{"id":588071,"date":"2023-06-19T15:18:28","date_gmt":"2023-06-19T14:18:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jerichowriters.com\/?page_id=588071"},"modified":"2025-12-19T12:22:56","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T12:22:56","slug":"first-500-novel-competition","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/jerichowriters.com\/first-500-novel-competition\/","title":{"rendered":"First 500 Novel Competition"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n
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<\/i>Free entry for Premium Members or \u00a310 entry<\/div>
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The First 500 Novel Competition is now closed<\/h1> <\/div>\r\n
Our writing competitions have launched the careers of some of today’s best loved novelists. Could you be next?<\/div>
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<\/i>Watch the 2025 First 500 replay below<\/div> <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n<\/section>\r\n\n\n\n
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Congratulations to our First 500 winner <\/h2>\r\n
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Thank you everyone for joining for an incredible First 500 final.<\/p>\n

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The entries read were of such high quality and we were so impressed with all of you. It is our great pleasure to congratulate……. Afoma Mbanefo as our winner and her winning entry Chigbo<\/em> (Literary Fiction).<\/p>\n

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We\u2019re so proud of this community and can\u2019t wait to see where your writing takes you next.<\/p>\n

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Announcing our finalists<\/h2>

Massive congratulations to our finalists, as chosen by our literary agent and publisher panel, who read live in our online final on 18 December:<\/p>\n

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Ruth Guntrip-Hook – The Free Pass (Romantic Comedy)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Denny Jace – Hush-A-Bye (Psychological Thriller)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Alana Warbrick – Arcturus Nimble and the Space Pirates (Middle Grade Sci-Fi)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Afoma Mbanefo – Chigbo (Literary Fiction)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hazel Needham – Ex Next Door (Contemporary Romance)<\/strong><\/p>\n

David Foster – In Search of Eva (Literary Fiction)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Annabelle Dodson – Blue Moon (YA Fantasy)<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Julie Holden – Blood and Stone (Gothic Fantasy)<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div> <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n

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Announcing our longlist<\/h2>

Massive congratulations to our longlist, as chosen by the Jericho Writers team, announced in our online final on 18 December:<\/p>\n

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Silent Pursuit – Lua Leggett<\/strong>
\nLost Soul – Katy Chilvers
\nEncroachment – Karie Hinz
\nWhere a Heart Should be – Kayleigh Jones
\nProMEtheUS – Maia Malika
\nThe Misfit – Rose Lores
\nNecropolis Line – Kris Williams
\nAccording to Luke – David Smallwood
\nHunting Shadows – Megan Mayle
\nIf One Woman Told the Truth – Margaret Swinson
\nThe Year of No Frogs – Carolyn Sanderson
\nWalking Backwards Through the Trees – Lucy Thwaite
\nDeath on Rocklay Isle – Amy Cooper
\nThe Delivery – Colin Dowland
\nWhat Was Left After All That – Kathryn Howard
\nTime of Their Lives – Helen Jones<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div> <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n<\/section>\r\n\r\n