There are four nominees to for each prize, and the winners will be announced 5th March.

SISS AND UNN, Bråtveit's second novel, was richly praised when it was published in autumn last year. Calling the book "a literary work of art which reinforces her position as one of the most innovative, form conscious writers in Scandinavia", Bergens Tidende also noted that Bråtveit is "an unsnobbish troublemaker who lifts from high and low in popular culture".

I CURSE THE RIVER OF TIME is Per Petterson's long awaited follow-up to the international success novel OUT STEALING HORSES. The book won the most prestigious of the Norwegian book awards, the Brage prize, in 2008. Foreign rights have already been sold to 13 countries.

Sortland's EVERYBODY'S GOT A HUNGRY HEART is a beautiful story on the theme of teenage pregnancy, praised by one reviewer for its "masterful writing".