Book-of-the-Month(R) Club Announces the 2008 Winner of the First Fiction Award

NEW YORK, April 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Book-of-the-Month club announced today the
winner of the 2008 First Fiction Award. The award has been given to Andrew
Davidson for his novel The Gargoyle (Doubleday), an extraordinary tale of
love that transcends the boundaries of time.

"Finding and promoting new authors is at the heart of what we do at the Club,"
said Deborah Sinclaire, Editor-in-Chief of Book-of-the-Month Club. "This award
is our way of recognizing authors whose debut novels have had a powerful
impact on our editorial team as well as our readers."

The Book-of-the-Month Club First Fiction Award is granted annually by the
club's editorial board to recognize an outstanding first work of fiction in
the English language. The First Fiction Award, first given in 1995, represents
the high standard of fictional writing published in the U.S. that the
Book-of-the-Month Club wishes to honor in new novelists.

"I'm honored by this award," said Davidson, "and so pleased to think of all
the new friends that The Gargoyle has made through Book-of-the-Month Club."

Dreaming of the day he can leave the burn ward so he can kill himself, the
novel's horribly burned narrator is shocked when a beautiful woman walks in
and, instead of recoiling at his hideous appearance, simply says, "You've been
burned. Again." Claiming they were lovers in medieval times, she begins
regaling him with tales, Scheherazade fashion, that slowly renew his interest
in life... and love. But are her stories the ramblings of a lunatic mind? The
question becomes vitally important as their own story unfolds and they
confront the demons of their past. The Gargoyle will have you believing in
love, in miracles and in redemption.

Over the years, the Book-of-the-Month First Fiction Award has recognized many
new and upcoming authors. A full list of winners, past and present, is listed
here.
FIRST FICTION AWARD WINNERS:
2008: The Gargoyle, by Andrew Davidson
2007: The Tenderness of Wolves, Stef Penny
2006: The Observations, Jane Harris
2005: Incendiary, Chris Cleave
2004: no award given
2003: Lucky Girls by Nell Freudenberger
2002: The Russian Debutante's Handbook, Gary Shteyngart
2001: Mary and O'Neil, Justin Cronin
2000: Some Things That Stay, Sarah Willis
1999: God is a Bullet, Boston Teran
1998: Caucasia, Danzy Senna
1997: The Man in the Box, Thomas Moran
1996: Push, Sapphire
1995: Private Alters, Katherine Mosby

About Book-of-the-Month Club

Founded in 1926, Book-of-the-Month Club is one of the best-known and most
respected book clubs in the world. Book-of-the-Month Club serves one of the
largest audiences of general interest readers, offering a vast selection of
the best new titles in popular fiction, nonfiction, entertainment, self-help
and more.

Book-of-the-Month Club is proud to offer these great new titles as well as
hundreds of others at Book-of-the-Month(R) Club. Right now you can choose 4
books for $1 each when you join Book-of-the-Month Club. Visit
Book-of-the-Month(R) Club for all the details today.

SOURCE Book-of-the-Month(R) Club

Paula Batson, Communications of Direct Brands, +1-212-930-4531,
Paula.batson@directbrands.com, for Book-of-the-Month(R) Club