Carmel’s book in running for popular fiction award
WEXFORD author Carmel Harrington’s fifth novel, The Woman at 72 Derry Lane, has been shortlisted in the Specsavers Popular Fiction Book of The Year category, in this year’s prestigious Bord Gáis Energy Irish Book Awards.
Carmel who lives in Screen was also shortlisted in 2016 for her fourth novel The Things I Should Have Told You.
The Woman at 72 Derry Lane is a compelling story which takes the reader from Ireland to Thailand on an emotional rollercoaster, as it reveals the hidden secrets of two residents on Derry Lane - Rea and Stella, who are both prisoners in their own homes.
The book which is currently a top five Amazon bestseller remained in the Irish top ten charts for five weeks.
The 2017 winners will be decided by an online web-poll divided into two constituencies, a public vote and a specialist Academy vote, weighted equally and combined to produce the winners.
Readers can vote for their favourite reads at www.irishbookawards.irish where all shortlisted books and authors are listed.
Camel is battling it out against authors Marian Keyes, Patricia Scanlan, Melissa Hill, Ross O’Carroll Kelly and Sinead Moriarty for the coveted award.
Earlier this year, Carmel published Cold Feet The Lost Years, an official ITV novel, based on the popular TV show, Cold Feet, which became a UK Top 20 bestseller. Carmel said she was delighted her book had made the shortlist for the Popular Fiction Book of the Year.
‘I feel privileged that I get to do something every day that I adore. To be shortlisted in such a prestigious award, with writers that I have admired for years, is a great honour. I pushed myself writing The Woman at 72 Derry Lane, there were times I thought I’d never reach the end. This makes every late night, every sacrifice, worthwhile.’
The winners will be announced at the Gala Dinner and Awards ceremony on November 28, which will be filmed by RTE.