Semifinalists have been selected for the $10,000 Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award, which honors "the best writing related to the Thoroughbred industry." Three finalists will be named this summer, and the winner announced later in the year. The semifinalists:
Dream Derby: The Myth and Legend of Black Gold by Avalyn Hunter
False Riches by John Paul Miller
Isaac Murphy: The Rise and Fall of a Black Jockey by Katherine C. Mooney
The Jockey and Her Horse by Sarah Maslin Nir and Raymond White Jr.
The Turcottes: The Remarkable Story of a Horse Racing Dynasty by Curtis Stock
Lexington: The Extraordinary Life and Turbulent Times of America's Legendary Racehorse by Kim Wickens
---
A longlist has been released for the 2024 Mo Siewcharran Prize, which "aims to shine a light on unpublished fiction writers from Black, Asian, mixed heritage and minority ethnic backgrounds." This year the prize is being hosted by Hodderscape and has focused on writers in the fantasy genre. Check out the complete longlist here.
The award, which is run as part of Hachette UK’s The Future Bookshelf and named in memory of Nielsen BookData’s former director of marketing and communications, is sponsored by John Seaton, Mo Siewcharran’s husband and co-founder of the prize, and Nielsen BookData. A shortlist will be unveiled September 11, and the winner named on September 25.
The winner receives £2,500 (about $3,165), plus a detailed letter from a Hodderscape editor giving feedback on their entry and a follow-up online mentoring session; introductory meetings with at least two literary agents; an introductory session with the Hodder & Stoughton rights team; meetings with the publisher's marketing and publicity teams; and a ticket to London Book Fair 2025. The winner’s project will also be taken forward to a Hodder & Stoughton acquisitions meeting and considered for publication.
One runner up will receive £1,500 (about $1,900) along with a detailed letter from a Hodderscape editor giving feedback on their entry, and a hamper of Hodderscape books. A second runner up will receive £750 (about $950), as well as a hamper of Hodderscape books.