In August I wrote a progress report on Finlay Lloyd's 20/40 Publishing Prize, a prize in which I have special interest because I love novella-length writing and the publisher behind this prize, Finlay Lloyd. So just a quick recap on the prize: 20/40 is a manuscript award, with the prize being publication. It is not … Continue reading Finlay Lloyd 20/40 Publishing Prize 2025: Winners announced
Paul Laurence Dunbar, The scapegoat (#Review)
Paul Laurence Dunbar's short story "The scapegoat" is the fourth in the anthology Great short stories by African-American writers, which my American friend Carolyn sent me. Compared with the previous author, Gertrude H. Dorsey Browne, Dunbar is much better known. Paul Laurence Dunbar Paul Dunbar c. 1890, from The African-American Experience in Ohio, 1850-1920, Public … Continue reading Paul Laurence Dunbar, The scapegoat (#Review)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Australian writers and AI
Today I saw an Instagram post promoting the latest interview on Irma Gold and Karen Viggers' podcast, Secrets From the Green Room. The interview was with Emily Maguire, and the promo shared this: Other people of my age who've been working at something for as long as I've been working at writing - they have … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Australian writers and AI
Six degrees of separation, FROM I want everything TO …
We are now in spring, not my favourite season of the year, but it's also Daylight Savings Weekend here in Australia, which is a favourite time for me. I love longer evenings and mornings being not so quickly light! I'm not sure why I frequently start these posts with the weather, but perhaps it's because … Continue reading Six degrees of separation, FROM I want everything TO …
Louise Erdrich, The night watchman (#BookReview)
Louise Erdrich's Pulitzer Prizewinning The night watchman is historical fiction about a community fighting back against a government set on "terminating them". Erdrich, whom I have reviewed before, is an enrolled citizen of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians of North Dakota and it is the story of this community's response to something called the … Continue reading Louise Erdrich, The night watchman (#BookReview)
Prime Minister’s Literary Awards 2025, Winners
In lieu of my usual Monday Musings post, I am reporting on the 2025 Prime Minister's Literary Awards which were announced this evening, and which I attended via the live-stream from the Creative Australia website. I shared the short list several weeks ago, so I won't repeat those here. The awards ceremony was a long … Continue reading Prime Minister’s Literary Awards 2025, Winners
Monday musings on Australian literature: Creative Australia Awards in Literature
Creative Australia is the - how shall we say it - rebranded Australia Council for the Arts / Australia Council. Under whatever name it has, this is the body that serves as the major arts funding and advisory body for the Australian Government. You can read its history on Wikipedia if you are interested. The Australia Council … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Creative Australia Awards in Literature
The Story of the Oars
Back in 2018, I wrote a post on local author Nigel Featherstone's first theatrical work, an art-song piece titled The Weight of Light. Seven years later, his second work of theatre, The Story of the Oars, has just finished its short season at The Street Theatre. Having just got back from Japan on Friday afternoon, … Continue reading The Story of the Oars
Monday musings on Australian literature: Trove treasures (14), Louise Mack, the “colonial”
(Courtesy OCAL, via clker.com) Early in 2023, I created a Monday Musings subseries called Trove Treasures, in which I share stories or comments, serious or funny, that I come across during my Trove travels. Having posted on her two sisters the last two Mondays, I thought it might be fun to round off the series with … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Trove treasures (14), Louise Mack, the “colonial”
2025 Mark and Evette Moran Nib Literary Award shortlist
This is a quick post because I'm on the road in Japan, but I do like the Mark and Evette Moran Nib Literary Awards, and their shortlist has just been announced, so here is a quick post. Just to recap if you don't recollect my previous posts on this award, it is not limited by … Continue reading 2025 Mark and Evette Moran Nib Literary Award shortlist
