Simon Mawer interview: “these ancestors left no trace beyond the entries in official documents and a single medal from the Crimean War. What were their stories?”
25th May, 2023
Simon Mawer, shortlisted for the third time for the Prize for Ancestry, tells us how family was the inspiration for his novel I’m delighted to be shortlisted. It is always gratifying to have one’s novels recognised and being shortlisted for a major prize like the Walter Scott is recognition of the highest kind. But for me… Read More »
Robert Harris interview: “A 17th century manhunt. I thought: what if I invent a character who co-ordinated the search?”
18th May, 2023
Robert Harris, shortlisted for the third time for the Prize, tells us what inspired him to write Act of Oblivion. Obviously, I’m very flattered to be shortlisted for the third time. It’s the biggest prize in the world for historical fiction. The first time, for Lustrum, I lost to Hilary Mantel (no disgrace in that!);… Read More »
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17th May, 2023
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Tickets released for Walter Scott Prize events
17th May, 2023
Tickets are now available for the two Walter Scott Prize events at the Borders Book Festival in June – don’t miss this world-class gathering of literary talent. On Thursday 15th June, the main prizegiving event will open the festival at 5.30pm in a thrilling hour of suspense and time travel, in which the winner is… Read More »
The Duchess of Buccleuch
12th May, 2023
The Walter Scott and Young Walter Scott Prizes were deeply saddened to announce the death on 30th April of their patron and co-founder, the Duchess of Buccleuch, known as Bizza to everyone in the wider Prize family. Katie Grant, chair of the judges of the Walter Scott Prize, said: “Historical fiction has lost a great… Read More »
Read all the 2022 prizewinning stories
12th May, 2023
The winners of this year’s Young Walter Scott Prize have been announced, and we’re delighted to present their stories for you to read in full here, as well as a full Roll of Honour listing the winners, runners up and highly commended in the two age categories. Stand up and take a bow, 2022 winners!… Read More »
Fiona McFarlane interview: ‘I also rode camels, climbed hills, and learned from the Indigenous owners of the Flinders, the Adnyamathanha”
9th May, 2023
Shortlisted author Fiona McFarlane tells us how she was motivated to write a novel which explores the messy complications of Australian colonial history. It’s an honour to have been shortlisted for the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction. All writing is solitary, to some extent, but there’s something particularly solitary, I’ve found, about writing an… Read More »