Every month we take a moment to congratulate Writers SA members on their writing successes, from new book releases, to prizes, fellowships, awards, publication credits and more.
If you’re a Writers SA member who has celebrated a writing achievement recently, fill out this form to be included in our next feature.
August
Bernadette Eden was awarded a win in her ‘Romantic Elements’ category for RWA’s 2024 Romantic Book of the Year Awards. Find out more.
Diana Hutchinson held a successful book launch at Campbelltown Library for her Practical Guide series, including A Practical Guide for Grief & Loss: How to find your pathway to peace and purpose. Click here.
Portia Stanton-Noble will release the fourth and final book in her mystery romance series, Dead Goes The Neighbourhood, on September 13 by Austin MaCauley Publishers. Find out more.
July
Rebecca Douglas has been selected as one of the mentees in the KYD Mentors Program 2024. She will be mentored by the bestselling crime author, Anna Snoekstra. Find out more.
Royce Kurmelovs‘ newest non-fiction title, Slick, is available to pre-order here.
Juliet Paine‘s upcoming YA fantasy book, The Tempus Imperium, is available to pre-order here.
Lynette J McGrath‘s has just launched a long-awaited poetry collection, Farm, Fun and Philosophy.
June
Michelle Prak‘s debut thriller, THE RUSH, has been longlisted for Sisters in Crime Australia’s annual Davitt Awards. Read on.
Jill Jackson has been commended for her story It Only Takes One by Short Stories Unlimited open theme competition. Story will be published in August anthology. Find out more.
Rebecca Burton is the winning recipient of the Deep Creek residency fellowship for 2024 for her work in progress, Winter in Cairo. Find out more.
Lana Guineay’s short story ‘Pomegranate’ was published in Venus Hour literary journal.
Karen J Carlisle is a guest author at the upcoming Nullus Anxietas 9 – Australian Discworld convention to be held in Adelaide in mid-July. Find out more.
Royce Kurmelovs‘ new book Slick (UQP) is now available for pre-order. Find out more here.
Jess Cahill has a flash fiction piece called Tech Support set to be published in the next Queensland Writers Centre magazine.
Kylie Tull has co-authored five books with Dr Lara Cain Gray as part of the Library for All organisation’s program, view here.
May
Karen Davenport, Rebecca Freeborn, Silke Sitzler and Rebecca Burton were shortlisted for the Deep Creek residency fellowship for 2024. Find out more.
Paris Rosemont’s poetry collection Banana Girl (WestWords, 2023) has been shortlisted for the Association for the Study of Australian Literature’s 2024 Mary Gilmore Award for a first volume of poetry. Find out more.
Ali Cobby Eckermann has won both Book of the Year and the Indigenous Writers’ Prize at the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards for She is the Earth (Magabala Books). Read on
James Myhill’s short story was a winner in the Writing Friday Competition from Queensland Writers, and will be published in the upcoming June volume of Writing Queensland.
Mary Shaver’s 8 word story was a winner in the Writing Friday Competition from Queensland Writers, and will be published in the upcoming June volume of Writing Queensland.
Megan Dyson’s book 5 for Life: Healthy ways for Healthy Weight, won Silver in the Nautilus Awards. Find out more.
Gabriella Kelly-Davies recently launched a podcast Biographers in Conversation, about the multiplicity of choices biographers make while crafting biographies. In each episode, she explores elements of narrative strategy such as structure, use of fiction techniques, facts and truth. Find out more and listen.
Jodie Benveniste’s debut novel, Never, Not Ever, a YA contemporary romance with huge heart is available for pre-order. You’re also invited to the book launch to celebrate family, finding ourselves, and falling in love with the boy next door.
Kathryn Reese has poems shortlisted for this year’s Heroines Women’s Writing Prize & Anthology. Find out more.
Rosemary Cadden is on a tour of regional SA for her book McDouall Stuart Hitches a Ride. She says: “On the indie publishing path, I decided to organise a regional author tour of talks. I am midway and having a ball. It was always about reliving the first section of the road trip that led to ‘McDouall Stuart hitches a ride’, connecting with people and continuing the learning curve. Three ticks.” Find out more.
J V Birch’s poem ‘What midnight said’ has been shortlisted to appear in The Heroines Anthology, Volume 5, a collection that reimagines women in fairy tale, folklore, myth or legend to share their lost histories and untold stories. Read on.
April
She is the Earth by Ali Cobby Eckermann (Magabala Books) was shortlisted for the Indigenous Writers’ Prize as part of the 2024 NSW Premier’s Literary Awards. Read more.
Selfie by Allayne L Webster (Text Publishing) was shortlisted for the Ethel Turner Prize for Young People’s Literature as part of the 2024 NSW Premier’s Literary Awards. Read more.
Heather Taylor-Johnson has just signed a contract for her third novel, Little Bit, out this August with Wakefield Press. Heather says: “Technically classed as auto-fiction, it’s a memoir about writing the novel of my mother’s neglectful upbringing, the novel told from my mother’s and grandmother’s altering views embedded in the telling.”
March
Sharon Kernot published Birdy (Text), described as “an exquisite young adult verse novel that delves into the pain of loss and trauma and the healing balm of friendship, from the highly acclaimed author of The Art of Taxidermy.” Read on.
Alysha Herrmann has contributed a chapter on regional arts practice (with Anthony Peluso) for the second edition of The Relationship is the Project (UNSW Publications), a book of provocations, tools and practical tips for those who are currently working or are interested in working with communities. Pre-order here.
Lana Guineay has been shortlisted for Queensland Writers’ Adaptable program, and will be pitching her book Dark Wave to film and TV producers in Brisbane. Find out more.
Finegan Kruckemeyer‘s first novel The End and Everything Before It is being published by Text. It’s the story of a coastal town as witnessed over two centuries, and the ebb and flow of those who come to inhabit it – brave fisherwomen who carry omens, chastened prisoners who forge small empires, orphans who look back, daughters who can see for miles. Find out more here.
February
Rina Auciello will launch her new book, Arrivederci and Hello: A Journey of Farewells and Greetings, in March. This community event is a lovely chance to meet other like-minded individuals while capturing a moment of history and meaningful challenges through story. Campbelltown Public Library, Sunday, 10th March 2024, 2:00 to 4:00 pm, RSVP to [email protected] or via the Facebook event.
Dr Marina Deller has been shortlisted for the 2024 Kat Muscat Fellowship. View more here. Marina has also been announced as The Mill’s 2024 Writer in Residence. The Writer in Residence program, in partnership with Citymag, supports emerging writers from a variety of disciplines. The program creates a broader audience for writing through leadership, mentorship and publication.
Ali Cobby Eckermann‘s She is the Earth has been long listed for the 2024 Stella Prize. Find out more.
John Goopy published his historical novel The Battle for Brisbane, available for purchase here.
Helen Edwards’ debut middle-grade novel The Rebels of Mount Buffalo was recently longlisted in the Diverse Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand Children’s Book Awards (DANZ). This award recognises diversity in all forms in children’s books and is judged by young readers. Read on.
Karen Holloway was longlisted for the 2024 Hawkeye Publishing Manuscript Development Prize for her debut novel Somewhere in the Middle There’s Me (under pen name Lena Jensen).
Larissa Ferenchuk‘s debut picture book was published on 1st February 2024. It is called Two Rabbits, and was published by EK Books. The illustrator of the book is Prue Pittock. Find out more here.
January
Grace Fatchen was shortlisted for Overland’s 2023 Neilma Sidney Short Story Prize for ‘Mandarin Skins’, a sketch of solo travel and the South Australian desert – bringing together aspects of memory, anxiety, and the loneliness of indescribable beauty. Read more.
Karen Wyld will be in conversation with Ali Cobby Eckermann, Brad Darkson, and Dominic Guerrera to discuss her forthcoming anthology as co-editor, The Rocks Remain (Wakefield Press), at Adelaide Writers’ Week. Find out more.
Lyn McGrath was awarded second prize, Novice Section, Silver Quill written verse competition, by WA Bush Poets & Yarnspinners Assoc.
Mark McAvaney‘s debut novel For Everything a Time is being published by Ultimo Press on 1 May. Mark says: “It’s set in the Clare Valley, where I was born and lived until I was 28.” Launch in Adelaide on May 3, details to come. Find out more.
Alan Atkinson’s The Trials of Billy Freeman is out now through Wakefield Press. About a newly discovered ancestor Billy Freeman who was a child convict transportee who later came to SA with Charles Sturt and settled in the Hills, who Alan describes as “a feisty colourful character!” Find out more.
Heather Taylor Johnson won an Arts SA Fellowship of $50,000 for a two-year period to write essays about the body. She also received a place at the Whitlam Essay Residency, which will take place for a week in March at Gough Whitlam’s former house, where Heather will live with two other essayists.
Alysha Herrmann is launching a new project in the Riverland. Writing the River Rising. Local audiences can visit any one of the five project locations to reveal a new poem, and using their personal mobile device, they can engage with an augmented reality experience that will allow them to view and contribute to the work. Find out more.
