Lucy Cavendish College has published a longlist for its annual Fiction Prize
Lucy Cavendish College, part of the University of Cambridge, has published a longlist for its annual Fiction Prize. The 2019 Fiction Prize longlist reflects the variety and wealth of literary talent amongst unpublished female writers aged 21 and over.
The 2019 Longlist
- Mellany Ambrose: Mr Hammond’s Apprentice
- Louise Beere: The Glove Maker of Spitalfields
- Camille Booker: Coffee and Peaches
- Lucinda Marsden: Undercurrent YA
- Monica Cardenas: The Marriage Amendment
- Leigh Chambers: Alice and Iris
- Sarah Brooks: The Cautious Traveller’s Guide to the Wastelands
- Kerry Eaton-O’Neill: Dimber
- Francesca Emmett: Eternity Blues
- Nicola Garrard: Twenty-Nine Locks
- Lucy Grace: Near Me Now
- Emma Hughes: Perfect Complex
- Lucetta Johnson: 1851
- Nada Holland: Blood Instruments
- Zia Moher: The Department of Loneliness
- Carly Reagon: I'll Find You
- Christina Sweeney-Baird: The End of Men: An Oral History of the Great Male Plague
- Sarah Marsh: The Shape of his Words
- Nell Willard: Nex
- Elizabeth Wong: We Are Stardust
Over 600 entries were received for the 2019 Fiction Prize, its biggest year yet. The authors selected for the 2019 longlist now face a tense wait as the judging panel agree a final shortlist of five authors, to be announced on 26 April 2019.
This year the judging panel welcomes Jackie Ashley, political journalist, broadcaster and Honorary Fellow of the College (after leaving the College as its eight President). Also new to the panel is Katy Loftus (Editorial Director at Viking). Returning to the panel will be literary agent Nelle Andrew from sponsor PFD, editor and ghost-writer Gillian Stern, Emeritus Fellow Lindsey Traub and poet, crime writer and Honorary Fellow, Sophie Hannah. Journalist and author, Allison Pearson will chair the panel again in 2019.
Judge and sponsor, Nelle Andrew said:
“The breadth and ambition are the true hallmarks of this year’s long list - a showcase of emerging talent aware of the wider readership but with a unique perspective of events that affect real people across a spectrum of class, colour and creed. The 2019 alumnae is just as strong as ever with some really exciting voices we have been proud to discover.”
Over the past eight years, the Fiction Prize has developed a formidable reputation for uncovering new talent and draws significant interest from the publishing industry. It has been a catalyst for numerous literary careers. Recently, Gail Honeyman (2014 Shortlist) has topped the fiction charts with her novel Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine (published 2017) with accolades including the British Book Awards ‘Book of the Year 2018’, Waterstones Fiction ‘Book of the Month’ for February 2018 and the 2017 Costa Book Awards ‘First Novel’ Award. Catherine Chanter (2013 Winner) published The Well in 2015, selected as a favourite by The Richard and Judy Book Club, and more recently The Half Sister. Sara Collins (2016 Shortlist) will launch her debut The Confessions of Frannie Langton this week. Kelleigh Greenberg-Jephcott released Swan Song last year and it was chosen as a Times ‘Book of the Year’. Laura Marshall (2016 Shortlist) reached the Sunday Times Top 10 list with her first novel Friend Request. Laura has also released Three Little Lies, which was listed by iBooks as a ‘Book of the Month’. Since being shortlisted in 2017, Lesley Sanderson has published The Orchid Girls and The Woman at 46 Heath Street. Claire Askew (2016 Winner) has recently published All The Hidden Truths, which was chosen as ‘Book of the Month’ in September 2018 by The Times. Frances Maynard (2016 Shortlist) has published The Seven Imperfect Rules of Elvira Carr and Maggsie McNaughton's Second Chance. Emily Midorikawa (2015 Winner) and Emma Claire Sweeney published A Secret Sisterhood to wide acclaim.
Lucy Cavendish Student Fiction Prize
In addition to the main Prize, in 2019 the College is running its first Lucy Cavendish Student Fiction Prize. Funded by the Florence Staniforth Award for Excellence in Creative Writing, this is for students from any discipline studying at Lucy Cavendish and entry is free of charge. The winner of the Student Prize will be awarded £100 and two other entries with £50 each. The winner will be announced on the same evening of Thursday 23 May 2019.
About the Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize
The Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize was founded in 2010 by Professor Janet Todd OBE, then President of the College. Aspiring authors are invited to submit an opening to a novel (up to the first 50 pages), accompanied by a synopsis of how the novel progresses and concludes. Entrants must be female, aged 21 and over and resident in the UK. The winner will be announced on Thursday 23 May 2019, and will receive a cash prize of £1,500 and a consultation with Peters Fraser Dunlop.
About Lucy Cavendish
Lucy Cavendish is currently a women's college for students aged 21 or over, and will accept men and women from standard University age from 2021 onwards. Its undergraduate and postgraduate students come from over sixty countries, and a wide variety of educational and professional backgrounds. Many have changed careers or overcome significant challenges in order to reach University. The College is particularly strong in Medicine, Law, Engineering, Veterinary Medicine, Psychology, the Social Sciences and English.
Contact information:
Lucy Cavendish College, University of Cambridge – Jenny Ridge, Head of Communications & Marketing, E: comms@lucy.cam.ac.uk