Hilary Mantel Prize

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Bath Spa University Graduate Wins Inaugural Hilary Mantel Prize for Fiction

Monday, 13 April, 2026

A Bath Spa University Creative Writing graduate has won the inaugural Hilary Mantel Prize for Fiction. Anna Dempsey wrote her novel, This Is About an Alligator and Nothing Else, as part of her Creative Writing PHD at BSU. Anna came out victorious after 2,300 submissions were put forward for the prize.

The award, named in honour of Booker prize-winning author Hilary Mantel, was created to celebrate and recognise up-and-coming authors in the UK and Ireland who are yet to be published and are without an agent.

The coming-of-age novel, set in Anna’s home state of Florida, explores personal and ecological grief. Anna's young protagonist investigates water contamination in her small town, believing that it is linked to the sudden death of her father.

Anna’s PhD was funded by an Arts and Humanities Research Council studentship. Tracy Brain, Professor of Creative Writing and English Literature at BSU, supervised Anna alongside Dr Lesel Dawson of Bristol University.

Tracy said of Anna’s win:

"Working with Anna, and seeing her beautiful novel grow, was an absolute joy. I am thrilled for her. I am also happy for the future readers who will be able to immerse themselves in the extraordinary fictional world Anna has created and be carried away by her heroine’s unique voice. This is About an Alligator and Nothing Else is an enchanting book. It is a compelling and moving story fuelled by deeply serious concerns."

Anna received a cash prize for winning the award, as well as mentoring from an agent at AM Heath and an editor at John Murray. She has also been awarded a place on an Arvon Foundation residential writing course.

If you would like to discover more about Creative Writing courses at BSU, details can be found on our website.