The Rubery International Book Award was created in 2010 and is operated independently. It is the biggest cash prize given to books published by independent publishers and self-published authors in Great Britain. The London Review of Books called it "independent publishing's response to the Booktrust and the Orange Prize." The Alliance of Independent Authors stated that "those who hold the respected Rubery Award […] should be considered to have a quality endorsement."
In 2012, the award received submissions from five continents. In 2015, entries were received from twenty countries: Australia, Canada, China, Finland, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Ireland, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Judges
Current and previous judges include Clare Morrall, an author who was shortlisted for the Booker Prize; Alan Mahar, a publisher at Tindal Street Press; Pauline Morgan, a judge for the international Arthur C. Clarke Award; Paul McDonald, a teacher who lectures on American literature and creative writing; Jeff Phelps, a poet and winner of the Stand Prize; Gaynor Arnold, who was longlisted for the Booker Prize and the Orange Prize (now called the Bailey's Prize); Judith Allnatt, a writer of short stories and novels; Ann Evans and Simon Cheshire, authors who write for children; Chris Morgan, a creative writing teacher and former Poet Laureate of Birmingham; William Gallagher, an author, playwright, and lecturer who writes Doctor Who audio dramas, stage plays, and has experience in British journalism; and Laura Longrigg, a literary agent.
Successes
- Jacob M Appel, who won First Prize in 2013, has published many short stories in literary journals. He also won the Dundee International Book Prize, which published his first novel, The Man Who Wouldn't Stand Up.
- Angela Readman, who won Book of the Year in 2015, has achieved a lot of success. She won the Saboteur Awards in 2015, the Costa Short Story Award in 2013, and was nominated for the Edgehill Prize in 2016.
- Melanie Whipman, who won the 2012 short story competition for her story Peacock Girl, had her stories read on BBC Radio 4 later. She was also nominated for the Edgehill Prize in 2017.
Short Story Winners
- Sarah Evans "The Tipping Point" (2011)
- Melanie Whipman "Peacock Girl" (2012)
- Gill Blow "On the Bench" (2013)
- Gregory J Wolos "Still Life" (2014)