Women's Prize newsletters

Here are the latest newsletters for my followers to peruse:

FROM OUR FRIENDS AT SIMON & SCHUSTER UK Books to sink into as the nights draw in. Atmospheric literary fiction to get lost in this autumn. From haunting historical tales and darkly delicious twists to unforgettable characters and stories of love, obsession and belonging. Discover books that will transport you to extraordinary places and keep you turning the pages long after bedtime. READ HERE Deftly-plotted and shimmering with Nell Stevens’s distinctive intelligence, style and wit, The Original is a novel about the value of authenticity in art and in love, and what it means to be a true original. LEARN MORE A stunning and deeply moving novel of grief, loss and female friendship, set against the backdrop of two cataclysmic natural events. LEARN MORE The highly-anticipated follow up to the viral sensation Bunny, a brilliantly written, laugh-out-loud funny, dark and delirious novel set in the Bunny-verse – a world that Margaret Atwood declared ‘soooo genius’. LEARN MORE Acclaimed author of The Anthropologists Aysegül Savaş’s acute and tender first collection explores the distances we keep, and those we try to close, in the age of connectivity. LEARN MORE A heartwarming literary mystery, filled with quirky characters, Japanese culture and the mouthwatering meals. It asks why books matter and offers a cheer of encouragement to everybody who believes they do. Ultimately, it is a paean to reading and the relevance of books through the ages – past, present, and future. LEARN MORE 'Brutal, nuanced, compassionate and critical all at once, Hard Place shows the messy, human hypocrisy of existing in the current moment – but it also shows the necessity of creating imperfect connections and allowing ourselves to both change and be changed. Funny, heartwarming and socially aware all at once, it signals the arrival of a major new talent' – Heather Parry, author of Carrion Crow LEARN MORE From the Women’s Prize for Fiction longlisted author of Intuition comes a timeless story of a woman fighting for survival, inspired by the real life of a sixteenth-century heroine. LEARN MORE From the Women’s Prize for Fiction longlisted author of The End of Mr Y comes The Runner – a darkly funny, sexy, exciting, philosophical and enthralling literary treat from one of Britain’s most exciting novelists. LEARN MORE WOMEN’S PRIZE SHOP SHOP

The Women's Prize Trust is a registered charity (registered charity number 1181253)

Did you know it’s currently Banned Books Week in the UK? Seven days dedicated to celebrate the right to read freely in the UK and beyond. At the Women’s Prize Trust, we believe in the power of books to inspire ideas, build empathy, and open up new opportunities – and the freedom to read is a crucial part of that. From championing books that are being banned – like 2020 Women’s Prize for Fiction shortlisted Girl, Woman, Other – to simply sharing the campaign on social media, head over to the Banned Books website to learn how you can get involved. This week, we’re talking all things Toni Morrison with bestselling author and newly announced Originators mentor Tayari Jones, taking a look at the bookshelves of Discoveries writer India-Rose Bower, and sharing more about our mentorship and development program, Originators, launched last week. BOOKSHELFIE X TAYARI JONES Women’s Prize for Fiction winning author of An American Marriage and Originators mentor, Tayari Jones is delving into the five books that have shaped her with Vick Hope on Bookshelfie this week. Listen as Tayari discusses why Toni Morrison is her favourite author, the power of storytelling and her must-read murder mysteries. Available now wherever you get your podcasts – or click the link above to watch the full episode on YouTube Plus, head to our website to browse Tayari’s books, including her latest release Kin, alongside interviews, reading guides and more. LISTEN TO BOOKSHELFIE ORIGINATORS In case you missed it, last week we announced Originators – the Women’s Prize Trust’s new mentorship and development program for emerging women fiction writers across the United States, presented by CHANEL. Originators invites emerging, unpublished novelists to apply for mentorship by submitting a writing sample of 5,000 words, a synopsis, and some information about themselves. A selection panel of award-winning authors will choose five finalists to receive bespoke manuscript feedback, industry access, a grant to support their writing, and travel to New York City for a curated program in spring 2027. Applications are now open until November 30, 2026. Learn more by clicking the button below. LEARN MORE ON MY BOOKSHELVES: INDIA-ROSE BOWER 2023 Discoveries longlisted India-Rose Bower’s We Call Them Witches is now out in paperback. To celebrate publication, India shares with us the writers on her bookshelves she returns to again and again. From claustrophobic thrillers and haunting horror stories to an innovative memoir, read the piece below to discover the books that have inspired her work. If you want to hear more about We Call Them Witches, don’t miss out on this panel event at Cheltenham Literature Festival on 17 October with India-Rose, alongside fellow Discoveries writers Rukky Brume and Georgia Moorhouse, as they read from their debuts and share their journeys to publication. Remember – Discoveries 2027 is now open for submissions until 11 January 2027. Learn more here READ THE PIECE EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNT If, like Tayari, you’re a Toni Morrison super fan, look no further than our super-soft Toni Morrison sweatshirt – the perfect addition to your wardrobe as cosy season approaches. Use code Fall20Morrison for 20% off until midnight next Monday, 12 October. SHOP The Women's Prize Trust is a registered charity (registered charity number 1181253)

FROM OUR FRIENDS AT BLOOMSBURY THE NEW NOVEL FROM THE WOMEN’S PRIZE SHORTLISTED AUTHOR OF TRESPASSES RED AND RÓISÍN. FRIENDS FOR LIFE. Róisín and Red meet as teenagers in their small Irish hometown in 1982. Brilliant, sharp-tongued and born to slip through the cracks, Red's reputation for trouble precedes him – but Róisín finds herself swept up in his storm, and soon their connection deepens. When a brush with the law pushes Red into a corner, he escapes their town to start a new life in England. As the years pass, they remain tethered to one another, a fragile thread holding their once fierce friendship together. When Róisín arrives in London, the promise of freedom, of reinvention, and of finding her dear friend calls… Stations is a devastating story of love and friendship, and a tender portrait of the choices we blithely make when we are young, unaware that the consequences will reverberate throughout our lives. LEARN MORE MEET LOUISE KENNEDY Louise Kennedy grew up a few miles from Belfast. She is the author of the acclaimed short-story collection, The End of the World Is a Cul de Sac, which won the John McGahern Prize. Her debut novel Trespasses, published in 2022, has been translated into over twenty languages. It won Eason Novel of the Year at the An Post Irish Book Awards, Book of the Year: Debut Fiction at the British Book Awards and the McKitterick Prize, and was also shortlisted for several awards including the Women's Prize for Fiction, the Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize and Barnes and Noble Discover Prize. In 2025, Trespasses was made into a limited TV series by Channel 4, starring Lola Petticrew, Tom Cullen and Gillian Anderson. Before starting her writing career, Kennedy spent nearly thirty years working as a chef. She lives in Sligo. NOW A MAJOR CHANNEL 4 DRAMA THE NO. 1 BESTSELLER (The Times) SHORTLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2023 There is nothing special about the day Cushla meets Michael, a married man from Belfast, in the pub owned by her family. But here, love is never far from violence, and this encounter will change both of their lives forever. As people get up each morning and go to work, school, church or the pub, the daily news rolls in of another car bomb exploded, another man beaten, killed or left for dead. In the class Cushla teaches, the vocabulary of seven-year-old children now includes phrases like 'petrol bomb' and 'rubber bullets'. And as she is forced to tread lines she never thought she would cross, tensions in the town are escalating, threatening to destroy all she is working to hold together. Tender and shocking, Trespasses is an unforgettable debut of people trying to live ordinary lives in extraordinary times. LEARN MORE WOMEN’S PRIZE SHOP SHOP

The Women's Prize Trust is a registered charity (registered charity number 1181253)

Introducing Originators, the Women’s Prize Trust’s mentorship and development program, presented by CHANEL, dedicated to supporting emerging women fiction writers from across the United States. The inaugural selection panel is chaired by A.M. Homes and includes Virginia Evans, V.V. Ganeshananthan, Tayari Jones, and Nicole Krauss. They will choose five finalists to receive bespoke manuscript feedback, industry access, a grant to support their writing and travel to New York City for a curated program in spring 2027.  Applications for the inaugural program are now open until November 30, 2026, at 6:59 PM (EST).

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We had such an incredible time at Chelsea Arts Festival last week, celebrating the richness of women’s writing with a star-studded line-up curated and hosted by Bernardine Evaristo, the recipient of the Women’s Prize Outstanding Contribution Award, supported by Bukhman Philanthropies. Thank you to everyone that joined us – and if you couldn’t make it, explore our events page to discover what else we have in store over the next few months. This week, we’re thrilled to share that Bookshelfie – our podcast hosted by Vick Hope that asks inspiring women to share the five books that have shaped them – has been shortlisted for The Speakies 2026’s Best Podcast: Arts & Entertainment! Read on to discover this week’s guest, and browse our website here to discover all the brilliant guests from the show’s nine seasons and their most treasured books. With the autumn equinox now passed in the northern hemisphere, cosy season is officially here – so what better time to curl up with a good book?! MEET THE DISCOVERIES JUDGES Last week, Discoveries – our writer development programme for unpublished and unagented women writing fiction in the UK – opened for entries for 2027. This year’s judging panel will be chaired by Founder Director of the Women’s Prizes Kate Mosse, who will be joined by bestselling novelist, screenwriter and 2019 Women’s Prize for Fiction shortlisted author Oyinkan Braithwaite, award-winning author Ela Lee, Curtis Brown literary agent Ciara Finan; and Founder and Managing Director of Curtis Brown Creative, Anna Davis. Looking for original new voices in fiction, the judges are focused on promise over polish – and you don’t need to have a finished manuscript to enter. Whether you’ve never written before, or have already started on your 10,000 words, read the piece below to learn the judges’ writing advice. LEARN MORE BOOKSHELFIE X LOUISE O’NEILL Bestselling author Louise O’Neill joins Vick in the Bookshelfie studio this week, explaining why she decided to set up daily dates around the world, how it inspired her new memoir A Bigger Life and her journey to acceptance of addiction. Listen to discover the five books that have shaped her, including a novel shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction in 2021, a book that will teach you how to learn from your failures and the bestseller that has inspired the likes of Elizabeth Gilbert, Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington. Available now wherever you get your podcasts – or click the link above to watch the full episode on YouTube LISTEN HOW I RESEARCH: FIONA VALPY To celebrate the publication of her new book, Sisters of the Midnight Sun, bestselling author Fiona Valpy shares with us her magpie-method to story building, photos from her field research in Norway and Shetland and the importance of letting go of perfectionism. READ HERE SHOP T-SHIRTS As we move between seasons, there’s nothing more handy than a good t-shirt to rely on – perfect both with a pair of jeans, or as a base layer as the days get colder. From our classic Reader tees, to designs that pay tribute to some of literature’s most beloved authors, discover our full clothing range below. SHOP

The Women's Prize Trust is a registered charity (registered charity number 1181253)

FROM OUR FRIENDS AT HARPER COLLINS Arriving 50 years after Agatha Christie’s last MISS MARPLE novel was published, Lucy Foley's Murder at the Grand Alpine Hotel is a landmark event. High in the Swiss Alps, with glorious mountain views and exclusive access to powdery slopes, the Grand Alpine Hotel draws guests from far and wide. The notorious actress The high-flying politician The inscrutable political wife The reckless friend The shrewd doctor But when a guest enters a gondola alive, only to be found dead at the top of the mountain, it’s clear there’s a killer in their midst. As tensions rise, and old grudges emerge like cracks in the ice, someone watches from the shadows. An unassuming woman with an extraordinary mind: Miss Marple. She suspects everyone in the hotel, and she’s right to. For it isn’t just a question of who has a motive, but who’s next… OUT NOW EXCLUSIVE EXTRACT Would you like to have a sneak peek at the book before you buy? Read an exclusive extract below.  READ AN EXTRACT Have you read all of Lucy Foley’s novels? Are you looking to expand your Agatha Christie reading list? Already an ardent fan of Agatha Christie, in her research for Murder at the Grand Alpine Hotel, Lucy read (and re-read) all the Miss Marple novels as well as many other titles in Agatha Christie’s backlist. If you enjoy Lucy’s books, these are 5 titles we recommend. Give them a go and see if you can spot where Lucy’s inspirations come from! Endless Night – for the ominous sense of threat and being wary of who you trust And Then There Were None – full of threat and suspense, this is the ultimate locked room mystery A Murder is Announced – captures the impact of war and escaping the past Sleeping Murder – for the dangers of revisiting “old” haunts Towards Zero – where dark pasts are hard to escape LEARN MORE WOMEN’S PRIZE SHOP SHOP

The Women's Prize Trust is a registered charity (registered charity number 1181253)