New Writing

Two UEA graduates have been longlisted for the 2021 Republic of Consciousness Prize, which rewards books published by independent presses. All the presses will receive £1,000. Alex Pheby is nominated for Mordew, published by Galley Beggar, while Monique Roffey is nominated for The Mermaid of Black Conch, published by Peepal Tree Press. Monique graduated from the English Literature BA programme at UEA in 1987. Her first novel Sun Dog was published in 2002. The White Woman On The Green Bicycle, published in 2009, was shortlisted for the 2010 Orange Prize and the 2011 Encore Prize. Archipelago, published in 2012, won the OCM BOCAS prize for Caribbean Literature in 2013, while House of Ashes was shortlisted for both the Costa Fiction Award and the OCM BOCAS prize. The Mermaid of Black Conch recently won the Costa Book Award and is currently also longlisted for the Rathbones Folio Prize. Alex graduated with a PhD in Creative & Critical Writing from UEA in 2010. His first novel Grace was published by Two Ravens Press in 2009 and followed by his PhD novel Playthings in 2015. This was published by Galley Beggar and shortlisted for the Wellcome Book Prize. His third novel Lucia, also published by Galley Beggar, was the joint winner of the 2019 Republic of Consciousness Prize along with Murmur by Will Eaves. Mordew is the first novel in a projected trilogy. The shortlist for the Republic of Consciousness, which is judged by Guy Gunaratne, John Mitchinson and Eley Williams, will be announced late March 2021 and the winner in mid-May.