It’s been nearly three days. You’d think I would have managed to post the news before now. But it took me by surprise, and it’s taken a while to come down to earth.
Last Friday, at the announcement of the WA Premier’s Book Awards,* I was awarded this year’s Western Australian Writer’s Fellowship. My fellow shortlistees were Lucy Dougan, Caitlin Maling, Rafeif Ismail and Carl Merrison, and it was a privilege to be in the company of these wonderful writers.
Congratulations to all the WA Premier’s Book Awards winners and shortlisted authors:
Unlike an award given for a published book, a fellowship is not a prize; it’s a contract. It comes with expectations and responsibilities, and I’m so excited about the work ahead. The fellowship will enable me to make substantial progress on the new novel I’m working on, set in Perth and Coolgardie during the 1890s—a story of emigration and racism and extraordinary social change.
My thanks to the WA Government, the State Library of WA and the judging panel for this unparalleled opportunity.
*The event was live-streamed on YouTube (the feed begins at around 6 minutes).
A few photos, courtesy of the State Library of Western Australia…
Susan Midalia, Jo Taylor, Amanda Curtin, Francine Nababan, Jan Nicholls
Holden Sheppard
Meg McKinlay
Kim Scott
looking up/looking down 