Shortlist announced for crowdfunded small-press prize

In the UK, the shortlist for the inaugural Republic of Consciousness Prize, recognising ‘brave, bold and brilliant’ literature from small presses, has been announced, reports the Guardian.

The shortlisted works, as chosen by a panel of booksellers, are:

• Born on a Tuesday (Elnathan John, Cassava Republic)
• Martin John (Anakana Schofield, And Other Stories)
• Forbidden Line (Paul Stanbridge, Galley Beggar)
• Solar Bones (Mike McCormack, Tramp Press)
• Fine, Fine, Fine, Fine, Fine (Diane Williams, CB Editions)
• Light Box (K J Orr, Daunt Books)
• Counternarratives (John Keene, Fitzcarraldo Editions)
• Treats (Lara Williams, Freight Books).

Novelist Neil Griffiths donated £2000 (A$3281) to establish the award to acknowledge ‘the role of small presses in keeping alive high-end literary fiction that operated outside genres and struggled to find homes in large conglomerate publishers’. A further £7000 ($11,484) was raised by raffling £10 tickets online.

The winner will receive a cash prize of ‘a minimum’ of £3000 (A$4921), with £2000 (A$3281) going to the press and £1000 (A$1640) to the author.

The inaugural prize was open to UK and Irish publishers, with no restriction on where the author is from. One novel or single author collection of short stories per publisher can be submitted each year. Entry is free.

For more information about the award, click here.

Category: International news