Heft Author Liz Moore Receives Beverly Hills Literary Escape's Medici Book Club Prize

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., Oct. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Beverly Hills Literary Escape, presented by Literary Affairs, honored Heft author Liz Moore with its highly coveted Medici Book Club Prize -- a cash award of $5,000. The weekend, created by celebrated Book Club Facilitator Julie Robinson, offered intimate access to the country's most sought after authors with culture, conversation and culinary cuisine akin to European cafes and the days of the Algonquin Round Table. Andre Dubus III, author of National Book Award finalist House of Sand and Fog, said to the sold out crowd, "I speak at between 70 and 100 book events every year and this is the best one I've ever done."

Other participating authors were Emma Donoghue, Robert Goolrick, Hillary Jordan, Alex Gilvarry, Margot Livesey, Hannah Tinti, Dani Shapiro, Will Schwalbe, David L. Ulin, Andrew McCarthy, and Charles Lynn Batten, who addressed a range of interesting topics. Robert Goolrick, author of A Reliable Wife, said, "There is no other literary event like this in the country... we aren't expected to shill our books. Instead we get to discuss intellectual ideas about literature."

The weekend's highlight was the awarding of The Medici Book Club Prize, created to recognize a distinguished work of fiction that inspires thoughtful conversation and contributes to a deeper understanding of the human experience. The $5,000 award is the only national prize given to acknowledge the tremendous impact that book club selections have on readers. Nominees are selected by an advisory council which includes BHLE Founder Julie Robinson, three judges and Medici Founding Patrons.

"The Medici Book Club Prize is unique among literary awards," said Julie Robinson, Founder of Beverly Hills Literary Escape. "To make the short list for the prize, a book must be read by hundreds of book clubs so that when it goes to the Medici committee, it has been vetted by readers, not by publishers and agents." Medici winner Moore agrees: "Winning the Medici Book Club Prize is incredibly meaningful because it comes from readers."

ABOUT THE BEVERLY HILLS LITERARY ESCAPE

The Beverly Hills Literary Escape is an exciting weekend of unique events designed for the discerning reader. Offering insider access to the country's most sought after authors. http://www.literaryaffairs.net/bhle/

Press Contact: Diane Shader Smith
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SOURCE Literary Affairs