Shirley Hazzard and Edward P. Jones , both of whom needed more than a decade to complete their current novels , are among this year 's nominees .
Shirley Hazzard and Edward P. Jones , both of whom needed more than a decade to complete their current novels , were also among the fiction finalists announced Wednesday .
Last week , his lawyers asked Warner to grant clemency under certain conditions that would have lead to a new sentencing hearing .