker for Light and Love
Adrian Searle for The Infamous Sophie Dawes
Winner, Fiction:
Marion Carmichael for Green Grass Stockings
Short Listed:
Jody Cooksley for The Glass House
Lawrence Harvey for The Curious Death of William Bacchus
Winner, Children’s Books:
Meg L. Hewison for My Friends by the Beach
Short Listed
Alan Barbara for Fool’s Gold
Jules Marriner for Nature Calls