Australian Women Writers 2013 Challenge completed – and Miles Franklin Award Winner 2013

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As regular readers here know by now, last year I broke my non-challenge rule to take part in the Australian Women Writer's Challenge. It was so satisfying, I decided to do it again this year. After all, it's really the challenge I'd do when I'm not doing a challenge. Like last year, I signed up … Continue reading Australian Women Writers 2013 Challenge completed – and Miles Franklin Award Winner 2013

Monday musings on Australian literature: Prime Minister’s Literary Awards 2013 shortlist

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We have been waiting, waiting, waiting for the announcement of the shortlist for the Prime Minister's Literary Awards. The sudden resignation of the Minister for the Arts a couple of months ago seems to have caused a delay in this announcement, which was expected in May. It's one of my favourite awards on the Australian … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Prime Minister’s Literary Awards 2013 shortlist

What is literary fiction? A personal manifesto!

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I was pottering around the Internet last night, as you do, and found myself on a State Library of Victoria page titled Novels: Finding Literary Reviews and Criticism - and there I saw this definition of Literary Novel: Literary fiction focuses on the subjects of the narrative to create introspective, in-depth studies of complex characters. … Continue reading What is literary fiction? A personal manifesto!

Monday musings on Australian literature: Specialist presses

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I've written Monday musings before about publishers, including posts on small presses and university presses. Today I'm bringing you another - about publishers which specialise in a certain "type" of literature. As with my other posts of this type, this won't be comprehensive, but will comprise a selection whose specialties interest me! Here they are … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Specialist presses

Anna Krien, Night games: Sex, power and sport (Review)

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Towards the end of her most recent non-fiction work, Night games, Anna Krien writes: I wish I'd chosen to follow an 'easier' rape trial. She's concerned that what she's written, what she's finding, won't "sit well with feminists or footballers". She might be right, but that would be a shame, because what she's produced is … Continue reading Anna Krien, Night games: Sex, power and sport (Review)

Monday musings on Australian literature: Thoughts on Australian e-publishing

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I wasn't sure whether to call this "an Australian's thoughts on e-publishing" or "thoughts on e-publishing in Australia" or the title I ended up choosing. There are subtle differences but almost too subtle for me to tease out here, so I decided to use the shortest title. I was inspired to write this post by … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Thoughts on Australian e-publishing

Irma Gold and Craig Phillips, Megumi and the bear (Review)

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Now here's something different at the Gums! I don't, as you'd know, make a practice of reviewing children's literature, though I have done a few cross-over adult-young adult novels. So, when Irma Gold and Craig Phillips' children's picture book, Megumi and the bear, landed in my letterbox a week or so ago I was challenged. … Continue reading Irma Gold and Craig Phillips, Megumi and the bear (Review)