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The Center for Fiction has unveiled the annual shortlist for the Flaherty-Dunnan First Novel Prize, a prize that carries $10,000 for a debut novel. Seven first-time novelists made the list. Judges this year include last year’s winner Margaret Wrinkle, as well as David Gilbert, Tayari Jones and Sigrid Nunez.

All of the short-listed authors will give a reading at the Center for Fiction on December 8th. The winner will be announced the next night at The Center for Fiction’s Annual Benefit and Awards Dinner in New York. Wrinkle will present the award. All of the runners up will receive a $1,000 prize.

Explore the shortlist after the jump. (more…)

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Tayari Jones novel Silver Sparrow has made it the semifinals round of Goodreads Choice Awards for Best fiction as a write in. If you loved Silver Sparrow and you haven't done so already head over to Goodreads to vote for it and please spread the word. If you are not a goodreads member it takes five seconds to join. Voting for the Semifinal round ends on November 20th.

Last Wednesday, I went to reading and book signing by Tayari Jones, author of Silver Sparrow. I have been a fan ever since I read her first novel, Leaving Atlanta.

I love going to author readings, because I like to see how the author inflects the words and it gives me an idea of how the writer envisions her own work. Plus, there’s usually a discussion afterward, which for me is always interesting.

This novel deals with two teen girls whose father is a bigamist. However, his two “wives” live different lives. One wife is a secret while the other wife is totally oblivious to her husband’s “other” life. You can just imagine the effect it has on the two daughters, only 4 months apart in age.

What I found most interesting is that the author says since her book tour started, she has been approached by women who are “silver sparrows” — secret daughters living with the shame and pain of being the “outside” child. And it happened again at the Atlanta reading I attended. A woman told her story and praised the author for writing the book, which gave her a better understanding and a type of release — enough to start the process of forgiving her father and writing him a letter.

Most writers I think write a story that needs to be told, whether from the perspective of seeking personal answers or universal truths. But sometimes the lasting effect comes through to the readers, who sees themselves, their emotions, and their experiences on the page.

In a way, the stories we write can reach deeper than we’ll ever know. I know I’ve felt that way with some of the novels that I’ve read — and I’m deeply grateful to the author for putting it down in words.

This is why I think writing is such a gift. Not only to the writer but to the reader as well.

Full Name - Tayari Jones
Date of Birth - 1970
Location - Jersey City, NJ
Website/Blog - Tayari Jones
Genre -Fiction
Most recently published work - Silver Sparrow
How frequently to you update your site? - 3 times a week
Is your site designed for interaction? -Yes

Can you tell us a little about Silver Sparrow?

Silver Sparrow is the story of two sisters- Dana and Chaurisse. Dana has known all her life that their father is a bigamist and that her existence is his biggest secret. Chaurisse, on the other hand, is under the impression that she lives a normal life. I just had to tell the story from the point of view of both the sisters because both are victims and both are heroes. It's a coming of age story, a study of personal history and mythology, and it's an exploration of the family, love, and betrayal.

I love your opening paragraph. It's lyrical, telling and one of the best of the year. How many drafts did you go through before you got it just right?

I really can't say. I worked on this novel for five years-- it went through so many drafts and even so many titles. I don't keep count. If I had to guess, I would estimate about twenty times. But I love to write. Each new draft was an adventure. I am happiest when I am working on a story. I always want it to go on forever.

That first line, My father, James Witherspoon, is a bigamist. I remember that for a long time, it was on page two or three. At some point, decided to stop being coy and just come out with it, right on the first line.

Much of the stories beauty and strength lies in your three dimensional characters and their relationships. Which character came to you first, James Witherspoon or his wives and daughters? And how does Raleigh fit into this two family dynamic?

When I write a novel, I imagne a world. The characters don't really show up one by one. Instead, they tend to come to me as sort of ghostly figures and their features become more clearly as a write-- like a polaroid developing.

I firmly belive that James could not keep such a complicated web of secrets straight without a lot of help; I knew he had to have an enabler and this was Raliegh. Then, I had to ask myself why would one man dedicate his entire life to assisting another man in a lie. The answer, of course is love.

That's pretty much the motivation for all the characters. They do what they do because of love, love of their kids, love of each other.

Laverne, the first wife, is a hairdresser. One night she gets an infamous female client. I loved this surprise, the true tragedy weaved into the story line perfectly. When did you decide to incorporate it into your novel?

I won't go into too much detail because I don't want to be a spoiler. But this woman has been a symbol of black female rage, for as long as I could remember. I did a little research and found out tha tit was more than just a humorous annecdote. And even before I decided to make her into a character, she was sort of swimming under the boat for the whole story. Whenever men behave badly, people allude to her. I wanted to imagine her as a real flesh and blood woman, and you can't get much realer than when you're getting your hair done.

The publishing industry has changed a lot since your first novel was published in 2003. It's even harder for authors to make a semi living. One