Charlotte – Anthony Abbott was named the winner of the 2003 Novello Literary Award in a presentation Wednesday evening at Creative Loafing Carolina Writers Night, part of the Novello Festival of Reading.

Abbott's novel, The Boy Who Could Not Say Love, was chosen from more than 100 entries submitted to the annual competition sponsored by Novello Festival Press. The judges praised Abbott's coming-of-age story of a boy overcoming physical and emotional challenges for its honesty and compassion.

"Tony Abbott is one of our region's most talented and insightful writers," said NFP Executive Editor Frye Gaillard. "We are honored to publish his first novel."

Abbott is the Charles A. Dana Professor Emeritus of English at Davidson College, where he has been a member of the faculty for 37 years.

The Novello Literary Award consists of a $1,000 prize, publication and national distribution of the winning book, and a presentation piece from Tiffany and Co.

Five finalists were also named at the event. They are Joseph Bathanti (Boone, NC); Deborah Cumming (Davidson, NC); Cathy James (Weaverville, NC); L.D. Jones (Asheboro, NC); and Susan Weinberg (Boone, NC). Each will receive $100.

Novello Festival Press is the award-winning publishing project sponsored by the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. NFP books are distributed by John F. Blair, Publisher. For more information on Novello Festival Press, call (704) 432-0153, or visit www.novellopress.org.