Giller long list includes Coupland, Urquhart

The long list for one of Canada's richest literary awards, the Scotiabank Giller Prize, features some well-known writers and several emerging authors.

"This is a vibrant and exciting list. We came very harmoniously to our final decision, which, in the ranging of its featured books [includes] astonishing debuts and brilliant new work by already well-known, major Canadian writers," said the three-member judging panel in a statement on Monday.

The jury, which included CBC host Michael Enright, American writer Claire Messud and British author Ali Smith, trolled through 98 books and selected 13 titles.

Those in the running for the $50,000 prize are:

• David Bergen for The Matter With Morris.
• Douglas Coupland for Player One.
• Michael Helm for Cities of Refuge.
• Alexander MacLeod for his short story collection Light Lifting.
• Avner Mandelman for The Debba.
• Tom Rachman for The Imperfectionists.
• Sarah Selecky for her short story collection This Cake Is For The Party.
• Johanna Skibsrud for The Sentimentalists.
• Cordelia Strube for Lemon.
• Joan Thomas for Curiosity.
• Jane Urquhart for Sanctuary Line.
• Dianne Warren for Cool Water.
• Kathleen Winter for Annabel.

Bergen captured the prize in 2005 for The Time in Between.

A short list will be announced on Oct. 5 and the winner crowned on Nov. 9 at a gala in Toronto.

Last year's victor was CBC reporter Linden MacIntyre of The Fifth Estate, who captured the prize for his book The Bishop's Man.