Fiction Prize judges
Judges panel
Kiran Milwood Hargrave
Kiran Milwood Hargrave will be chairing the 2025 Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize judging panel.
Kiran Millwood Hargrave is the multi-award-winning, Sunday Times bestselling author of eleven novels for adults and children, including The Mercies, The Dance Tree, The Girl of Ink & Stars, Julia and the Shark, and The Geomancer Trilogy. Her books have been translated into over thirty languages and optioned for stage and screen. She lives in Oxford with her family.
Dr Olivia Krauze
Dr Olivia Krauze is College Assistant Professor and Director of Studies in English at Lucy Cavendish College. Her research explores the fascinating intersection of literature, emotions, and the medical humanities. Her PhD thesis delved into the concept of "violent emotion" in the novel between 1847 and 1895, situating literary representations within the context of 19th-century medical discourse on emotions.
Olivia’s broader interests encompass the history of emotions, affect theory, medical humanities, sexuality and queer studies, and the novel tradition in both England and Russia.
Dr Lindsey Traub
Dr Lindsey Traub is an Emeritus Fellow of Lucy Cavendish College, having previously been both College Lecturer in English and Vice-President. Addicted to fiction since childhood, she has spent her working life thinking, talking and writing about it – with a particular interest in 19th Century American women writers who penned the very first ‘bestsellers’.
Candice Brathwaite
Candice Brathwaite is a prominent British author and advocate who has made a significant impact
with her work on motherhood and diversity. Widely recognised for her critically-acclaimed Sunday Times Best-Selling book, ‘I Am Not Your Baby Mother,’ Candice passionately addresses the unique experiences of Black British mothers. Her latest book, Manifest(o) is due to be released on 5th September and she sets off on her biggest UK tour to date this September. Her advocacy extends beyond literature. As a skilled public speaker, she actively engages in discussions and panels on race, parenting, and societal inclusivity. Candice continues to contribute to important dialogues, challenge norms, and promote positive change in the realm of diversity and representation. Her holistic and exuberant online content has gained her a dedicated audience of 299k+ Instagram followers and 374k+ on TikTok.
Leodora Darlington
Leodora Darlington is the Publishing Director at Orion Books, a role she took on in 2022 after working at prominent publishing houses such as Amazon Publishing, Canelo, and Bookouture. She is also the founder of Owned Voices, an initiative aimed at amplifying under-represented writers and helping them navigate the publishing world. Owned Voices offers creative writing workshops and a novel award to support diverse talent, underscoring her commitment to broadening representation in the literary world. Leodora's expertise and dedication earned her recognition as a Bookseller Rising Star in 2021.