Nayu's News #255 I'm In Twinkl's Top Picks For Book Bloggers!

 

Lately I am not super regular in book reading or reviewing, I am trying to change that this year. Due to the sporadic blogging it was a surprise when I was contacted by Twinkl, an international publisher filled with learning resources,  to say I'd been chosen to be featured in an article about book bloggers! How cool is that! 

I sent in a photo of my bookcase and some words which actually refer to my good friend Gina of Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers who is all sorts of awesome despite being on a different continent. Here is the official info with the link to the article-I was asked to use the exact wording but I'm happy with it.

"I have been included in the most recent article <Twinkl's top picks for 
book bloggers> by the international educational publisher, Twinkl - you can 
read more here."

I even get a metaphorically shiny badge for my blog!!! It's so fancy!

It's a great way to start 2022 so thank you Twinkl!

Nayu's News #161 Specsavers National Book of the Year 2014 update

I've got some book news for you!

 Nayu here! Do you remember that at the beginning of December I told you about the Specsavers Book of the Year 2014, which included the chance for you to vote for a top book? Well, the publicly voted winner has been decided! Is it someone you voted for? Here are the official details. 

Jessie Burton's The Miniaturist wins Specsavers Book of the Year 2014 Award

The Miniaturist dominates public vote and earns debut author prestigious prize

Jessie Burton has been named the author of Britain’s favourite book today, as her atmospheric literary thriller The Miniaturist was voted the Specsavers Book of the Year for 2014. Ending a remarkable year on a high, Jessie was crowned overall winner by the public in a vote comprising the winners of all ten categories from this year’s Specsavers National Book Awards.

Burton’s critically acclaimed novel won by a significant margin ahead of outstanding competition in the shape of We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler, Us by David Nicholls and Nathan Filer’s The Shock of the Fall.

Set in seventeenth century Amsterdam, The Miniaturist swiftly rose to fame this year as a favourite amongst readers and booksellers alike. In a year of exceptionally strong debut titles, it quickly became the best-selling literary debut hardback of the decade. Fittingly, Jesse Burton won the New Writer of the Year prize at the Specsavers National Book Awards 2014 qualifying for the Specsavers Book of the Year public vote.

Jessie Burton said: “I am indebted forever to the voting public for this incredible honour. It is no exaggeration to say this has been a life-transforming year for me, and this award is a very big cherry on the cake. There are always stories to write, and people who want to read them, and as the year closes, I find this very heartening news indeed. This wonderful acknowledgement will propel me into 2015, and I am deeply thankful to everyone who took the time to vote.”

Dame Mary Perkins, Specsavers founder, said: “Congratulations to Jessie Burton. It’s wonderful to see the Specsavers Book of the Year go to a new talent and we look forward to see what’s next from this very talented author.”

Amanda Ross Joint MD of Cactus TV, added: “The National Book Awards reflect the tastes of the nation, and the nominees are some of the biggest titles of the year across all genres, so it’s an amazing achievement for a debut author to triumph over such a prestigious field.”

The only book award chosen by readers themselves, the Book of the Year is a true test of popularity. Previous winners include The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman (2013), Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James (2012), Caitlin Moran’s How To Be A Woman (2011) and One Day by David Nicholls (2010).

The Specsavers National Book Awards were hosted by ITV’s Susanna Reid at the Foreign Office on Wednesday 26 November. One of the most prestigious events in the publishing calendar, the awards are unique in acknowledging critical and commercial success.

Please see full details of category award winners below, from which the winner of the Specsavers Book of the Year title was chosen.

the Specsavers National Book Awards 2014 winners

Outstanding Achievement

Mary Berry CBE

 

Crime/Thriller Book of the Year

I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes (Transworld)

 

Magic FM Autobiography/Biography of the Year

Please, Mister Postman by Alan Johnson (Transworld)

 

Food & Drink Book of the Year

Plenty More by Yotam Ottolenghi (Ebury Publishing)

 

Children's Book of the Year:

Awful Auntie by David Walliams (HarperCollins)

 

Audible.co.uk Audiobook of the Year:

Awful Auntie by David Walliams (HarperCollins)

 

International Author of the Year:

We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler (Profile Books)

 

Books Are My Bag New Writer of the Year

The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton (Pan Macmillan)

 

Specsavers Popular Fiction Book of the Year:

The Shock of the Fall by Nathan Filer (HarperCollins)

 

Non-fiction Book of the Year:

Love, Nina by Nina Stibbe (Penguin Books)

 

UK Author of the Year:

Us by David Nicholls (Hodder & Stoughton)

Further details of the awards and previous winners are available at the official website: www.nationalbookawards.co.uk

Nayu's News #156 Specsavers National Book Awards 2014 Winners Announced

Psst: Quick note from Nayu: I thought you might like to know about this awesome news because Mary Berry is a firm favourite in my family. There are some great other books too! I don't actually use Specsavers, and I haven't received anything for mentioning them. I'm in it for the books! 

Risen to the Top!  

Mary Berry The Toast of This Year's Specsavers National Book Awards

 

Photo taken from online search

MARY BERRY THE TOAST OF THIS YEAR’S SPECSAVERS NATIONAL BOOK AWARDS

THE MUCH LOVED NATIONAL TREASURE IS PRESENTED WITH THE OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT HONOUR BY CHEF AND LONG TIME FRIEND KEN HOM OBE

Actor and author David Walliams scoops children’s book prize for third year running

LONDON, 17:45PM WEDNESDAY 26 NOVEMBER - Bestselling author and TV Cook Mary Berry CBE received the Outstanding Achievement Award at tonight’s Specsavers National Book Awards, one of the most prestigious events in the publishing calendar, this year hosted by Good Morning Britain’s Susanna Reid. Mary was awarded the coveted prize by longtime friend and fellow culinary legend Ken Hom OBE, in recognition of her illustrious career spanning over 60 years, taking her from cookery editor to TV personality and bestselling author. To date she has published over 80 bestselling cookery books and sold more than five million copies around the world.

Actor and bestselling children’s author David Walliams won the award for Children’s Book of the Year for an impressive third year running. This year his best-selling book Awful Auntie not only scooped the children’s prize, but Walliams’ self-narrated audio version also took the prize for Audible Audiobook of the Year.

The coveted title of UK Author of the Year was awarded to David Nicholls for the second time for his latest novel Us;  

Terry Hayes’s I Am Pilgrim was named Crime Book of the Year;  

and Yotam Ottolenghi tasted success with Plenty More in the Food and Drink Book of the Year category.

Alan Johnson’s memoir Please, Mister Postman was named the winner of the Magic FM Autobiography/Biography of the Year; 

...and in the International Author of the Year category Karen Joy Fowler won the award for her dazzling tale of family love We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves.

It was a great year for debut authors, the Specsavers Popular Fiction Book of the Year went to Nathan Filer whose poignant and critically acclaimed debut novel The Shock of the Fall beat the shortlist of impressive chart-topping novelists to the prize.

Another first time author Nina Stibbe took the award for Non-fiction Book of the Year with her published book of letters Love, Nina which gives a unique view of eighties literary London. 

And Jessie Burton bagged the Books Are My Bag New Writer of the Year Award for her first novel, The Miniaturist.

Winners were revealed at a glamourous ceremony held, for the first time, at The Foreign Office followed by a reception for the nominees at Number 11 Downing Street, in association with bookshop campaign, Books Are My Bag. TV’s Susanna Reid hosted the ceremony and Media partner Magic FM will broadcast interviews with winners and shortlisted authors. 

Specsavers Book of the Year Award – VOTING NOW OPEN

It’s now up to the public to complete the final chapter by deciding the overall winner of the Specsavers Book of the Year. Readers can vote online to determine which category winner deserves the coveted trophy, previously won by Caitlin Moran, Neil Gaiman, David Nicholls and E.L. James. The only book award chosen by readers themselves, the Book of the Year is a true test of popularity. Votes can be registered at nationalbookawards.co.uk. The voting closes at midnight on 19 December with the winner announced on 22 December.

Amanda Ross, from Cactus TV, who founded and produces the Awards, commented: “I am delighted to be able to take the shortlisted authors of the National Book Awards to a reception at 11 Downing Street this year in recognition of their popularity.  These are the authors that really get the country reading, their books entice people into libraries and book shops so they should be applauded for their contribution to literacy.”

Dame Mary Perkins, Specsavers founder, said: “Specsavers is delighted to sponsor the National Book Awards for the third consecutive year and we’d like to congratulate all the winners and especially Mary Berry on her lifetime achievement award. It’s thanks to these talented individuals that we continue to read and learn from a young age. Best of luck to all of tonight’s winners in the public vote for the Specsavers Book of the Year – there’s no doubt it will be a tightly fought contest!”