Skopje, 16 September 2024 (MIA) — Blazhe Minevski's novel "If Any Feelings Should Develop" (Matica, 2023) based on Macedonian revolutionary Goce Delchev's love life is this year's winner of the Macedonian Writers Association's award for best fiction. The MWA also announced Monday its annual awards for best poetry collection, best book of essays and best children's book.

According to MWA president Zhivko Grozdanoski speaking at a press conference Monday, Minevski's novel beat 13 other works submitted for the Stale Popov Best Fiction prize. It had made the shortlist together with "Oblivion" by Tomislav Osmanli (ViG Zenica, 2023) and "Female Aliens" by Vlada Uroshevikj (Ili-ili, 2023).

Gordana Jovikj Stojkoska, who chaired the panel of judges deciding the award, said the fictionalized story of Goce Delchev and his beloved Janka Kancheva's relationship was both "Macedonian fiction" and "universal fiction." The other two judges for the Stale Popov Best Fiction prize were Olivera Kjorveziroska and Stefan Markoski.

Seven works were submitted for the Aco Shopov Best Poetry Book award. This year's winner is "The Lives of Horses" by Zoran Anchevski (Ars lamina, 2023). The award was decided by a panel of judges consisting of Elena Prendzhova, Snezhana Stojcheska and Zoran Jakimovski.

"The Land of Forgotten Tales" by Biljana Crvenkovska (Chudna shuma, 2023), illustrated by Oliver Kolareski, won MWA's Vancho Nikoleski Best Children's Book award. The panel of judges for this award was made up of Suzana Miceva, Naum Popeski and Stevo Simeski.

The MWA decided that the Dimitar Mitrev Critical Essay Collection prize should go to "Birds in an Aquarium" (Polica, 2023) by Lidija Kapushevska Drakulevska and Vlada Uroshevikj. The judges for the prize were Ivan Dodovski, Sonja Stojmenska Elzeser, and Elizabeta Pandilovska.

The Bridge Award for best book published in one of the languages ​​of the ethnic communities will not be awarded this year because only two books had been submitted to the contest, Grozdanoski said.

The awards ceremony will be held at the MWA on Wednesday evening. mr/