Richell Prize 2019 shortlist announced

7 October 2019 Books+Publishing

Hachette Australia has announced the shortlist for the 2019 Richell Prize for emerging writers.

The shortlisted writers and their works are:

‘The Earth Starts Talking’ (Ayla Black)
‘The Blind Pussy Cat’ (Sara El Sayed)
‘Nearly Curtains’ (Else Fitzgerald)
‘The Inlet’ (Heather James)
‘In Real Life’ (Allee Richards)
‘White Foam’ (Yannick Thoraval).

Created in memory of former Hachette CEO Matt Richell and now in its fifth year, the 2019 prize received over 700 submissions. This year’s six shortlisted titles were chosen from a longlist announced in September.

Applicants were required to submit the first three chapters and a synopsis of a proposed work of adult fiction or narrative nonfiction.

The winner, announced on 8 November, receives $10,000 and mentoring from a Hachette publisher to help develop the work for publication. Hachette has first option to consider the finished work and shortlisted entries for publication, while the Guardian will publish an extract of the first chapter of the winning work and a profile on the winning writer.

Ruth McIver was awarded the 2018 Richell Prize for I Shot the Devil, which Hachette and UK publisher Tinder Press jointly acquired earlier this year.

Category: Awards Local news