This year, we're introducing something new: The Story Prize Spotlight Award, which will provide an additional prize of $1,000* to the author of a book entered for The Story Prize.
Why create another award?
Because The Story Prize’s aim is to support fiction and encourage authors who write it. The finalists and eventual winner, we believe, bring added attention to the form. But we read more than 90 books each year, and more than the three we choose as finalists are worthy of attention. So we decided to add another award to cast a wider net. The winner of the Story Prize Spotlight Award might be the work of an emerging author, an established but overlooked author, or an innovator in the short story form.
Who is the winner this year?
The first winner of The Story Prize Spotlight Award is Krys Lee, author of the story collection Drifting House, published by Viking.
Why this book?
Because this is a powerful and moving debut collection. The nine stories in Drifting House are set in the U.S., South Korea, North Korea, and often—from the characters’ perspectives—the indistinct spaces between these places. We felt this book merited more attention and a wider readership.
Does the jury that chooses the winner of The Story Prize also determine the winner of The Story Prize Spotlight Award?
No. The Story Prize judges only choose the winner from among the three finalists. Director Larry Dark and Founder Julie Lindsey will select the winner of The Story Prize Spotlight Award at their discretion from among the regular pool of entries for The Story Prize. Any book submitted for The Story Prize will also receive consideration for The Story Prize Spotlight Award. The winner might be an emerging author, an established but overlooked author, or an innovator in the short story form.
How will you announce the award, and will the winner be part of The Story Prize event?
We will announce the winner of The Story Prize Spotlight Award along with the three finalists each January, and we will also mention and honor the Spotlight winner at our award night on March 13 at The New School. However, the Spotlight Award winner will not be a participant in the event itself.
* The winner of The Story Prize gets $20,000—the largest top prize of any annual U.S. book award for fiction—and each of the other two finalists gets $5,000.
Why create another award?
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| Author Krys Lee |
Who is the winner this year?
The first winner of The Story Prize Spotlight Award is Krys Lee, author of the story collection Drifting House, published by Viking.
Why this book?
Because this is a powerful and moving debut collection. The nine stories in Drifting House are set in the U.S., South Korea, North Korea, and often—from the characters’ perspectives—the indistinct spaces between these places. We felt this book merited more attention and a wider readership.
Does the jury that chooses the winner of The Story Prize also determine the winner of The Story Prize Spotlight Award?
No. The Story Prize judges only choose the winner from among the three finalists. Director Larry Dark and Founder Julie Lindsey will select the winner of The Story Prize Spotlight Award at their discretion from among the regular pool of entries for The Story Prize. Any book submitted for The Story Prize will also receive consideration for The Story Prize Spotlight Award. The winner might be an emerging author, an established but overlooked author, or an innovator in the short story form.
How will you announce the award, and will the winner be part of The Story Prize event?
We will announce the winner of The Story Prize Spotlight Award along with the three finalists each January, and we will also mention and honor the Spotlight winner at our award night on March 13 at The New School. However, the Spotlight Award winner will not be a participant in the event itself.
* The winner of The Story Prize gets $20,000—the largest top prize of any annual U.S. book award for fiction—and each of the other two finalists gets $5,000.
