Our 2019 Awards evening and Christmas party was held on Thursday 5 December at The Street Theatre, and brought together over 100 members of the arts, writing and publishing community to celebrate and recognise creative works.

The ACT Writing and Publishing Awards were founded in 2004 to recognise, reward and promote writing by ACT region authors that has been published by small publishers or been self-published. This year we presented awards to works published across 4 categories: Fiction; Nonfiction; Children’s books and Poetry.

Thank you to our many friends, colleagues, members, supporters, and partners. The awards night was a fantastic way to draw the year to a close. We revelled in celebrating all your achievements and remarkable they are.

2019 Award for Fiction

Shane Smith, Triumviratus

Winner

Alison Booth, A Perfect Marriage

Craig Cormick, The Years of the Wolf

Penelope Hanley, After She Left

Highly Commended

Highly Commended

Highly Commended

2019 Award for Nonfiction

Craig Cormick, Backseat Drivers

Winner

Angelika Erpic, Joe Baker

Kathryn Spurling, Fire at Sea: HMAS Westralia 1998

Highly Commended

Highly Commended

2019 Children’s Book Award

Nicole Godwin and Demelsa Haughton, Billie

Amy Laurens, When Worlds Collide

Joint Winners

Joint Winners

2019 Poetry Award

Penelope Layland, Things I’ve Thought to Tell You Since I Saw You Last

Winner

KA Nelson, Inlandia

Highly Commended

The June Shenfield Poetry Award

Riahta Ranford, Satan's Brew

Simone King, Last Lights On the Great Divide

Rosalind Moran, Keeping My Wits About Me

Winner

Highly Commended

Highly Commended

The Marjorie Graber-McInnis Short Story Award

Ron Schroer, Pig Headed

Sophie Campbell, Nobody's Home

Elizabeth Egan, The Shearer's Wife

Winner

Highly Commended

Highly Commended

The Anne Edgeworth Fellowship Award

Kellie Nissen

Simone King

Rebekka Leary

Gemma Nethercote Way

Winner

Highly Commended

Highly Commended

Highly Commended

Changes to Our Team

We said farewell to our Chair David Vernon who has now officially stepped down from the ACT Writers Centre Board, and we welcomed Abra Pressler as our new Chair. Sadly there were some very special people who were unable to attend last night and our thoughts were with you all. In particular we wish the best to our patron Marion Halligan who has been unwell, but was well represented by her remarkable partner in crime John Stokes. Our thoughts also turned to all of you, in our community, who are navigating the firescapes wreaking havoc in our region and causing many sleepless nights. Keep safe and we send you our very best x.

To our sponsors and partners: artsACT; The Australia Council; Bytes n Colours; Harry Hartog; Eden Road Wines; Canberra Contemporary Art Space; University of Canberra; UNSW Canberra; National Library of Australia; Street Theatre; Sue Terry (Whispering Gums); First Nations Australia Writers Network; Ainslie and Gorman Arts Centres – our sincerest thanks, for supporting us in our simple mission, developing writers and their work.