Skopje, 19 February 2024 (MIA) — Nineteen novels published in 2023 out of the 36 entries submitted to the competition for the 25th Novel of the Year have made the longlist for the award, according to contest organizers Slavko Janevski Foundation.

 

This year's panel of five judges consists of Vlada Uroshevikj, chair; Branko Cvetkoski; Marija Gjorgjieva; Sasho Ognjanovski; and Katerina Bogoeva. They will choose the winning novel and announce the award recipient by March 15 at the latest, organizers said in a press release.

 

The judges have longlisted the following 19 titles:

 

1. "I Won't Tell" by Petar Andonovski, Polica

 

2. "Peeping Toms" by Daniela Andonovska Trajkovska, Mi-An

 

3. "Mine" by Igor Angjelkov, Ili Ili

 

4. "Unique Citizen Identification Number" by Lidija Dimkovska, Tri

 

5. "Autumn in the Life of the Marxism Professor" by Mojo Killington, Ars Libris

 

6. "Happy People Don't Celebrate Birthdays" by Sasho Kokalanov, Ili Ili

 

7. "Ilina and the Forest Trolls" by Hana Korneti, Ili ili

 

8. "Geni, meni, seni (The Origin of Grandmothers)" by Vladimir Lukash, Suprema

 

9. "If Any Feelings Should Develop: A Collection about Goce and Janka's Love" by Blazhe Mineski, Matica makedonska

 

10. "The Last Thought in the Universe. Apocalypse" by Valentin Neshovski, Antolog

 

11. "Oblivion" by Tomislav Osmanli, ViG Zenica

 

12. "I Can Still Do Something" by Frosina Parmakovska, Ili ili

 

13. "Coming Out of the Shadows: the Secret School for Girls" by Dijana Petrova, Antolog

 

14. "Rising Above" by Igor Raiden, Templum

 

15. "The Green Castle" by Sibo, Ars Libris

 

16. "The Polyglot" by Igor Stanojoski, Muza

 

17. "Bella Alone", Violeta Tancheva Zlateva, Tri

 

18. "Strangers and Brethren" by Ivica Chelikovikj, Publisher

 

19. "Succubus" by Katerina Shoshko, Antolog

 

Komercijalna Banka and the Ministry of Culture are sponsoring the award, which consists of a statuette, a plaque, and Mden 150,000.

 

Between 1999 and 2017, the Novel of the Year award was given by Utrinski vesnik. After the newspaper’s demise, Slavko Janevski Foundation took over the book contest. mr/