The 2019 Kitschies Award shortlists have been revealed. The prize, sponsored by Blackwell’s, is given to “the year’s most progressive, intelligent and entertaining fiction that contain elements of the speculative or fantastic.”

This year’s shortlisted books were winnowed down from 196 submissions by around 59 imprints. The Kitschies administrators announced that 49% of the submissions were by female authors, 47% by male authors and 4% by non-binary authors. 17% of submissions were by POC. 77% of submissions were sent as ebooks

The winners will be announced in a ceremony on April 6, and receive a total of £2,000 in prize money, as well as one of the prize’s iconic Tentacle trophies.

The Red Tentacle (Novel)

Judged by Claire North, Kirsty Logan, Alasdair Stuart, Tasha Suri, and Michaela Grey

• Always North by Vicki Jarrett
• From The Wreck by Jane Rawson
• The Fire Starters by Jan Carson
• The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa
• This is How You Lose The Time War by Amal El Mohtar & Max Gladstone

The Golden Tentacle (Debut)

Also judged by Claire North, Kirsty Logan, Alasdair Stuart, Tasha Suri, and Michaela Grey

• Jelly by Clare Rees
• My Name Is Monster by Katie Hale
• She Would Be King by Wayétu Moore
• The Ten Thousand Doors Of January by Alix E. Harrow
• Wilder Girls by Rory Power

The Inky Tentacle (Cover Art)

Judged by Sharan Matharu, Kaiya Shang, James Spackman, and Kim Curran

• Across The Void by S. K. Vaughan, Cover Design by Ceara Elliot
• The Heavens by Sandra Newman, Cover Design by Leo Nickolls
• Zed by Joanna Kavenna, Cover Design by Faber
• This Is How You Lose The Time War by Amal El Mohtar & Max Gladstone, Cover Design by Greg Stadnyk
• The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa, Cover Art by Tyler Comrie (Vintage)