Yanagihara, Enright among women’s fiction prize finalists

LONDON – Three first-time novelists are among six finalists for the Women’s Prize for Fiction.

The newcomers are American writer Cynthia Bond, for Texas tale “Ruby”; Lisa McInerney for “The Glorious Heresies,” set in post-crash Ireland; and Britain’s Hannah Rothschild for art-world story “The Improbability of Love.”

The other finalists, announced Monday, are American writer Elizabeth McKenzie for “The Portable Veblen”; Ireland’s Anne Enright for family saga “The Green Road” and U.S. author Hanya Yanagihara for friendship tale “A Little Life.” Enright won fiction’s prestigious Booker Prize in 2007, while Yanagihara was among last year’s Booker finalists.

The winner of the 30,000 pound ($43,000) prize will be announced June 8.

The annual award, officially named the Baileys Women’s Prize after its sponsor, is open to female English-language writers from around the world.