Raven Leilani, a writer from New York, has won this year's PS20,000 Dylan Thomas Prize. The Swansea University Prize is one of the world's most prominent literary prizes for young writers. Luster, the 30-year-debut old's novel, was crowned the winner in a virtual ceremony. It will be published by Penguin on October 13th. The judges said they were "delighted" with the book, which is set in 1980s New Jersey and follows a 12-year-old girl who enters a writing competition run by her father's publisher. Luster received an overall score of 80 out of 100 and was praised for its "originality of vision and achievement". Previous winners include authors such as Alexander McCall Smith, Chang-Rae Lee and Paul Harding. The prize was created in memory of Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, who won it twice before he died at age 29. It was first awarded in 1963 and since then more than 20 people have won it. The judges this year were: Charles Adler, author and screenwriter (Boom!); Margaret Atwood, author of The Handmaid's Tale; Lorin Stein, chef and co-owner of Lupa restaurant in New York City; and Kwame Anthony Appiah, philosopher and professor of law and ethics at New York University. The PS/PS20,000 awards ceremony will take place on Thursday, September 6th.