By Francis Von Mann 

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Dec. 19, 2025) – Allegra Solomon has been longlisted for the 2026 PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize for Debut Short Story Collection, one of the most prestigious honors for emerging fiction writers in the United States. 

The award, presented by PEN America, recognizes an exceptionally talented author whose first short story collection demonstrates distinguished literary achievement and strong promise for future work. Solomon was selected as one of ten longlisted authors nationwide for her debut collection, “There’s Nothing Left for You Here” (Four Way Books). 

Solomon earned her Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Kentucky in 2022. Her collection previously won the Kimbilio National Fiction Prize and has been widely praised for its emotional range and narrative precision. 

PEN America announced the longlists for its 2026 Literary Awards this month. The annual awards program confers nearly $350,000 to writers and translators across fiction, poetry, essay and other literary forms. Finalists for the PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize will be announced ahead of the awards ceremony in March 2026. 

“There’s Nothing Left for You Here” appears alongside nine other debut collections on the longlist, selected by a panel of distinguished judges. The prize’s $25,000 award is intended to support the recipient’s continued literary work. 

Solomon’s short stories have been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net, and have appeared in The Georgia Review, TriQuarterly, American Literary Review, New Ohio Review, Lolwe and other journals. 

The PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize was established in memory of Robert W. Bingham, honoring his commitment to young writers, his love of literature and his contributions to literary fiction.