2023 William C. Morris Finalist – WAKE THE BONES

We’re thrilled to share that WAKE THE BONES by Elizabeth Kilcoyne is a finalist for the 2023 William C. Morris Debut Award!

WAKE THE BONES by Elizabeth Kilcoyne
A dark horror fantasy about Laurel Early, a young woman who drops out of her first year of college to return to the rural Kentucky farm she grew up on, raised by her uncle after her mother’s death when she was a baby. There is something haunting and monstrous in the land, looking for Laurel, who has her own magic connection. She and her friends must contend with their own complicated relationship with their home, and whether the darkness will overtake them or not.

Click know more to see the full list of finalists.

The William C. Morris YA Debut Award, first given in 2009, honors a book published by a first-time author writing for teens and celebrating impressive new voices in young adult literature. The winner is announced annually at the ALA Youth Media Awards, with a shortlist of up to five titles named the first week of December. The award’s namesake is William C. Morris, an influential innovator in the publishing world and an advocate for marketing books for children and young adults. Bill Morris left an impressive mark on the field of children’s and young adult literature. He was beloved in the publishing field and the library profession for his generosity and marvelous enthusiasm for promoting literature for children and teens.