Allen & Unwin New Zealand is delighted to announce that the winner of our inaugural Commercial Fiction Prize is Auckland writer and book reviewer, Josie Shapiro. Her entry, Mickey Bloom, is a wonderful, contemporary novel with a completely engaging protagonist and Josie is an exciting new voice in commercial fiction, who stood out even in a strong field of entries.
Mickey Bloom will be published next year. Along with being awarded a publishing contract, Josie receives an advance against royalties of $NZ10,000.
Josie Shapiro says, “Winning this prize with my debut novel is incredibly exhilarating – there’s very little as exciting for an unpublished author than hearing that someone likes your work and wants to publish it! Winning this prize is life-changing for me, and I will forever be grateful that Allen & Unwin have taken this chance with my novel Mickey Bloom and will take her out into the world.”
The prize was launched last year to encourage commercial fiction writing in New Zealand and we received over 100 manuscripts. The prize is open to all unpublished full-length manuscripts in the commercial fiction genre between 70,000 and 100,000 words in length, written by citizens and residents of New Zealand. Both debut and already-published authors are eligible to enter.
The Allen & Unwin Commercial Fiction Writing Prize 2023 will be open for entries from 1 October 2022. Go to www.allenandunwin.co.nz for details.
Entries are open from Saturday 1 October 2022 and close on Friday 31 March 2023. 
For regular updates and details on how to enter, go to www.allenandunwin.co.nz/being-a-writer/allenandunwin-commercial-fiction-prize-2023 and follow A&U Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
Judges notes on Mickey Bloom by Josie Shapiro:
‘This is a perfectly pitched novel, a beautifully written page-turner that works on every level. I was completely drawn into Mickey’s world; she’s a fully formed character who feels real. You’re with her every step of the way, through her struggles, her grief, her pain, and out the other side. What a joy to read such a visceral novel that gives so much and stays with you long after you’ve finished reading.’ – JENNY HELLEN, PUBLISHING DIRECTOR
‘Determined, vulnerable, and resolute, Mickey Bloom is the protagonist of a novel that is both heart-rending and hopeful. Vivid, poignant and warm, with assured writing and a tightly structured plot. An impressive debut from a strong field of entries.’ – MICHELLE HURLEY, PUBLISHER
‘Mickey Bloom moved me to tears and had me cheering inside for this prickly, relatable heroine. An added treat was seeing my own city through her eyes.’ – LEANNE MCGREGOR, MANAGING EDITOR
‘Mickey Bloom had me rooting for Mickey from line one. It’s a moving and beautifully written novel. I loved the familiarity of the setting – it felt like a love letter to Auckland, a love letter to running and it’s a fascinating portrait of a complicated character.’ – LEONIE FREEMAN, SENIOR EDITOR
‘Everything a good novel should be (and more). It’s entertaining, accessible, meaningful, humorous. It’s been a long time since I read a book that gets to the core of things like this one does.’ – KATHY CALLESEN, EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
About Allen & Unwin
Allen & Unwin New Zealand was named Publisher of the Year 2020, 2018 and 2016. Allen & Unwin publish a huge range of bestselling local and international fiction authors including Jodi Picoult, Michael Connelly, Ben Sanders, Charity Norman, Rose Carlyle and Jacqueline Bublitz. While we are based in New Zealand, we are international in our thinking, with offices in Auckland, Sydney, Melbourne and London, a global network of connected partners, and a local list that is unrivalled in scope and quality.
About Josie Shapiro
Josie Shapiro has a Masters in Creative Writing from the University of Auckland, where she was awarded a Wallace Arts Scholarship for her work. Her writing has appeared in journals and anthologies, and she writes book reviews for The New Zealand Listener, The Academy of New Zealand Literature and Kete.co.nz. She lives with her husband and two daughters in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland.
