Debut Writers for John Rhys Llewellyn

The Visitor who commented on the previous post that prize money shouldn't be for "established authors who are already making money from their books" but for "new and aspiring writers" will no doubt have the cockles of his heart much warmed by the John Llewellyn Rhys prize which recognises and celebrates the best work of literature by a UK or Commonwealth writer aged 35 or under. The winner takes home £5000, and all the finalists received £5oo.

Mosts of the finalists this year are debut writers, the Guardian reports.

One volume of poetry (Sinéad Morrissey's The State of the Prisons) has made it through. The other finalists are fiction:

Rebecca Ray - Newfoundland
Rana Dasgupta - Tokyo Cancelled
Uzodinma Iweala - Beasts of No Nation
Peter Hobbs - The Short Day Dying
Rachel Zadok - Gem Squash Tokoloshe

I liked (but am still pondering) this quote from Lemn Sissay, the only poet on the judging panel:

Poetry is the concentrated juice of the novel.