Self-published title Woven Landscape: Connections in the Tasmanian Midlands (Peter E Davies) was longlisted for the Margaret Scott Prize for the Best Book by a Tasmanian Writer as part of the 2017 Tasmanian Premier’s Literary Prizes. The shortlists were announced in September and winners will be announced in late November in Hobart.
John Burch won the inaugural Victorian Premier’s History Award, worth $5000, for his book Returning the Kulkyne, announced as part of the Victorian Community History Awards in Melbourne on 16 October. Also at the awards, Girgarre (Athol McDonald & Jenny Wadelton, self-published) won the Collaborative Community Award and Notable People of Collingwood (Collingwood Historical Society, self-published) won the Local History Project Award.
Finn Bell’s self-published novel Dead Lemons won the Ngaio Marsh Award, on 28 October, for Best First Novel, making Bell the first self-published author to win a Ngaio Marsh award. His second self-published novel Pancake Money was also nominated in the Best Crime Novel category. Bell was described by judges as ‘a wonderful new voice in crime writing’, as reported in Books+Publishing. The Ngaio Marsh Awards are presented annually for the best crime, mystery or thriller writing by New Zealand citizens and residents.
The 2017 AusRom Today Reader’s Choice Awards finalists were announced on 30 October. Kate Sterritt’s self-published title Love My Way was nominated in both Cover of the Year and Book of the Year categories. Kim Faulks’ Virgo (self-published) was also one of the 10 Book of the Year finalists.