Center for Fiction First Novel Prize

__NOTOC__ The Center for Fiction First Novel Prize is an annual award presented by the Center for Fiction, a non-profit organization in New York City, for the best debut novel. From 2006 to 2011, it was called the John Sargent, Sr. First Novel Prize in honor of John Turner Sargent, Sr. From 2011 to 2014, it was known as the Flaherty-Dunnan First Novel Prize, named for Center for Fiction board member Nancy Dunnan and her journalist father Ray W. Flaherty.The First Novel Prize The Center for Fiction website, The Center for Fiction's First Novel Prize, accessed 2015/06/03.

Publishers nominate English-language works by first-time United States novelists. Poets & Writers Magazine, Grants and Awards, accessed 2015/06/03. There is a two-tiered selection process for the prize. First, the nominees are read by a network of booklovers (referred to as Common Readers), including librarians, writers, staff, members, and friends of The Center for Fiction, giving rise to a long list of recommended books. Next, the Common Readers' long list is forwarded to a committee of distinguished American writers, who select a short list, typically comprising five to seven titles, which is publicly announced in the late summer. All finalists are invited to read from their works at a First Novel Fête. The winning novel is announced at an awards event—both of these events usually occur in December. The winning novelist receives a cash prize of $10,000; each finalist receives $1,000. The Center for Fiction website, Flaherty-Dunnam Submission Process, accessed 2014/11/27.

Recipients +First Novel Prize winners and nomineesYearAuthorTitleResultRef.2006Special Topics in Calamity PhysicsWinnerCellophaneShortlistSend Me2007WinnerLost City RadioShortlistFieldworkFinnSoon I Will Be InvincibleBearing the Body2008WinnerShortlistAtmospheric DisturbancesDervishesSongs for the Butcher's DaughterPersonal Days2009WoodsburnerWinnerTinkersShortlistThe VagrantsAmerican Rust2010MatterhornWinnerShortlistBeneath the Lion's GazeThis Is Just Exactly Like YouMr. Peanut2011LambWinnerShortlistDaughters of the RevolutionShardsCaribou IslandTouch2012Billy Lynn's Long Halftime WalkWinnerAbsolutionShortlistGirlchildSeating ArrangementsAlif the Unseen2013WashWinnerEleven DaysShortlistYMotherlungeGhana Must Go2014Land of Love and DrowningWinnerShortlistFourth of July CreekWe Are Not OurselvesJosh Weil2015WinnerShortlistBright LinesAgainst the CountryThe FishermenAfter the Parade2016WinnerShortlistHere Comes the SunWe Love You, Charlie FreemanWhat Belongs to YouHomegoingHow I Became a North Korean2017Mikhail and MargaritaWinnerWhat to Do About the SolomonsShortlistSpaceman of BohemiaTiger PeltAs Lie Is to GrinEmpire of Glass2018There ThereWinnerPretend I'm DeadShortlistFreshwaterAsymmetryTrenton MakesConfessions of the Fox2019In West MillsWinnerShortlistDisappearing EarthBangkok Wakes to RainOn Earth We're Briefly GorgeousFall Back Down When I DieAmerican Spy2020LusterWinnerIndelicacyShortlistThese Ghosts Are FamilyTemporaryShuggie BainHow Much of These Hills Is Gold2021WinnerShortlistSwimming Back to Trout RiverBuild Your House Around My BodyNo One Is Talking About ThisBrood2022If an Egyptian Cannot Speak EnglishWinnerBrown GirlsShortlistNSFW Little Rabbit Big Girl 2023We Are a HauntingWinnerFamily LoreShortlistLookoutPay as You GoMoonrise Over New JessupNight Wherever We Go2024Joseph Earl ThomasGod Bless You, Otis Spunkmeyer WinnerRita BullwinkelHeadshot ShortlistRuthvika RaoThe Fertile EarthMai SennaarThey Dream in Gold Clare SestanovichAsk Me Again Morgan TaltyFire ExitLedia XhogaMisinterpretation Y/N2025Darrell Kinsey Natch WinnerRickey FayneThe Devil Three Times ShortlistJustin Haynes Ibis Alejandro HerediaLoca Colwill BrownWe Pretty Pieces of Flesh Mariam RahmaniLiquid Shubha SunderOptional Practical Training2026Emeline Atwood A Real Animal Shortlist Retrieved 09-30-2026.Samantha JosephsCarrying T Kira Madden Whidbey Giada ScodellaroRuins, Child Avigayl SharpOffscreen Ankur ThakkarBlow Yourself Up Nafissa Thompson-SpiresThe Four Wives and Five Deaths of Richard Milford

See also List of American literary awards

References

External links The First Novel Prize, official website.