American poet Sasha Debevec-McKenney's debut collection, Joy Is My Middle Name (W.W. Norton), won the £20,000 (about $27,000) Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize for "the best published literary work in the English language, written by an author aged 39 or under. The Prize celebrates the international world of fiction in all its forms, including poetry, novels, short stories and drama."
Chair of judges Irenosen Okojie said, "Incredible. An exuberant, blistering collection full of life, humor and ideas. Debevec-McKenney is a ferociously gifted talent. The book is remarkable in the way it galvanizes the reader with a sense of intimacy that is authentic and a voice that feels like an antidote to our tricky times."