American poet wins Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize
Sasha Debevec-McKenney has been announced as the winner of the world’s largest and most prestigious literary prize for young writers
American poet Sasha Debevec-McKenney has been announced as the winner of the world’s largest and most prestigious literary prize for young writers – the Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize – for her debut collection Joy Is My Middle Name.
Chosen in a unanimous decision by this year’s judging panel, Joy Is My Middle Name documents the journey of crawling through your twenties and emerging into your thirties, navigating sex, race, womanhood, addiction, sobriety, consumerism and pop culture.
The judging panel praised Sasha, 35, for her 'energising, exuberant and robust collection'
Irenosen Okojie, Chair of Judges, said on behalf of the panel: “Incredible. An exuberant, blistering collection full of life, humour and ideas. Debevec-McKenney is a ferociously gifted talent. The book is remarkable in the way it galvanises the reader with a sense of intimacy that is authentic and a voice that feels like an antidote to our tricky times.”
Sasha Debevec-McKenney was awarded the £20,000 prize, which celebrates exceptional literary talent aged 39 or under, at a ceremony held in Swansea University’s Great Hall.
Reflecting on her win, Sasha Debevec-McKenney said: “I really love writing poems, it makes life worth living. Every emotion I’ve ever had, there’s a poem for it. To get this prize feels completely unbelievable. I’m really honoured.”
The prize is named after the Swansea-born writer Dylan Thomas and celebrates his 39 years of creativity and productivity.