HGE signs first author through Ampersand Project

The Ampersand Project, a Hardie Grant Egmont (HGE) initiative to publish books from unpublished emerging writers, has signed up Melbourne writer Melissa Keil.

The project received 250 submissions after an inaugural call for submissions in November. Manuscripts were accepted from unpublished writers with stories set in the real world.

HGE editor Marisa Pintado described Keil’s untitled manuscript as a ‘romantic comedy about a horror-film geek and the indie dream-girl that he refuses to fall in love with’, and plans to publish the manuscript in early 2013.

‘As soon as we started reading, we knew we had to launch Melissa’s career,’ said Pintado. ‘Her writing was fresh, fun and geeky–she’d somehow tapped into everything we love about 1980s rom-coms and The Big Bang Theory!’

Keil and Pintado will participate in panel sessions at the Emerging Writers’ Festival running from 24 May to 3 June.

Category: Local news