Galaxy proclaims Alan Hollinghurst author of the year

Alan Hollinghurst, controversially left off the Booker shortlist, wins Book of the Year prize at Galaxy Awards

Hollinghurst's novel The Stranger's Child saw off competition from Booker winner Julian Barnes' The Sense of an Ending and Carol Ann Duffy's new collection The Bees.

Jackie Collins was given an award for outstanding achievement.

The full list of Galaxy winners is:
Waterstone's UK Author of the Year: The Stranger's Child, Alan Hollinghurst (Picador)
Outstanding Achievement award: Jackie Collins
Specsavers popular fiction book of the year: A Tiny Bit Marvellous, Dawn French (Penguin)
More4 popular non-fiction book of the year: How to be a Woman, Caitlin Moran (Ebury Press)
Crime and thriller of the year (available on iBookstore): Before I Go to Sleep, S J Watson (Doubleday)
Daily Telegraph biography of the year: Charles Dickens, Claire Tomalin (Viking)
International author of the year: A Visit From the Goon Squad, Jennifer Egan (Corsair)
Food and drink book of the year: The Good Cook, Simon Hopkinson (BBC Books)
WHSmith paperback of the year: Room, Emma Donoghue (Picador)
National Book Tokens children's book of the year: A Monster Calls, Patrick Ness (Walker Books)
Audible.co.uk audiobook of the year: My Dear, I Wanted to Tell You, Louisa Young, read by Dan Stevens (HarperAudio)
Galaxy new writer of the year: When God was a Rabbit, Sarah Winman (Headline Review)

Voting is open to members of the public to select their favourite from the above to be Galaxy's overall Book of the Year. The closing date for voting is 20 December.

Website: www.galaxynationalbookawards.com