To highlight the brightest new talent in British literary fiction, The BBC’s The Culture Show formed a panel chaired by professor of English John Mullan to examine the debut novels of writers published in the last two years and to identify the most important new voices in British literary fiction right now. 

Anna Richards, author of Little Gods, was one of the twelve writers chosen and the programme aired on Saturday. If you missed it, it’s available on iPlayer for the next two days and it is well worth a watch. See, also, the Guardian for an article about the judging process. 

Praise for Little Gods:

'An introduction to a huge new talent' Ali Smith

'A wonderfully inventive ode to being different' Financial Times

'A gorgeous, sprawling novel and a rich, colourful tale' Metro

'Outrageously funny and hugely poignant; a joyous splurge of language, and a riot of startling images' Glasgow Herald

'A startlingly original first novel by a remarkable new talent' Independent 

'Size is everything in this magnificent first novel. This is a great, delicious epic that hovers enticingly on the edge of the surreal. Richards is a natural storyteller with a dazzling imagination and effortless comic talent. What rare bliss, at a time when too many novels are depressingly alike, to come across a new voice of such originality and charm.' The Times

'This wonderful book won me over immediately with its beautiful imagery, powerful lyricism and black humour.' Independent on Sunday

'Four hundred and thirty-one pages of glory' New Statesman 

Find out more about Anna Richards.