Ned Kelly Awards 2011 Shortlist

I am thrilled to announce The Half-Child has made a shortlist of three for Best Fiction in this year’s Ned Kelly Awards.

The Half-Child is in good company: I recently read Bereft, by Chris Womersley and I’m rapt to have my book mentioned in the same space. The other shortlisted novel, The Diggers Rest Hotel by Geoffrey McGeachin, I haven’t read yet but will aim to before the awards ceremony on Wed 31 August 2011, part of the Melbourne Writers Festival.

Two writers who I’ve become mates with over the past year have been shortlisted for Best First Book: congratulations to PM Newton for The Old School and Dave Whish-Wilson for Line of Sight; and also to Alan Carter for Prime Cut. My first book, Behind the Night Bazaar, was shortlisted in this category in 2007 and while I lost to my Text stablemate Adrian Hyland, it was enormously encouraging to be shortlisted and I had great fun at the awards ceremony.

Now, what to wear on the night…