2019 Center for Fiction First Novel Prize Shortlist

The Center for Fiction announced that debut novels by Chia-Chia Lin, Julia Phillips, Pitchaya Sudbanthad, Ocean Vuong, Joe Wilkins, Lauren Wilkinson, and De’Shawn Charles Winslow are shortlisted for the 2019 Center for Fiction First Novel Prize! The finalists will read from their books and celebrate their achievement with the wider literary community at their First Novel Fête on December 9, 2019, to be held at our downtown Brooklyn location. The following evening, they will present the award to the winner at the Center’s Annual Benefit and Awards Dinner in New York City.

THE 2019 SHORT LIST: 

The Unpassing by Chia-Chia Lin (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)
Disappearing Earth by Julia Phillips (Knopf)
Bangkok Wakes to Rain by Pitchaya Sudbanthad (Riverhead Books)
On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong (Penguin Press)
Fall Back Down When I Die by Joe Wilkins (Little, Brown and Company)
American Spy by Lauren Wilkinson (Random House) 
In West Mills by De’Shawn Charles Winslow (Bloomsbury)

The First Novel Prize, launched in 2006, was created as part of the literary nonprofit’s central mission to promote the art of storytelling and help further the careers of new writers. This annual prize carries a $10,000 cash award. Each of the other shortlisted authors will receive a $1,000 award.