Nancy Jo Cullen (Rachel Idzerda)

The shortlist has been announced for the Amazon First Novel Award. The winner, to be announced online the morning of June 25, will receive $60,000. The remaining shortlisted authors will receive $6,000.

The jury for the First Novel Award comprises novelists Liz Harmer, Shani Mootoo, and Anakana Schofield. The finalists are listed below.

• The Western Alienation Merit Badge, Nancy Jo Cullen (Wolsak & Wynn Publishers/Buckrider Books)
• Going Dutch, James Gregor (Simon & Schuster Canada)
• Mooncalves, Victoria Hetherington (Now Or Never Publishing)
• Aria, Nazanine Hozar (Knopf Canada)
• The Dishwasher, Stéphane Larue (Biblioasis/Biblioasis International Translation Series)
• When We Were Vikings, Andrew David MacDonald (Simon & Schuster Canada)