Women writers vie for Orange win

Margaret Atwood is on the shortlist

Writers including Margaret Atwood, Rose Tremain and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie are awaiting the announcement of the Orange Prize for Fiction winner.

The £30,000 award, which recognises women writers, will be announced in London on Tuesday evening.

A panel of judges, including comedian and broadcaster Sandi Toksvig and author Minette Walters, whittled down a 20-strong longlist to six.

The other authors are Gillian Slovo, Adrian Levy and Shirley Hazzard.

The shortlist was described as a "real mix of old and new names".

ORANGE SHORTLIST Margaret Atwood - Oryx and Crake Shirley Hazzard - The Great Fire Andrea Levy - Small Island Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - Purple Hibiscus Gillian Slovo - Ice Road Rose Tremain - The Colour

Atwood is nominated for her 11th novel, while Adichie is the first Nigerian novelist to make the shortlist.

Last year's winner was US author Valerie Martin, who won for her Gothic American thriller Property, set in slavery days Louisiana.

After her win the sales of her book climbed to more than 1,500 copies a month for six months - with 2,500 a month before Christmas.

US author Valerie Martin won the Orange Prize last year

The 2002 winner, Bel Canto by Anne Patchett, saw an even bigger increase, with sales of around 3,000 a month after her win and a peak of 6,000 a month during the pre-Christmas period.

The sales figures, however, can not compete with the Man Booker prize, which was last year won by DBC Pierre's Vernon God Little.

The book saw its sales increase to more than 12,000 copies a month after its author won.

The previous year's winner, Yann Martel, saw sales of his novel The Life of Pi soar to over 30,000 a month.