First Novel Prize 2019 Shortlist

After a summer of reading some astounding unpublished and independently published fiction, the organisers and the judges are thrilled to announce the shortlist in the 2019 edition of The First Novel Prize:

Laure van Rensburg – The Lies Beneath
James Davidson – The Chain
James Pierson – SuperTech
Samuel Kolawole – Son of a Dog
Adrian Cowderoy – Hidden Beyond Detection
Dakota Canon – The Unmaking of Eden
Allan Gill – A Smart Address
Mel Gough – Leap of Faith
Emily Paine – Ballad
Ali Thurm – The River Brings the Sea

A huge thank you to all of this year’s entrants for sending us your ambitious, wonder-inspiring fiction, and congratulations to our shortlisted novelists!

We are looking forward to announcing the winners of the First, Second and Third Prize on the 13th of September 2019. Although this is later than the previously announced 31st of August 2019, it is due to the unexpected number of entries received in the competition and the fair amount of time dedicated to reading each one.