Shortlisted and Other Things

Why howdy. How are you? I am fine! I was shortlisted for the Queensland Literary Awards. Fantastic and odd and surreal and super fun. I didn’t win. A little old lady won with her book on gardens which was mega cute, so I was okay with it.

This was where I was seated during the ceremony. It was so cool. I still can’t get over being behind the scenes on things like this, or hearing my name read out in a list of nominees, or eating weird things I can’t pronounce (some brown stuff on watermelon, I think). Anyway, it’s all fantastic. I may not have won this year but you can be damn sure my name’ll be called out one day. Mark these words!

Another thing! It’s looking like Snake Island will be coming out next September at this stage, though that’s a soft date that might be shuffled around. Waiting to get some copyedits back, which I love; nothing like seeing your stuff get a whole heap better. I should have these by Christmas so I’ll be able to work on it over the Christmas hols, which is ideal.

Another thing! My event at the Byron Writers Festival – How to Get Boys Reading – with Selina Tusitala Marsh and Tim Rogers, can be streamed here. It was a great chat, and I thought we really got into how to engage young male readers – and whether or not we need to. Have a listen here. Or click the picture!