ALCS is pleased to sponsor the Published Comic Novel prize, which celebrates the work of women writers who have published a comedy novel of at least 85,000 words.

The Published Comic Novel shortlist is:

Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams (Orion)

Frankissstein by Jeanette Winterson (Jonathan Cape)

The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary (Quercus)

Big Girl, Small Town by Michelle Gallen (John Murray)

The Blessed Girl by Angela Makholwa (Bloomsbury)

Reasons to be Cheerful by Nina Stibbe (Penguin Random House)

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman (Headline)

Judges for the award were Marian Keyes, Lolly Adefope, Pauline McLynn, Joanna Scanlan, Paula Wilcox and last year’s prize winner, Laura Steven.

Keyes, who chaired the panel said: “I am absolutely delighted with our list. The range is glorious – everything from light-hearted commercial fiction to literary fiction – from established names to new talent – and it’s a demonstration of all the different ways in which women can be funny in print. It was a pleasure and very exciting to read all the submissions, and these are shortlists we are very proud of.”

The winners will be revealed at an award ceremony rescheduled from July to 14 September 2020.

Take a look at the shortlists for the Published Humorous Graphic Novel prize and the Unpublished Comic Novel prize here.