Ling Ma's 'Bliss Montage' wins $20,000 Story Prize

NEW YORK (AP) — Ling Ma's “Bliss Montage,” a collection which blends the real and the surreal, has won the Story Prize for best short fiction.

Ma will receive $20,000 for “Bliss Montage,” her first book since her acclaimed debut novel “Severance.”

“Ma melds humor and the surreal beautifully, resulting in a project that is at once absurd and insightful," prize judges said in a statement Wednesday night. "This is an expansive, bold, and delightful book.”

The two other finalists, Andrea Barrett for “Natural History” and Morgan Talty for “Night of the Living Rez,” each will get $5,000.

The Story Prize was established in 2004, and is underwritten by the Chisholm Foundation. Previous winners include Edwidge Danticat, George Saunders and Lauren Groff.