11 October 2019

Will Hodgman, Premier

Elise Archer, Minister for the Arts

2019 Premier’s Literary Prizes shortlists announced

The 2019 Premier’s Literary Prizes shortlists, announced at the opening of the Weekend of Reading in Hobart, demonstrate the high calibre of authors we have here in Tasmania.

The Tasmanian Liberal Government is proud to support and celebrate Tasmanian writers with $40,000, which includes $25,000 for the Tasmania Book Prize for the best book with Tasmanian content in any genre.

The Premier’s Literary Prizes strengthen Tasmania’s reputation as a hub of culture, ideas and creativity.

The prizes are judged by two independent panels from the literary sector, chaired by Professor Lucy Frost and Dr Natasha Cica.

The judging panels now have the extremely difficult task of determining the winners, to be announced on 5 December 2019.

Everyone will have the chance to vote for their favourite in the People’s Choice Awards in the Tasmanian Arts Guide, and go into the draw to win all 19 shortlisted books. To vote in the People’s Choice Awards and for more information about the Premier’s Literary Prizes visit http://tasmanianartsguide.com.au/plp/

The Prizes are supported by the Tasmanian Government, the University of Tasmania and private philanthropists.

Shortlist for the Margaret Scott Prize for best book by a Tasmanian writer:

• Conglomerate by Ben Walter (A Published Event);
• Flames by Robbie Arnott (Text Publishing);
• Star-crossed by  Minnie Darke (Penguin Random House);
• The Curious Life of Krill: A Conservation Story from the Bottom of the World by Stephen Nicol (Island Press).

Shortlist for the Tasmanian Book Prize for the best book with Tasmanian content in any genre:

• Bridget Crack by Rachel Leary (Allen & Unwin);
• Flames by Robbie Arnott (Text Publishing);
• Island Story: Tasmania in Object and Text edited by Danielle Wood & Ralph Crane (Text Publishing);
• Towards Light & Other Poems by Sarah Day (Puncher & Wattmann).

Shortlist for the University of Tasmania Prize for the best new unpublished literary work by an emerging Tasmanian Writer

• The Clinking by Susie Greenhill;
• The People’s Park by Stephenie Cahalan;
• The Signal Line by Brendan Colley.

Shortlist for the Tasmanian Young Writer’s Fellowship

• Pricilla Beck;
• Sam George-Allen;
• Hannah Warwarek.

For more information about the Weekend of Reading, visit www.readtasmania.com.

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