Isn’t fabulous when a UK online magazine site takes an interest in Australian fiction? That’s the view of Shiny New Books, an independent book recommendations website, who invited me to write a piece on The Stella Prize for their readers.
I’d been following with interest the progress of The Stella Prize ever since the first winner was announced in 2013. Back then, I was yet to publish my debut novel and I was filled with wonder and a healthy measure of envy when Carrie Tiffany received her much-deserved award for Mateship With Birds.
Writing for Shiny New Books saw me delving into the backstory and I marvelled at how such a prestigious and important literary prize could emerge out of a panel discussion at the independent bookstore, Readings. Talk about follow through on a vision, and a passion for gender justice! Reading between the lines, the founders poured their all into making the prize a reality. The energy and determination required must have been immense.
Now in 2017, another winner gets to enjoy the kudos The Stella Prize affords. My congratulations to Heather Rose, for her remarkable and exquisitely written book, The Museum of Modern Love.
In my view every Australian author owes a big thank you to those women who made this happen, not least because The Stella Prize represents the pinnacle of the literary, innovative and courageous writing of our women authors and gives the rest of us something to strive for.
Read my piece in Shiny New Books here.
You can read my review of The Museum of Modern Love here.
Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: Carrie Tiffany, Heather Rose, Shiny New Books, The Museum of Modern Love, The Stella Prize 
