Earlier this week, the shortlist for this year’s Readings Prize for New Australian Fiction was announced.
The Readings Prize, created by the award winning independent book retailer, unsurprisingly (given it’s title) celebrates new works for Australian authors, with the judges considering the first or second books by an author, and shining a light on those they deem to be exciting or exceptional contributions to “local” literature. One of the prize’s aims is to increase the visibility of Australian authors within the wider community.
The judges this year, drawn from Readings staff across their five stores, were Tom Hoskins, State Library Victoria shop manager; Christine Gordon, events manager; Alison Huber, book division manager; Nina Kenwood, marketing manager; and Simon McLean, Hawthorn book buyer. Joining the judging panel to whittle down the shortlist to one will be Readings managing director Mark Rubbo, and award winning author Maxine Beneba Clarke.
The six shortlisted titles for this years prize include both novels and short stories and tell stories of complicated families and relationships, and touch on the multitudes of life – desire and ambition, good and bad, laughter and sadness; all whilst taking in a diverse geography of places, from Australia and beyond.
The winner, announced on the 18th October, will receive prize money of $4000 and be featured in the November edition of Readings Monthly.
The Readings Prize for New Australian Fiction – 2016 Shortlist
Julie Koh – Portable Curiosities
Fiona McFarlane – The High Places
Zoë Morrison – Music and Freedom
Sean Rabin – Wood Green
Rajith Savanadasa – Ruins
Lucy Treloar – Salt Creek
For more information and to read extracts of the shortlisted books visit HERE
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