Ending off a great year for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander writers, two FNAWN members were shortlisted for the 2015 South Australian People’s Choice Award: acclaimed writer and artist Ali Cobby Eckermann, and new writer and FNAWN Board member Karen Wyld.
This literary award acknowledges new and emerging writers who have a connection to South Australia. In addition to submissions from publishers, nominations come from booksellers, librarians, book clubs and other people who like to read.
The short-listed books are then distributed to book clubs in rural and urban SA, who vote at the end of a twelve month process. Over 300 people voted this year, with the winner announced at a writer’s panel earlier in December.
This year, the short-listed books were:
- Ruby Moonlight by Ali Cobby Eckermann (2012, Magabala Books)
- The First Week by Margaret Merrilees (2013, Wakefield Press)
- Snowblind by Andrew T Shapter (2012, self-published)
- When Rosa Came Home by Karen Wyld (2013, self-published).
Three of these books had Aboriginal characters and/or plots; more evidence that Australian readers do like diverse books.
The 2015 People’s Choice was awarded to Ali Cobby Eckermann. Congratulations from the FNAWN Board, Ali!