Announcing the 2025 J.F. Powers Prize for Fiction Finalists

We are pleased to announce the following short list of finalists for the 2025 J.F. Powers Prize in Fiction, chosen from over five hundred submissions. We are grateful to all of the writers who submitted to the prize this year and who are working to keep the art of fiction alive and thriving.

2025 J.F. Powers Prize Shortlist

Finalists listed in alphabetical order by author:

Nicole Coome, “Home Videos”
Esther Dalton, “The Romantic Comedy”
Kathleen Gerard, “Snow on Easter”
Olakunle Ologunro, “Miracle Worker”
Paul J. Pastor, “Minus World”
Mohammad Saleh Sahragard, “Middle East Cowboy”
Michelle Stephens, “Our Lady of the Horses”
Adriana Watkins, “Indefinite Suspension”

* in the initial announcement, we mistakenly switched the authors and story titles of “Miracle Worker” and “Middle East Cowboy”. That error has now been fixed.

Congratulations to all our finalists. Winners will be announced soon. You can learn more about the prize and past winners here.