Shortlist of seven announced for Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize 2019

Congratulations to the seven authors shortlisted in 2019.

Lucy Cavendish College, part of the University of Cambridge, has published a shortlist of seven authors for its 2019 Fiction Prize. This was the biggest year yet for the Prize, which received a total of over 600 entries. Many shortlisted authors in previous years have been offered agency representation and have gone on to be published.

The 2019 Shortlist

Louise Beere: The Glove Maker of Spitalfields
Sarah Brooks: The Cautious Traveller’s Guide to the Wastelands
Nicola Garrard: Twenty-Nine Locks
Emma Hughes: Perfect Complex
Lucetta Johnson: 1851
Carly Reagon: I'll Find You
Sarah Marsh: The Shape of his Words

Please click here to see the profiles and entries.

For the first time this year, ten entries were free of charge thanks to the generous support of donors including Frances Perkins (writing as Frances Maynard, shortlisted in 2016).

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.

Chair of the judging panel, Allison Pearson said:

“It has been another brilliant year for the Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize with hundreds of entries of real quality. The judges found so many talented writers, and so much to admire in their work, that it was really hard to narrow them down. We have ended up with a wonderful shortlist, which includes young adult fiction, romantic comedy, a psychological thriller, three glorious historical stories and a timely and powerful portrayal of a young boy caught up in London’s gangland.

We are proud that the Lucy Prize has already helped so many amazing, undiscovered writers find agents and publishers. I am confident that the shortlist of 2019 contains a few literary stars of the future.”

College President, Dame Madeleine Atkins said,

“Many congratulations to our seven shortlisted authors for this outstanding success. We are delighted to help new authors on their journey to publication, and wish all seven the very best for the next stage of the competition and beyond.”

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 launched her debut The Confessions of Frannie Langton this month to immediate acclaim. Kelleigh Greenberg-Jephcott released Swan Song last year and it was chosen as a Times ‘Book of the Year’ and has just been longlisted for the Womens’ Prize. 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 was open to students from any discipline studying at Lucy Cavendish and entry was free of charge. The winner of the Student Prize will be awarded £100 and 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.

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