PPC ANNOUNCES 2025 ANNUAL AWARDS JUDGING LINE-UP & SHORTLISTS
The Publishers’ Publicity Circle (PPC) is delighted to announce the shortlists for the 2025 PPC Annual
Awards, which celebrate the best campaigns carried out by book publicists between December 2024
and November 2025.
The awards will be judged by a panel of book industry and media professionals consisting of:
- Bea Carvalho – Head of Books, Waterstones (Head Judge)
- Joe Haddow – Author, Producer and Podcast Host
- Jo James – Jo James Events & Festivals Management
- Natasha Poliszczuk – Editor-in-Chief, BookBrunch
- Sue Porter – Owner, Linghams Bookshop
- Katherine Woodfine – Author of The Sinclair’s Mysteries
The winners of the PPC Annual Awards will be announced at a ceremony for PPC members on
Monday 2 nd March and go forward to be considered for Publicity Campaign of the Year at The British
Book Awards. The BBA judging team will select a shortlist from the category-winning campaigns at
the PPC Annual Awards.
Eve Wersocki-Morris, Director at EWM PR and Chair of the PPC, said:
‘This is my seventh year choosing the shortlists for the PPC Annual Awards and every year I am
blown away by the skill, ingenuity and just sheer willpower of book publicists. Against the backdrop
of dwindling space in traditional press, the ever-growing competition to connect with tastemakers
on socials and the cost of living crisis for customers, all the shortlisted publicists have demonstrated
tenacity and passion to bring their books to readers as well as dealing with some stomach-churning
challenges (which may have given the shortlisting committee nightmares!). It is a particular joy to
celebrate all those shortlisted for the Newcomer Category, for publicists with under two years’
experience, who showed wonderful flair and an unrelenting motivation to prove themselves.
Publicists are at the frontline of this business, tirelessly finding readers and converting new and
reluctant readers, keeping books relevant, commercially rewarding and, most of all, read!’
The full shortlists are as follows:
The Waterstones Award for Best Hardback Fiction Campaign
Alchemised by SenLinYu – Sriya Varadharajan and Jenna Petts, Penguin Michael Joseph
Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry – Rosie Safaty, Penguin General
One of Us by Elizabeth Day – Naomi Mantin, 4 th Estate
Heart the Lover by Lily King – Anna Frame, Canongate and Christian Lewis, Christian Lewis
PR
Brimstone by Callie Hart – Alainna Hadjigeorgiou and Kate Keehan, Hodderscape
Flesh by David Szalay – Alison Davies, Jonathan Cape
The Bookseller Award for Best Hardback Non-Fiction Campaign
Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams – Poppy North and Kim Nyamhondera, Pan
Macmillan
Entitled by Andrew Lownie – Katherine Patrick, HarperCollins
Don’t Forget We’re Here Forever by Lamorna Ash – Anna Massardi and Helena Yurdakul,
Bloomsbury
John and Paul: A Love Story in Songs by Ian Leslie – Hannah Turner, Faber
The Age of Diagnosis by Suzanne O’Sullivan – Louise Court, Hodder Press
Nobody’s Girl by Virginia Roberts Giuffre – Alison Barrow and Izzie Ghaffari-Parker,
Doubleday
One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad – Anna Frame,
Canongate
The Connell MPA Award for Best Celebrity Campaign
Night People by Mark Ronson – Alice Dewing and Aoifke McGuire France, Cornerstone
We Did OK, Kid by Anthony Hopkins – Joe Christie, Simon & Schuster
Judgement by Tulisa Contostavlos – Eleanor Stammeijer and Florence Philip, Bonnier Books
Remember When by Fiona Phillips – Josie Turner, Pan Macmillan
Woke is Dead by Piers Morgan – Isabel Prodger, HarperNonFiction
Finding My Way by Malala Yousafzai – Aoife Datta, Virginia Woolstencroft and Francesca
Pearce, Orion
Always Winning by Ashley Walters – Ollie Martin, Transworld
The PPC Award for Best Debut Campaign
The Names by Florence Knapp – Sian Baldwin and Leanne Oliver, Orion
Nesting by Roisin O’Donnell – Polly Osborn, Rebecca McCarthy and Joe Christie, Simon and
Schuster
Deep Cuts by Holly Brickley – Maud Davies, HarperFiction
Fundamentally by Nussaibah Younis – Francesca Pearce and Aoife Datta, Orion
Minority Rule by Ash Sarkar – Jonny Coward, Bloomsbury
Of Thorn and Briar by Paul Lamb – Joe Christie, Simon & Schuster
The Fun Kids Radio Award for Best Children’s and YA Celebrity Campaign
Do You Believe in Ghosts? by Danny Robins – Phoebe Williams, Penguin Random House
Children’s and Antonia Wilkinson, Antonia Wilkinson PR
TEN Children Who Changed the World by Paterson Joseph, illustrated by Rumbidzai Savanhu
– Namishka Karia, Hachette Children’s Group and Catherine Ward, Catherine Ward PR
Over the Rainbow Bridge by Noel Fitzpatrick, illustrated by Alison Brown – Jess Dean, S&S
Children’s Books and Beatrice Cross, freelance PR
Keep Smashing It by Jodie Ounsley and Becky Grey, illustrated by Dane Thibeault – Anna
Read, Macmillan Children’s Books
I Love You Just the Same by Keira Knightley – Jess Dean, Simon & Schuster Children’s Books
Rory Sparkes and the Elephant in the Room by Hugh Bonneville, illustrated by Loretta
Schauer – Rosi Crawley, Bloomsbury Children’s Books
The Authorfy Award for Best Children’s Book Campaign
The Adventures of Rap Kid by MC Grammar – Jess Dean, Simon & Schuster Children’s Books
Mr Men Little Miss Agatha Christie Mysteries by Adam Hargreaves – Madeline Adeane and
Sarah Sleath, Farshore
Cruise Ship Kid: Thief at Sea! by Emma Swan – Fritha Lindqvist, Usborne
Oh Dear Look What I Got! by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury – Ian Lamb, Walker Books
and Deborah Goodman, DGPR
My Rice is Best! by Selina Brown, illustrated by Maxwell A. Oginni – Sophia Smith and Daisy
Northway, Puffin; Antonia Wilkinson, Antonia Wilkinson PR and Rishma Dhaliwal,
MediaHive
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Partypooper by Jeff Kinney – Ellen Grady, Daisy Northway, Katy
Adams and Elsie Regan, Puffin
Gozzle by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Sara Ogilvie – Louisa Sheridan, Macmillan Children’s Books
The PPC Award for Best YA Campaign
The Wicked Lies of Habren Faire by Anna Fiteni – Rory Codd, Electric Monkey
Heir of Storms by Lauryn Hamilton Murray – Sarah Doyle, Penguin Random House
Children’s
Fearless by Lauren Roberts – Ellen Abernethy, Simon & Schuster and Deborah Goodman,
DGPR
The Book of Heartbreak by Ova Ceren – Pippa Poole, Bonnier Books and Beatrice Cross,
freelance PR
Traumaland by Josh Silver – Liz Scott, freelance PR for Rock the Boat
A Grave Inheritance by Felicity Epps – Bethany Carter, Hachette Children’s Group
The Capital Crime Award for Best Crime and Thriller Campaign
Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson – Sriya Varadharajan and Frankie Banks, Penguin
Michael Joseph
The Chemist by A. A. Dhand – Becci Mansell, HQ
Under Their Roof by Kathleen Richards and Ann Cusack – Ellen Turner, Little, Brown Book
Group
Death at the White Hart by Chris Chibnall – Ellie Hughes and Sriya Varadharajan, Penguin
Michael Joseph
Our Beautiful Mess by Adele Parks – Philippa Cotton and Isabel Williams, HQ
Clown Town by Mick Herron – Anna-Marie Fitzgerald, Charlotte Tonks and Isobel Williams,
Baskerville
The PPC Award for Best Academic Campaign
Converts by Melanie McDonagh – Sally Oliphant, Yale University Press
Positive Tipping Points: How to Fix the Climate Crisis by Tim Lenton – Amy Stewart, Oxford
University Press
Vermeer: A Life Lost and Found by Andrew Graham-Dixon – Jodie Lewis, Penguin Press
The First King of England: Æthelstan and the Birth of a Kingdom by David Woodman –
Charlotte Coyne, Princeton University Press
God, The Science, The Evidence by Michel-Yves Bolloré and Olivier Bonnassies – Anna
Zanetti, Midas PR for Palomar
How to Think About AI by Richard Susskind – Anna Silva, Oxford University Press
The Books Are My Bag Award for Best Lifestyle, Gift and Humour Campaign
Food Noise by Dr Jack Mosley – Emma Knight, Studio 49 for Octopus
The Next Conversation by Jefferson Fisher – Anna Lambert and Elise Harvey, Penguin Life
Always Remember by Charlie Mackesy – Laura Nicol, Francesca Thompson, Morgana Chess
and Caroline Dowling, Ebury
The DOSE Effect by TJ Power – Kom Patel, Philippa Cotton and Emily Burns, HQ
The Year of the Dog by Sophia Money-Coutts – Becci Mansell, HQ
Give it a Grow by Martha Swales – Elise Harvey, Penguin Life
The How To Academy Award for Best Generic Campaign
Book of Lives and 40 th Anniversary year of The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood – Priya
Roy, Jessie Spivey and Klara Zak, Chatto & Windus
A Year of Jack Edwards and Inklings Book Club – Jacob Beecham, Harriet Dunlea and
Charlotte Hazell, Carver PR
The Hilary Mantel Prize for Fiction – Emma Knight, Studio 49
Oxford Children’s Word of the Year 2024 – Anna Zanetti and Henrietta Richardson, Midas
and Caroline McCourt, Oxford University Press
Evermore imprint launch – Aoifke McGuire-France, Cornerstone
Independent Bookshop Week 2025 – Simon Armstrong, The Booksellers Association
The PPC Award for Best Cookery Book Campaign
Protein in 15 by Joe Wicks – Eleanor Stammeijer and Arabella Watkiss, Bonnier Books
The Potato Book by Poppy O’Toole – Isobel Turton, Bloomsbury
Padella by Tim Siadatan – Ellen Williams and Brittani Davies, Bloomsbury
How I Cook by Ben Lippett – Hetty Touquet, HarperNonFiction
Boustany by Sami Tamimi – Zabiba Kohli, Ebury
Healthy High Protein by Dr Rupy Aujla – Francesca Thomson, Ebury
The PPC Award for Best Sports Book Campaign
Test Cricket: A History by Tim Wigmore – Ayo Okojie, Quercus
Big Dunc by Duncan Ferguson – Rachel Kennedy, Cornerstone
Driven by Susie Wolff – Rebecca Mundy and Kate Keehan, Hodder & Stoughton
All In by Mary Earps – Beth Whitelaw, Florence Philip, Alice Dovey and Lucy Richardson,
Bonnier Books
Coming Home by Freddie Flintoff – Lucy Richardson, Hope Ndaba and Florence Philip,
Bonnier Books
Inside by Boris Becker – Alexandra Layt, HarperNonFiction
The PPC Award for Paperback Campaign
Crooked Cross by Sally Carson – Edwina Boyd-Gibbins and Maddie Dunne-Kirby,
Persephone Books
The Tradwife’s Secret by Liane Child – Rhiannon Morris, HQ
Every One Still Here by Liadan Ní Chuinn – Lamorna Elmer, Granta
The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden – Chloe Davies, Penguin General
Strange Pictures by Uketsu – Steven Cooper, Pushkin Press
When the Cranes Fly South by Lisa Ridzén, translated by Alice Menzies – Millie Seaward and
Izzie Ghaffari-Parker, Doubleday
The Jo James Award for Best Newcomer Campaign
My Soul, A Shining Tree by Jamila Gavin – Lila Nicholson, Farshore
A Fate Forged in Fire by Hazel McBride – Izzy Warner, FMcM for Renegade Books
The Secret Painter by Joe Tucker – Amaani Banharally, Canongate
Fenwomen by Mary Chamberlain – Amy Richardson, Little, Brown Book Group
Wild Reverence by Rebecca Ross – Libby Haddock, HarperCollins
Bluff by Francine Toon – Nina Lewis, Transworld
The History of Art in One Sentence by Verity Babbs, illustrated by Alexandra Ramirez –
Helena Yurdakul, Bloomsbury
PPC Quarterly Awards
Please see the PPC Quarterly Awards deadlines and guidelines below.
NEW 2026 DEADLINES TBA
- Q1 (December, January, February) – Submit here
- Q2 (March, April, May) – Submit here
- Q3 (June, July, August) – Submit here
- Q4 (September, October, November) – Submit Here
- Annuals (December 25 – November 26)
You can submit for the Annual Awards here
Submission criteria
– Submissions should be made using the Google Form links above. You can find a sample form here.
– When submitting a campaign please make sure that all contributors are members beforehand. Contributors that are not PPC members will not be eligible to submit. Please contact publisherspublicitycircle@gmail.com for membership enquiries.
Categories
– Definitions of each category and eligibility can be found on the link here.
– Campaigns can only be submitted for one category with the exception of those entered for Newcomer.
– We reserve the right to move books into an alternative category that the shortlisting panel considers more suitable.
Content notes
– This form could be read by journalists, please do not include anything you do not want disclosed to a third party.
– PR and Marketing budget are essential to include. If you’re an agency / freelancer, please ensure that you’ve sourced this information from the book publisher as, due to the quantity of submissions, we won’t be able to chase this up individually.
– In your aims, please spell out what you hoped to achieve with the campaign. Detail on how you achieved this should be included in your campaign statement.
– Please note the character limits for each section carefully. The Campaign Statement has been increased to 6,500 characters this year (equivalent to 1,000 words).
NEW – Coverage Highlights
– The Awards are now accepting one page of coverage highlights. This can be uploaded as a PDF at the end of the form. This PDF is in lieu of the printed cuttings we used to request. It’s your personal choice whether you chose to highlight one key piece of press, or offer a collage of images such as press cuttings, sales graphs, social media or events. It must not be more than 1 A4 page and cannot include any text (except to label sales graphs).
Annual Awards:
– All campaigns – apart from the quarterly winners – need to be resubmitted for the Annual Awards. They will not automatically go through if you have entered a quarterly and not won.
– Each quarterly winner will automatically be shortlisted in the same category for the Annual Awards.
– The campaigns by the winners of the PPC Annual Awards will then be sent to the Bookseller who will make their own shortlist for the British Book Awards’ Publicity Campaign of the Year. They will then select a winner from that shortlist.
– Please keep a copy of your submission on file as you may be asked to re-submit your form if shortlisted for an annual award.
You can submit for the Annual Awards here
If you have any queries please contact publicitycircleawards@gmail.com