This just in from the Associated Press:

LONDON - American writer Patricia Wood and two other first-time novelists are among six finalists for the Orange Prize for fiction by women.

Wood (pictured at left), 54, is nominated for her debut novel "Lottery," the tale of a jackpot winner that was inspired by her own father's $6 million win in the Washington State lottery.

The shortlist includes two other first novels: "The Outcast," by Britain's Sadie Jones; and "Lullabies for Little Criminals," by Canadian writer Heather O'Neill.

The other nominees announced Tuesday are France-based Canadian Nancy Huston for "Fault Lines"; Britain's Charlotte Mendelson for "When We Were Bad"; and British novelist Rose Tremain for "The Road Home."

The $60,000 prize is open to any novel by a woman published in English.

Last year's winner was Nigeria's Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie for "Half of a Yellow Sun." Past winners include Zadie Smith's "On Beauty," Andrea Levy's "Small Island" and Carol Shields' "Larry's Party."

This year's winner will be announced at a ceremony in London on June 4.

You can go on the Net to: http://www.orangeprize.co.uk

Have you read "Lottery"? What did you think? Do you recommend it?

How about the other finalists for the Orange Prize? Do you read any of both?

Have you read previous winners? (I loved Zadie Smith's "On Beauty".) 

What do you think of their writing?

Which writer or work do you think deserves to win this year's Orange Prize?

Do you think Patricia Wood will be like her father and "hit the lottery" with her lottery novel?