Announced ‘Authors of the Day’ for London Book Fair 2025 are, from left, Claudia Pineiro (image: Alejandra López); Frank Cottrell Boyce (image: David Bebber); Jamie Smart (image: Charlotte Knee Photography); and Monica Ali (image Yolande De Vries)
By Porter Anderson, Editor-in-Chief | @Porter_Anderson
Adam Ridgway: An Array of Talent
In an early announcement from the 2025 edition of London Book Fair today (November 27), the four “Authors of the Day” are being named for that trade show, scheduled to run March 11 through 13.
London opens each year’s series of major international book-publishing trade shows, and will be most closely followed on the calendar by Bologna Children’s Book Fair, set for March 31 to April 3.
This time under the direction of its new director, Adam Ridgway, the London fair began presenting an “author of the day” during the seven-year directorship of Jacks Thomas, a tradition that was carried forward by her successor Andy Ventris and his successor Gareth Rapley.
In the quartet of writers named today:
- The novelist and this year’s jury chair of the Women’s Prize for Fiction Monica Ali is to appear as Adult Book Author of the Day
- The Argentinian novelist and screenwriter Claudia Piñeiro, who was shortlisted for the International Booker Prize, as International Author of the Day
- The Waterstones Children’s Laureate, Frank Cottrell-Boyce as Children’s Author of the Day
- The comics artist and British Book Awards winner Jamie Smart as the first Creative Personality of the Fair
Adam Ridgway
In a comment on this announcement made almost four months before the London Book Fair has its four-day run, Ridgway is quoted, saying that the show “is set to be an incredible showcase of UK and international publishing, as well as the first major international book industry event of 2025.
“We couldn’t be prouder to bring such an array of talent to our 2025 Fair. We are really looking forward to welcoming Claudia, Monica, Frank and Jamie to Olympia next year, and we can’t wait to hear their insights at their in-conversation events.”
The 2025 London Book Fair is scheduled to return to Olympia London in Hammersmith Road in March, as the structure continues with its multiyear redevelopment.
Those interested can register their interest in the trade show here for now, while the full program for the fair is expected to be announced early in the year.
At the 2024 edition of London Book Fair. Image: Publishing Perspectives, Porter Anderson
More from Publishing Perspectives on London Book Fair is here, more on book fairs and trade shows in the world publishing industry is here, more on rights trading in the international marketplace is here, more on licensing is here, and more on the United Kingdom’s publishing market is here.
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