21 December, 2022

Novel Fair 2023: Runners-Up & Highly Commended

Last week we announced the twelve emerging writers selected for Novel Fair 2023, as selected by the judging panel Alan McMonagle, Mary Watson and Conor Kostick.
Of the three hundred entries to the Fair, they additionally selected twelve runners-up and twelve highly commended as follows. These writers will receive a short critique of their work from one of the judges.
Judge Conor Kostick observed:
“The diversity of voices, the skill of the authors, and the fascinating characters of these novels made reading the entries a real pleasure. I’m just sorry we have to limit the numbers for the day’s event, because far more than the final selection were above the threshold to be published. I hope those who didn’t make the cut will not lose heart and will send their manuscripts to publishers and agents far and wide.”

Runners-Up

A History of Non-Compliance by Anita Bonesteel
In Her Skin by Julia Dunne
The Satanists by Aran Ward Sell
Crow(e ) by Colm Brennan
The Second Act of Sadie Winter by John Clinch
Show Me Where It Hurts by Claire Gleeson
73/’74 by Nigel Kelly
Happy The Corpse by Donal McLaughlin
Chemical Lovers by Sigrid Daniel
The Favoured Sister by Danielle Bodnar
Season of Fog by Lisa Fahy
Smog has no Shadow by Julian Judge

Highly Commended 

The Risk Business by Gerry Donnelly
The Recipe of You by Kieran Marsh
No Way Home by Sasha Wilson
In The Dark by Joanne Dowds
A Holy Show by Ms Riley Johnston
The Lobster Pot by Bernie McQuillan
Presence and Absence by Joel Herman
The Liferoom by Brid Connolly
The Deal by Fintan Moore
When the Prince of Peace Dies by Lorna Mc Grath
South Parade by Sheila McWade
To be Free by David Lynch