The Jerwood Fiction Uncovered Prize today (Tuesday 12 May) announces its longlist of 15 books which showcase the breadth and vibrancy of British writing today. Now in its 5th year, the Jerwood Fiction Uncovered Prize is unique in its aim to celebrate great British fiction and each year awards a group of 8 writers with £5,000 each.
The longlisted books are:
- A Man Lies Dreaming by Lavie Tidhar (Hodder & Stoughton)
- Animals by Emma Jane Unsworth (Canongate Books)
- Beastings by Benjamin Myers (Bluemoose Books)
- Dear Thief by Samantha Harvey (Jonathan Cape, Penguin Random House)
- Mobile Library by David Whitehouse (Picador, Pan Macmillan)
- Mother Island by Bethan Roberts (Chatto & Windus, Penguin Random House)
- Significance by Jo Mazelis (Seren Books)
- The Four Marys by Jean Rafferty (Saraband)
- The Incarnations by Susan Barker (Doubleday, Transworld)
- The Offering by Grace McCleen (Sceptre, Hodder & Stougton)
- The Redemption of Galen Pike by Carys Davies (Salt)
- The Spice Box Letters by Eve Makis (Sandstone Press)
- The Stray American by Wendy Brandmark (Holland Park Press)
- The Way Out by Vicki Jarrett (Freight Books)
- Wittgenstein Jr by Lars Iyer (Melville House UK)
This diverse group of books has been chosen by the judges as they display the flair, range and literary rigour abounding in British writing today and should, the judges believe, be widely read. In a nation reeling from the most divisive general election for many years, this is a group of books that can unify readers in the power of a good story.
Announcing the longlist, chair of judges India Knight said:
‘It is absolutely thrilling to have found such brilliant books, across such a wide variety of genres, and from authors that live and write all over the country. These are fantastic writers who deserve to be household names.’
On the decision to release the longlist for the Jerwood Fiction Uncovered Prize for the first time this year, prize Founder and Director Sophie Rochester said:
‘With writers from Swansea, Newcastle upon Tyne, Bath, Brighton, Lancaster, Edinburgh, Nottingham, Glasgow and London, and publishers from Yorkshire, Wales, Scotland and Norfolk, this year’s longlist presents an exciting snapshot of contemporary British fiction writing and publishing.’
Joining India Knight on the judging panel this year are Matt Bates (WH Smith Travel), Cathy Galvin (Word Factory/Newsweek) and Simon Savidge (Savidge Reads).
The final 8 winners will be announced on Thursday 18 June at a party at the Jerwood Space, London. WH Smith Travel will be running an eight-week summer promotion featuring all eight winning Jerwood Fiction Uncovered Prize titles. The titles will feature in stores across the UK from 25 June 2015.
