We're delighted to continue our shortlist spotlight this week with Alexis Coward and Nancy Edwards, two writers who brought distinct and compelling voices to this year's prize.

Alexis Coward is a writer and performer based in Berkshire. Her writing focuses on family, place as a character, and the environment, all subjects she is very passionate about. She has recently graduated with a MA in Creative Writing from Oxford Brookes. She strongly believes in the calm that comes through creative escape. When not writing, Alexis can be found getting lost on walks with her dog.

Blue Sky, Red Dust

Blue Sky, Red Dust is a novel set in rural 1920s South Australia. Three generations of a farming family have survived migration, war, and the unforgiving land, until daughter Rose discovers past lies and a secret grief that has the power to change all their lives forever.

Contact Alexis: alexis.coward@gmail.com

Nancy Edwards is a London-based writer whose work spans fiction, script and poetry, and focuses on queer feminine experiences. She is currently studying Writing for Performance at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, where she is developing her voice as a writer through collaborative and independent works. She wrote and co-produced her debut play, Am I Pretty When I Cry? with Chapter Theatre Company, which played for three nights at The Hope Theatre in 2024.

Cats Who Smoke

Grace and Liv have been next door neighbours since childhood, whiling away summers in their front gardens, dreaming of an escape from their small town on the South coast of England. One summer, Grace gets a job at a recently renovated pub, and when Liv starts an unlikely and intense relationship with a pub regular, she feels a deep jealousy which forces her to confront the truth about her relationship to Liv.

Contact Nancy: nancyedwards2110@gmail.com

We hope you enjoyed this week’s readings as much as we did! Next week we will showcase two more from our fabulous shortlist.