Five writers have been named to the 2023 Danuta Gleed Literary Award shortlist.

The annual award, administered by the Writers’ Union of Canada, recognizes the best first collection of short fiction published in English by a Canadian author.

The winner is awarded $10,000, and two additional writers receive $1,000 each. A jury comprised of Danila Botha, paulo da costa, and Souvankham Thammavongsa determined the five-writer shortlist from a total of 28 submitted collections.

This year’s shortlisted authors are:

• Lisa Alward, Cocktail (Biblioasis)
• Paola Ferrante, Her Body Among Animals (Book*hug Press)
• Rebecca Hirsch Garcia, The Girl Who Cried Diamonds & Other Stories (ECW Press)
• Kathryn Mockler, Anecdotes (Book*hug Press)
• Idman Nur Omar, The Private Apartments (House of Anansi Press)

The winners will be announced on June 11.