Leapfrog Press, Can of Worms Press, Ann Hood and all the readers who have given of their time in judging the 2021 Leapfrog Global Fiction Prize are delighted to announce the winner:
K.L. Anderson for her novel: But First You Need A Plan
The runners up are:
Sharon White for Minato Sketches, and Lynn Schmeidler for Possibility Hunger: Stories
We plan to publish But First You Need A Plan in September 2022, in simultaneous editions in the US, UK and worldwide with Leapfrog Press and TSB | Can of Worms Press.
We asked Ann Hood to comment on her judging, and she shared this with us:
“Judging contests can be almost as anxiety producing for the judge as it is for the writers who have submitted manuscripts. There’s a great responsibility in reading and assessing manuscripts, and as a writer who has been on the other side of this process I’m keenly aware of the work and imagination and care that goes into writing a book. But there is also something quite wonderful about being given the opportunity to discover and honor new work. I was so excited to be asked by Tobias Steed at Leapfrog Press to choose the winner, and when I saw on my calendar that the finalists would be arriving any day, my excitement grew even more. Such a gift and an honor to read these three marvelous finalists. As soon as I finished one, I thought: Aha! Here is the winner! But then I read the second, and had the very same thought. But First You Need A Plan was the third and final one I read, and as much as I admired the others, I knew that this one truly was the winner. I greatly admired the complex story, which weaves past and present deftly and brings a large cast of characters to life. The themes explored here are important ones: betrayal, love, loyalty, and the dangers of the human heart both personally and globally. Seemingly minor details that appear at the beginning return with great impact toward the end. This is a brilliant, breathtaking story and I am so delighted to help in my small way to bring it to the world.”
Ann Hood, New York August 2021
Ann Hood’s latest book is: Jude Banks, Superhero
All the judging is done with authors anonymised, we have informed K.L. Anderson of her winning submission, and she has provided this brief biographical note:
K.L. Anderson is trained as an ecologist and wetland scientist. Originally from Chicago, she now lives in Seattle with her husband and son. But First You Need A Plan is her first book.
We are delighted to bring into the world a tantalising new voice.
The 2022 Leapfrog Global Fiction Prize will open for submissions this November.
