Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix wins WH SMITH Fiction Award

JK Rowling's Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix won the fiction category of the WH Smith 'People's Choice' Book Awards, yesterday.

The WH Smith Book Awards are open to all books first published in the U.K. in English during the calendar year 1 January - 31 December. What differentiates WH Smith from other awards is the involvement of the public in the voting process. While the shortlists are picked by two members of the general public and a celebrity, the final choice for the award is made by people voting online, in stores, and by mail.

Monica Ali's Brick Lane took the Debut Novel category, Nigel Slater's Toast took Biography/Autobiography, and Geoff Dyer's Yoga for People Who Can't Be Bothered to Do It won the Travel Writing award.

Visit the WH Smith People's Choice Book Awards 2004 website for more information.