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10th Annual Crook’s Corner Book Prize Shortlist Announced

September 14, 2022 By

September 15, 2022

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CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA, SEPTEMBER 15, 2022—Today, the Crook’s Corner Book Prize Foundation announces the three finalists for its annual Shortlist – vying for best debut novel set in the American South. The winner, to be announced in January 2023, will be awarded the $5,000 literary prize. The purpose of the Crook’s Corner Book Prize is to highlight emerging fiction writers, who typically face some of the toughest obstacles in publishing.

THE SHORTLIST


Shadows of Pecan Hollow
by Caroline Frost
(Morrow/HarperCollins)

A gritty yet tender novel, “Shadows of Pecan Hollow” follows a feisty young woman and her abductor, turned partner-in-crime, as they make a life for themselves that includes an infamous string of robberies. Set in Texas and spanning three decades, the story explores the complexity of love and the bonds that hold us together. Frost has a Master of Professional Writing from the University of Southern California and is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. 


All Her Little Secrets
by Wanda Morris
(Morrow/HarperCollins)

In this fast-paced thriller, Morris crafts a deft mystery about a Black lawyer who gets caught in a dangerous plot after the sudden death of her boss. Set in Atlanta, “All Her Little Secrets” weaves a web of race, the legal system, conspiracies and dark secrets. Morris is a corporate attorney and has worked in the legal departments of some of America’s top Fortune 100 companies. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America and Crime Writers of Color.


Bewilderness
by Karen Tucker
(Catapult)

This piercing novel follows best friends through rural North Carolina as they scheme and hustle to feed their opioid addiction – until a new boyfriend steps in to change everything. “Bewilderness” is told as a dialogue between the girls’ addicted past and hopeful future to provide an intimate look at friendships and the way they can shape every woman’s life. Tucker’s short fiction has appeared in outlets such as The Missouri Review, The Yale Review, Boulevard, EPOCH, Tin House, and American Literary Review. She teaches fiction and creative nonfiction at UNC Chapel Hill.


“The Prize’s commitment to supporting and encouraging debut novelists has felt especially critical over the past two years,” says Anna Hayes, Foundation President. “This year’s Shortlist represents an impressive range of books by three talented new authors.” 

Although eligible books must be predominantly set in the South, authors may live anywhere, and all genres of fiction, except for Young Adult, are eligible. 

This year’s Shortlist will be judged by Ben Fountain. His most recent book is “Beautiful Country Burn Again,” a narrative, with history, of the 2016 presidential election. He is also the author of the novel “Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk,” which was adapted for film by three-time Oscar winner Ang Lee, and the short story collection “Brief Encounters with Che Guevara.” His work has received the National Book Critics’ Circle Award, the PEN/Hemingway Award, the Los Angeles Times Book Award, the Flaherty-Dunnan First Novel Prize, and a Whiting Writer’s Award, and has been a finalist for the National Book Award. His novel “The Jacmel Wreck” will appear in 2023. 

The 2022 Prize, awarded last January, went to Eric Nguyen’s “Things We Lost to the Water.”

About the Crook’s Corner Book Prize

Inspired by the literary prizes awarded by famous Parisian cafés such as the Deux Magots and the Café de Flore, the Crook’s Corner Book Prize honors the iconic Crook’s Corner, which for 40 years was a culinary, literary, and artistic beacon in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Sadly, Crook’s Corner closed in 2021. However, the Crook’s Corner Book Prize will continue its annual award, a fitting homage to the unforgettable restaurant. For more information on the Prize and submission guidelines, please visit www.CrooksCornerBookPrize.com or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

CONTACTS:
Cindy Hamel, cindyhsellars@gmail.com
April Starling, april@getlinkcommunications.com


Filed Under: Uncategorized

Crook’s Corner Book Prize 10th Annual Longlist Announced

July 11, 2022 By

July 12, 2022

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Chapel Hill, North Carolina—The Crook’s Corner Book Prize Foundation today announced its annual Longlist for best debut novel set in the American South. The $5,000 literary prize winner will be announced in January 2023.

The Longlist is:

Groundskeeping
by Lee Cole
(Knopf)


Black Cloud Rising
by  David Wright Faladé
(Grove Atlantic)


Here Lies
by Olivia Claire Friedman
(Grove Atlantic)


Shadows of Pecan Hollow
by Caroline Frost
(Morrow/HarperCollins)


The Sweetness of Water
by Nathan Harris
(Little, Brown and Company)


Between Tides
by Angel Khoury
(Dzanc Books)


All Her Little Secrets
by Wanda M. Morris
(Morrow/HarperCollins)


A Hand to Hold in Deep Water
by Shawn Nocher
(Blackstone Publishing)


The Violin Conspiracy
by Brendan Slocumb
(Anchor)


Bewilderness
by Karen Tucker
(Catapult)

“Whatever challenges recent years have presented, they have not dampened the creative urge, as is obvious from this outstanding list of debut novels,” said Anna Hayes, Foundation President.

The Crook’s Corner Book Prize, now in its tenth year, aims to highlight emerging fiction writers, who typically face some of the toughest obstacles in publishing. Although eligible books must be predominantly set in the South, authors may live anywhere, and all genres of fiction, except for Young Adult, are eligible. The 2022 Prize, awarded in January, went to Eric Nguyen’s “Things We Lost to the Water.”

Judging for this year’s Prize will be Ben Fountain. Ben Fountain was born in Chapel Hill and grew up in eastern North Carolina. His most recent book is “Beautiful Country Burn Again,” a narrative, with history, of the 2016 presidential election. He is also the author of the novel “Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk,” which was adapted for film by three-time Oscar winner Ang Lee, and the short story collection “Brief Encounters with Che Guevara.” His work has received the National Book Critics’ Circle Award, the PEN/Hemingway Award, the Los Angeles Times Book Award, the Flaherty-Dunnan First Novel Prize, and a Whiting Writer’s Award, and has been a finalist for the National Book Award. His novel “The Jacmel Wreck” will appear in 2023.

The Crooks Corner Book Prize Foundation Shortlist will be announced in September.

About Crooks Corner Book Prize Foundation

Inspired by the literary prizes awarded by famous Parisian cafés such as the Deux Magots and the Café de Flore, the Crook’s Corner Book Prize honors the iconic Crook’s Corner, which for 40 years was a culinary, literary, and artistic beacon in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Sadly, Crook’s Corner closed in 2021. However, the Crook’s Corner Book Prize will continue its annual award, a fitting homage to the unforgettable restaurant. For more information on the Prize and submission guidelines, please visit www.CrooksCornerBookPrize.com or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

About the 9th Annual Book Prize Winner

January 12, 2022 By

Eric Nguyen

Eric Nguyen earned an MFA in Creative Writing from McNeese State University in Louisiana. He has been awarded fellowships from Lambda Literary, Voices of Our Nation Arts, and the TinHouse Writers Workshop. He is the editor-in-chief of diaCRITICS.org. and lives in Washington, DC.

Author website: ericpnguyen.com

Filed Under: Uncategorized

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10th Annual Virtual Announcement Party

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10th Annual Book Prize Winner

Shadows of Pecan Hollow
by Caroline Frost
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The 10th Annual Shortlist

Shortlist Announced!
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The 10th Annual Longlist

Longlist Announced!
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9th Annual Book Prize Winner

Things We Lost to the Water
by Eric Nguyen
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10th Annual Book Prize Judge

Ben Fountain was born in Chapel Hill and grew up in eastern North Carolina. His most recent book is Beautiful Country Burn Again, a narrative, with history, of the 2016 presidential election. He is also the author of the novel Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, which was adapted for film by three-time Oscar winner Ang Lee, and the short story collection Brief Encounters with Che Guevara.
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The 2022 Book Prize Judge

Ron Rash is the author of the PEN/Faulkner finalist and New York Times bestselling novel Serena, in addition to the critically acclaimed novels The Risen, Above the Waterfall, The Cove, One Foot in Eden, Saints at the River, and The World Made Straight...
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The 2020 Book Prize Winner

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by Devi S. Laskar
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