(Taken from Press release)
EL James's best seller Fifty Shades of Grey has been named popular fiction book of the year at the Specsavers National Book Awards in London.
The erotic novelist beat competition from Kate Mosse, JoJo Moyes, Victoria Hislop, Bernard Cornwell and Dorothy Koomson to win the accolade.
This year's Booker Prize winner, Hilary Mantel, was chosen as the UK author of the year for a second time.
The outstanding achievement award went to crime writer Ian Rankin.
Glyn
It is as Brian said, sad when there are brilliant writers about.
Does 50 Shades of Grey need any more publicity?
Glyn
Oh no!!! I couldn't make it past the first twenty pages of Fifty Shades of Gray in spite of one of my older sisters egging me on. I'm not against the idea of porn for women but this was just such schlock that I was even embarrassed for the author. I guess that she's laughing all the way to the bank now. There really is no accounting for taste!
Rankin, good. I'd personally be split between Kerr and Rankin for that one. The rest, the James, Mosse, Hislop and Cornwell (haven't at least sampled the others at all) are not that impressive really, sad when there are some brilliant writers around.