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The Zora Awards have announced their 2025 finalists

The prize, named for celebrated author Zora Neale Hurston, honors Black writers across genres like fiction, nonfiction and poetry

The awards will be announced on Oct. 17 in Washington, D.C.

The finalists for the 2025 Zora Awards are here.

PEOPLE can exclusively announce the finalists for the celebrated literary award. Presented by the Zora Neale Hurston/Richard Wright Foundation, the Zoras celebrate Black writers across various genres.

The general fiction finalists include Myriam J.A. Chancy for Village Weavers , Yvonne Battle-Felton for Curdle Creek and Percival Everett for James . Debut fiction finalists include Sarai Johnson for Grown Women , Essie Chambers for Swift River and Afabwaje Kurian

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