PEN/DAU Prize Winners

Who We AreWhere We GiveEducationThe Written WordArtsEnviromentPEN/Dau prize winnersAbout the PrizeWho We AreWhere We GiveEducationThe Written WordArtsEnviromentPEN/Dau prize winnersAbout the PrizePEN/Dau Prize Winners

Each year a panel of professional judges appointed by the PEN America Foundation selects 12 emerging writers for the PEN/Robert J. Dau Short Story Prize for Emerging Writers. Nominations for this Award are submitted by the editorial boards of the journals in which the authors published their debut short story. Stories must be published in the year they are considered and may only be nominated by the editors of the journal in which they were originally published. Many of these writers since have published additional stories and several are in the process of publishing their first novels. The Foundation is thrilled to support these authors and encourages you to scroll below to see what they are doing now. If you are interested in purchasing the most recent Best Debut Short Stories click here.

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Something went wrong while submitting the form.YearNameTitlePublishing JournalAdditional InfoYear2024NameAbrugov,JosieTitleDaisy The WhalePublishing JournalThe Sewanee ReviewAdditional InfoYear2024NameBarnett,AnnieTitleWhat Child is This?Publishing JournalNew England ReviewAdditional InfoYear2024NameBaum,JasonTitleRocketPublishing JournalBellevue Literary ReviewAdditional InfoYear2024NameFelix,WinelleTitleReturn to Sender: Big Time TiefPublishing JournalTransition MagazineAdditional InfoYear2024NameGaillard,ZkaraTitleA Good WordPublishing JournalTransition MagazineAdditional InfoYear2024NameMa,LeanneTitleGuilty PartiesPublishing JournalSalamander MagazineAdditional InfoYear2024NameQuinones,NoelTitleThe TrickPublishing JournalBoston ReviewAdditional InfoYear2024NameVan Voorhis,BenjaminTitlePatiencePublishing JournalSalamander MagazineAdditional InfoYear2023NameAlfonseca,DailihanaTitleSpanish Soap Operas Killed My MotherPublishing JournalDriftwood Press Additional InfoYear2023NameArcamone,RenTitleAllenPublishing JournalHEATAdditional InfoYear2023NameFeldman,SoniaTitleOutgrowthPublishing JournalWaxwing MagazineAdditional InfoYear2023NameHolgate,StephenjohnTitleDelroy and the BoysPublishing JournalWest Trade ReviewAdditional InfoYear2023NameHolliday,FaireTitleStanding StillPublishing JournalCincinnati ReviewAdditional InfoYear2023NameLin,MengyinTitleMagic or Something Less AssuringPublishing JournalEpiphany Additional InfoYear2023NameMcKay,VerityTitleFilthPublishing JournalHypertext MagazineAdditional InfoYear2023NameMundy,ClaraTitleSchism in a Soul So TenderPublishing JournalApricity MagazineAdditional InfoYear2023NameSaleska Lange,JoTitleActs of CreationPublishing JournalPeatsmokeAdditional InfoYear2023NameUlaka,AnnabelleTitleMy Grandmother's Feline SoulPublishing JournalWest Trade ReviewAdditional InfoYear2023NameWartenberg,LisaTitleWhat is OursPublishing JournalNimrod International JournalAdditional InfoYear2023NameZhou,PatrickTitleTaiduPublishing JournalCarve MagazineAdditional InfoYear2022NameSalem,EdwardTitleSacrilegePublishing JournalBOMBAdditional InfoYear2022NameBai,CatherineTitleWriting with BloodPublishing JournalFlockAdditional InfoYear2022NameBaschir,RZTitleThe ChickenPublishing JournalThe White ReviewAdditional InfoYear2022NameConnal,ErinTitleThe Black Kite and the WindPublishing JournalVirginia Quarterly ReviewAdditional InfoYear2022NameKane,CKTitleThem BonesPublishing JournalHobartAdditional InfoYear2022NameKirschenbaum,PatchTitleFor Future Reference: Notes on the 7-10 SplitPublishing JournalThe Cincinnatti ReviewAdditional InfoYear2022NameMajeed,Yasmin AdeleTitleA Wedding in Multan, 1978Publishing JournalThe Asian American Literary ReviewAdditional InfoYear2022NameMuees,Oyedotun DamilolaTitleAll We Have Left is OurselvesPublishing JournalReckoningAdditional InfoYear2022NameShannon,EmmaTitleBeat by BeatPublishing JournalBarrelhouse MagazineAdditional InfoYear2022NameShook,CalTitleMan, Man, Et CeteraPublishing JournalThe Virginia Quarterly ReviewAdditional InfoPalisades Parkway SouthYear2022NameVangani,PreetiTitleWork WivesPublishing JournalTypehouse Literary MagazineAdditional InfoYear2022NameWang,SethTitleThe CacophobePublishing JournalPloughsharesAdditional InfoYear2021NameAruffo,HeatherTitleForce, Mass, AccelerationPublishing JournalThe Southern ReviewAdditional InfoYear2021NameFerguson,LindsayTitleGood GirlsPublishing JournalBarrelhouseAdditional InfoYear2021NameGreen,Isaac HughesTitleThe First Time I Said ItPublishing JournalThe Georgia ReviewAdditional InfoFifteensYear2021NameHaejung,AmyTitleMariaPublishing JournalWaxwing Literary JournalAdditional InfoYear2021NameInjam,NishanthTitleThe Math Of LivingPublishing JournalVirginia Quarterly ReviewAdditional InfoYear2021NameMathapelo,MofokenTitleThe Strong-Strong WindsPublishing JournalAddaAdditional InfoOut of the DarknessMiles Moreland Scholarship recipientYear2021NameMbabazi,KhaddafinaTitleTransitPublishing JournalVirginia Quarterly ReviewAdditional InfoYear2021NameMcGee,MackenzieTitleRe: FrankiePublishing JournalPorter House ReviewAdditional InfoYear2021NameMorgan,Alberto ReyesTitleSaltPublishing JournalMichigan Quarterly ReviewAdditional InfoYear2021NameStocker,Stanley PatrickTitleThe ListPublishing JournalKestrelAdditional InfoHow to Break a BoyThe LeveeEmpire of the SeaYear2021NameToor,PardeepTitleTaxiPublishing JournalMidwest ReviewAdditional InfoDinner PartyProfessional Wrestling Was the Language I Shared With My DadIn 1990; Butler, PennsylvaniaYear2021NameZhang,QianzeTitleMandy's Mary SuePublishing JournalSine Theta MagazineAdditional InfoYear2020NameCooney,Ani SisonTitleEvangelina Concepcion"Publishing JournalEpiphanyAdditional Info2022 "One Story" Adina Talve-Goodman FellowshipYear2020NameHaimbe,MboziTitleMadam's SisterPublishing JournalGrantaAdditional InfoShelterYear2020NameHegarty,ValerieTitleCats v. CancerPublishing JournalNew England ReviewAdditional InfoThe Art of ObliterationThe Sharks Were CirclingYear2020NameLawrence,David KellyTitleThe Other ChildPublishing JournalThe Threepenny ReviewAdditional InfoYear2020NameManohar,MohitTitleSummertimePublishing JournalMichigan Quarterly ReviewAdditional InfoYear2020NameMartinez,DamitriTitleBat Outta HellPublishing JournalFoglifter JournalAdditional InfoYear2020NameMoon,SenaTitleDog DreamsPublishing JournalQuarterly WestAdditional InfoFamiliar Strangers2019 Boulevard Short Fiction Award for Emerging WritersYear2020NameRichards,WillaTitleFailure to ThrivePublishing JournalThe Paris ReviewAdditional InfoDebut novel "The Comfort Monsters" Year2020NameSanders,ShannonTitleThe Good, Good MenPublishing JournalPuerto del Sol, Black Voices SeriesAdditional InfoThe Everest SocietyCompanyYear2020NameSurya,Kristen SahaanaTitleGauri KalyanamPublishing JournalThe RumpusAdditional InfoBlueYear2020NameTsumura,KikukoTitleThe Water Tower and the TurtlePublishing JournalGrantaAdditional InfoYear2020NameVegari,Matthew JeffreyTitleDon't Go to StrangersPublishing JournalZyzzyvaAdditional Info"Filling Station"Year2019NameBeyer,TamikoTitleLast Days 1Publishing JournalBlack Warrior ReviewAdditional InfoYear2019NameCurry,SarahTitleThe RickiesPublishing JournalNimrod International JournalAdditional InfoYear2019NameFreudig,LauraTitleMother and ChildPublishing JournalThe SunAdditional InfoYear2019NameHenderson,DougTitleThe Manga ArtistPublishing JournalThe Iowa ReviewAdditional InfoDebut novel "The Cleveland Heights LGBTQ Sci-Fi and Fantasy Role Playing Club"Year2019NameIbegwam,EnyeribeTitleGood HopePublishing JournalAuburn AvenueAdditional Info“Saving Obadiah” “Tomorrow Harbors the Unknown”Winner of the Chautauqua Janus PrizeYear2019NameInfante,JPTitleWithout a Big OnePublishing JournalKweli JournalAdditional InfoYear2019NameJones,JadeTitleToday, You're a Black RevolutionaryPublishing JournalThe RumpusAdditional Info"Class, What Do We Know About the President?"Year2019NameLan,PingmeiTitleCicadas and the Dead ChairmanPublishing JournalEpiphanyAdditional InfoYear2019NameManolakas,MarilynTitleTornado SeasonPublishing JournalAlaska Quarterly ReviewAdditional InfoYear2019NamePeterson,KelseyTitleThe Unsent Letters of Blaise and Jacqueline PascalPublishing JournalConjunctionsAdditional InfoWomen in Blue "Elin with Pliers"Year2019NameSinger,ErinTitleBad Northern WomenPublishing JournalConjunctionsAdditional InfoYear2019NameYoung,A. B. TitleVain BeastsPublishing JournalLady Churchill's Rosebud WristletAdditional InfoYear2018NameAgbo,ElinamTitle1983Publishing JournalThe Baltimore ReviewAdditional Info“The Hen” “Schools of Longing”“Hunger”Year2018NameFriedlander,LaurenTitleBellevonia BeauteePublishing JournalThe RumpusAdditional Info"Tail""Healthier""AREA CANNIBALESS"Year2018NameFries,CristinaTitleNew Years in La CaleraPublishing JournalEpochAdditional Info"Sister, Answer Me" Winner of the 2019 Tin House Summer Workshop ScholarWinner of a 2020 Fulbright Creative Arts Fellowship in Argentina Year2018NameKing,LinTitleAppetitePublishing JournalSliceAdditional InfoYear2018NameMcCutchen,DrewTitleZombie HorrorPublishing JournalThe Baltimore ReviewAdditional InfoYear2018NameMohammed,CelesteTitleSix MonthsPublishing JournalNew England ReviewAdditional InfoDebut Novel-in-Stories "Pleasantview"Santimanitay Lit Mag (No. 3) winner of the 2019 Virginia Woolf Award for Short Fiction"Loosed" Harper Palate winner of 2017 John D Gardner Award for Short FictionYear2018NameMorley,GraysonTitleBrent, Bandit KingPublishing JournalThe Brooklyn ReviewAdditional Info"The Primary Breadstealer""The New Priest""You-You"Year2018NameStreep,MaudTitleThe CraziesPublishing JournalOne StoryAdditional Info"Discriminating People"Year2018NameTerrell,AlexTitleBlack DogPublishing JournalBlack Warrior ReviewAdditional InfoIf More of Us Were SirensYear2018NameTomasula y Garcia,AvaTitleVideoteca Fin Del MundoPublishing JournalBlack Warrior ReviewAdditional InfoYear2018NameTucker,MeganTitleCandidatesPublishing JournalWashington Square ReviewAdditional Info"A Specific Position"Year2018NameWang,ErnieTitleStay Brave, My HerculesPublishing JournalMcSweeney'sAdditional InfoSakuras DayYear2017NameAjayi,AngelaTitleGalinaPublishing JournalFifth Wednesday JournalAdditional InfoOur Beautiful Ukrainian MothersYear2017NameCaron,AmberTitleThe HandlerPublishing JournalSouthwest ReviewAdditional Info"Call up the Waters" in Bennington Review"What the Birds Knew" in Story Magazine"The Stonemason's Wife"Year2017NameChammah,EmilyTitleTell Me, PleasePublishing JournalThe CommonAdditional InfoAmidst The Collection of Dead Animals published in Story Scape JournalMy Sister: How One Sibling's Transition Changed Us Both Year2017NameChow Reeve,LauraTitle1,000-Year-Old GhostsPublishing JournalHyphenAdditional InfoA Packing List for the End of the WorldYear2017NameClare Knights,SamuelTitleThe Manual AlphabetPublishing JournalFenceAdditional InfoYear2017NameCole,JimTitleThe Asphodel MeadowPublishing JournalThe Summerset ReviewAdditional Info"New Rain" "Concrete Man" in Gold Man Review"The Barlow""Traveler-17"Year2017NameKim,Crystal HanaTitleSoleePublishing JournalThe Southern ReviewAdditional InfoDebut novel "If You Leave Me" The Stone House On Sale April 2, 2024Year2017NameMagyarody,KatherineTitleGoldhawkPublishing JournalThe Malahat ReviewAdditional InfoDebut novel "The Changeling of Fenlen Forest"Year2017NameOluseyi,GraceTitleA Modern MarriagePublishing JournalBoston ReviewAdditional InfoYear2017NameSauber,AmyTitleState Facts for the New AgePublishing JournalThe RumpusAdditional Info"Icebreaker""I am the Man with the Horse"Year2017NameServen,RuthTitleA MessagePublishing JournalEpiphanyAdditional InfoYear2017NameShattuck,BenTitleEdwin Chase of NantucketPublishing JournalHarvard ReviewAdditional InfoThree WalksHistory of SoundSix Walks: In the Footsteps of Henry David Thoreau [email protected] do not accept unsolicited grant requests.Website by OPUS