SMOKE & SILK by Fiona Keating has been shortlisted for the 2026 Polari Frist Book Prize.

The Polari Prize is the UK and Ireland’s only dedicated LGBTQ+ book prize, founded by author and activist, Paul Burston.

The Polari First Book Prize was founded in 2011 and is awarded annually to a debut book that explores the LGBTQ+ experience, and has previously been won by writers including Kirsty Logan, Amrou Al-Kadhi, Diriye Osman, Mohsin Zaidi, Adam Zmith and Nicola Dinan. The Polari First Book Prize 2026 is sponsored by Hastings Crime Writing Festival.

The awards have been covered in a wide range of publications including Metro, the Bookseller, Book Brunch, the Guardian, the i, Irish Independent, Press Association, Gay Times, Winq, BBC Radio 4, The London Magazine, Wasafiri and elsewhere.

Judges for the Polari First Book Prize 2026 are: poet Alice Denny, poet and ‘Bard of Exeter’ Casey Garfield, literary agent David H Headley, and writer Rachel Holmes.

Rachel Holmes said, “This year’s long list is an intriguingly eclectic and nuanced crop. I particularly love the broad sweep across all genres. It’s bracing, exciting and confident.”