Republic of Consciousness Prize, US & Canada Announces Its 2025 Longlist
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 20, 2026
10 Books from Small, Independent Presses Acknowledged for Literary Merit
The Republic of Consciousness Prize, United States and Canada, has announced its fourth annual longlist of 10 titles from independent presses, celebrating the commitment of small presses to exceptional works of literary merit.
The 10 longlisted titles for 2025 are:
Dreaming of Dead People, by Rosalind Belben (And Other Stories)
Little Lazarus, by Michael Bible (CLASH Books)
The Remembered Soldier, by Anjet Daanje, translated by David McKay (New Vessel Press)
On Earth As It Is Beneath, by Ana Paula Maia, translated by Padma Viswanathan (Charco Press)
Little World, by Josephine Rowe (Transit Books)
Iris and the Dead, by Miranda Schreiber (Book*hug Press)
Small Scale Sinners, by Mahreen Sohail (A Public Space Books)
The Endless Week, by Laura Vazquez, translated by Alex Niemi (Dorothy, a publishing project)
Hothouse Bloom, by Austyn Wohlers (Hub City Press)
Unfinished Acts of Wild Creation, by Sarah Yahm (Dzanc Books)
The Prize will distribute a total of $35,000 USD to 2025 finalists as follows: each press with a longlisted book will receive $2,000; the five shortlisted books will be rewarded an additional $3,000 each, split equally between publisher and author, or publisher, author, and translator where applicable.
A virtual party celebrating the longlist, with publishers, authors, and translators, will take place on Wednesday, February 18, at 6:00 p.m. CT. Members of the public are invited to join for free on Zoom. The shortlist of five books will be announced on Tuesday, February 24, and the winner will be announced on Tuesday, March 10. Longlisted titles can be purchased here through Bookshop.org in support of your favorite independent bookstore.
The Republic of Consciousness Prize for the UK and the Republic of Ireland was founded in 2017 by award-winning novelist Neil Griffiths. It has since been renamed the Queen Mary Small Press Fiction Prize. The Prize’s remit was expanded in 2022 by Griffiths and bookstore owner and writer, Lori Feathers, who launched a separate award for presses in the US and Canada. About this year’s longlist Feathers said, “This year's longlist exemplifies the founding intention of the Prize: to highlight that today's most interesting and fulfilling literature comes from small, independent publishers. The fiction that presses submitted in this fourth year of the Prize is varied, exceptional, and a reminder that great art requires the dedication of a community of writers, translators, publishers, and readers. It is not just a worthwhile pursuit, but a vital one.”
Alongside Feathers, four other independent booksellers and small press enthusiasts formed the jury that selected this year’s longlist:
“It’s been an absolute privilege to enjoy each entry and now share with readers the best writing that small presses have to offer, especially at a time when we’ve rarely been in greater need of serious fiction.” —Ryan Farrell (VOLLMANNIA, Washington, D.C.)
“More than ever, we need deep thinkers and nuanced stories, and small presses have both the patience and the courage to seek out and propel those creative minds and their work into our world. It has been a privilege to encounter ten superb storytellers and their presses through this year’s longlist.” —Sarah Kalsbeek (Eyes on Indie, Chicago, Illinois)
"From the seed of an original thought to the book in my hands, each writer, translator, and publisher has offered me the chance to peek into the lives and worlds just off my personal radar, for which I am quite grateful." —Ian McCord (Rec Room Books, Athens, Georgia)
"Judging for the Republic of Consciousness Prize has introduced me to many publishers I might never have encountered otherwise, and has, wonderfully, broadened the range of publisher colophons I now seek out in bookstores. My most significant reading experiences of the year came from these books." —Spencer Ruchti (Third Place Books, Seattle, Washington)
About the Republic of Consciousness Prize
The Republic of Consciousness Prize, United States and Canada, was founded in 2022 and is run by volunteers. All prize monies to authors and publishers are funded by donations from members of the public. Donations can be made to the Prize here.
For further information, or for an interview about the Prize, contact:
Lori Feathers, lori@interabangbooks.com