62 shining literary lights announced for
Queensland Literary Awards Shortlist
Australia’s best, Queensland’s brightest lead the charge
From more than 600 entries – a roll call of 62 of Australia’s best writers – starring Queensland’s brightest shining literary lights, the official Shortlist for the 2012 Queensland Literary Awards was announced today at Avid Reader in West End by Queensland Literary Awards Inc. Chair, Dr Stuart Glover.
The Shortlist of 62 finalists over 14 categories is testament to the strength of the awards.
The Queensland Literary Awards (QLA) 2012 recognise established and emerging writers across 14 original categories. The QLA were established on the 4th April 2012, following Queensland Premier Campbell Newman’s announcement that his Government would no longer be supporting the Queensland Premier’s Literary Awards.
Dr Glover said the standard of entry had been overwhelming with leading names like Peter Carey, Anna Funder, Kate Grenville and Frank Moorhouse, Jane Gleeson-White, William McInnes and Brisbane’s Patrick Holland all short listed in different categories.
“In the Young Adult Book category we have five shortlisted, however we could easily have shortlisted 15 given the calibre of entries, it was remarkable. Similarly, the Short Story category attracted one of the strongest fields in years, this will be hotly contested, again testament to the unwavering appeal of the written word,” he said.
“In the Television Script Award category, all five shortlisted have been critically acclaimed already; while the History Book Award sees the multi-nominated “Seduced By Logic” lead the charge. We are thrilled with the entries, the quality of content and the support from Australia’s writers, this is an exciting time as we get to the pointy end of the awards.”
“These awards recognise the value of literature to the Queensland community. The telling and reading of local and national stories is central to our cultural life and to a healthy democracy. These awards support new Queensland writers, new indigenous writers, and they ensure that Queensland is part of the national conversation about Australian values and the Australian experience.”
“The Queensland Literary Awards have happened this year because businesses, universities, cultural organisations and hundreds of individuals have got behind them. We don’t know what will happen in 2013, but we hope we will continue to receive support from all levels of the community. We would welcome the return of government support, as government is one of many stakeholders in state’s literary life, but regardless, the community has spoken about the importance of writing and literature. Queensland literary life has transformed itself in the 25 years since Expo, but there is still more work to be done.
An additional category this year is the inaugural The Courier-Mail People’s Choice Queensland Book of the Year, enabling the community to engage with the Literary Awards by voting for their favourite book from six selected by QLA judges. The shortlist includes The Ottoman Motel by Christopher Currie,Closer to Stone by Simon Cleary, The Fix by Nick Earls, The Promise of Iceland by Kari Gislason, Riding the Trains in Japan by Patrick Holland, and Worse Things Happen at Sea by William McInnes and Sarah Watt.
Winners of the 2012 Queensland Literary Awards will be announced at a special event on 4 September, 2012. Further information about the awards can be obtained by visiting www.queenslandliteraryawards.com
2012 Queensland Literary Award Shortlist
Unpublished Indigenous Writer – David Unaipon Award
Ellen van Neerven-Currie for Hard
Dorothy Williams-Kemp for My Journey that May Never End
Emerging QLD Author – Manuscript Award
Luke Thomas for Home Mechanics
Catherine Titasey for Island of the Unexpected
Ariella van Luyn for Hidden Objects
Literary or Media Work Advancing Public Debate – Harry Williams Award
George Megalogenis for The Australian Moment: How We Were Made for These Times
Michael Wesley for There Goes the Neighbourhood
Science Book Award
Frank Bowden for Gone Viral
Rob Brooks for Sex, Genes and Rock ‘n’ Roll
Dr Richard Smith for Australia: The Time Traveller’s Guide
History Book Award
James Boyce for 1835: The Founding of Melbourne and the Conquest of Australia
Bill Gammage for Biggest Estate on Earth: How Aborigines Made Australia
Nicole Moore for The Censor’s Library
Fiction
Anna Funder for All That I Am
Kate Grenville for Sarah Thornhill
Alex Miller for Autumn Laing
Frank Moorhouse for Cold Light
Non-fiction
Jane Gleeson-White for Double Entry
Patrick Holland for Riding the Trains in Japan
William McInnes & Sarah Watt for Worse Things Happen at Sea
Alice Pung for Her Father’s Daughter
Australian Short Story collection – Steele Rudd Award
Marion Halligan for Shooting the Fox
John Kinsella for In the Shade of the Shady Tree
Ryan O’Neill for The Weight of a Human Heart
Janette Turner Hospital for Forecast: Turbulence
Judith Wright Calanthe Poetry Award
David McCooey for Outside
Rhyll McMaster for Late Night Shopping
Peter Rose for Crimson Crop
Simon West for The Yellow Gum’s Conversion
Children’s Book Award
Flanagan John for Brotherband: The Outcasts
Libby Gleeson & Freya Blackwood for Look, a Book!
Elizabeth Honey for Ten Blue Wrens
Briony Stewart for Kumiko and the Shadow Catchers
Young Adult Book Award
Neil Grant for The Ink Bridge
Judith Clarke for Three Summers
Margo Lanagan for Sea Hearts
Vikki Wakefield for All I ever wanted
Drama Script (Stage)
Wayne Blair for Bloodland
Patricia Cornelius for Taxi
Rita Kalnejais for Babyteeth
Lally Katz for A Golem Story
Television Script
Brendan Cowell for The Slap (episode 3)
Liz Doran for Dance Academy (season 2, ep 24)
Anthony Mullins for Strange Calls (episode 3)
Sue Smith for Mabo
Film Script
Miro Bilbrough for Being Venice
Shane Armstrong & Shane Krause for Rarer Monsters
Brendan Cowell for Save Your Legs
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