Two writers of African origin are on the longlist of 2022 Center for Fiction First Novel Prize.
The writers are Noor Naga from Egypt and Eloghosa Osunde from Nigeria.
While Naga was longlisted for his “If an Egyptian Cannot Speak English”, Osunde is on the longlist for “Vagabonds!”.
The prize, first awarded in 2006, honours the best debut fiction of the year with United States of America (USA) publication dates between January 1 and December 31 of the year under review.
The winner receives a $15 thousand prize while each of the other shortlisted authors receive $1,000.
The year’s longlist of twenty-four writers was selected from over 140 submitted titles. The titles were nominated by 96 volunteer readers chosen from The Center’s diverse community of writers, booksellers, librarians, members, and staff. A judging panel will sit in the coming weeks to deliberate on a shortlist, with an eventual winner announced soon after.
Osunde’s “Vagabonds!” follows a band of outcasts in modern day Lagos on a quest to lead true lives. It was published in the US by Riverhead Books. Most recently, it was shortlisted for the inaugural Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize.
Naga’s “If an Egyptian Cannot Speak English” was published in the US by Graywolf Press after winning the 2019 Graywolf Press African Prize for Fiction. It centers on the romantic encounters between an Egyptian American woman visiting Egypt for the first time and a brooding artist from the village of Shobrakheit, and how their love escalates into volatility.
Previously longlisted African authors include the Caine Prize winners, Tope Folarin and Namwali Serpell who were both on the 2019 Longlist for “A Particular Kind of Black Man” and “The Old Drift” respectively.
