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Australian writers shortlisted for Hot Key Books Young Writers Prize

Two Australian writers have been shortlisted for this year’s Hot Key Books Prize, presented for unpublished young readers and young adult manuscripts.

Tasmanian writer Lyndon Riggall, 23, has been shortlisted in the young readers category (readers aged nine to 12) for his novel Charlie in the Dark, an ‘urban fantasy’ about a young boy and a mysterious detective. Riggall is a creative writing graduate from the University of Tasmania and a former employee of children’s bookstore Stories Bookshop.

Brisbane writer Kahli Scott, 23, has been shortlisted in the young adult category (readers aged 13-19) for her novel The Button Makers, which is set in a society ruled by the fine arts. Scott studied creative writing at the Queensland University of Technology.

A winner in each category will be announced at the London Book Fair in April. Both winning authors will receive a £10,000 (A$18,163) global publishing contract and editorial support from Hot Key Books, as well as promotion of their book by Kobo, which is sponsoring this year’s award. The five writers shortlisted in each category receive a Kobo Aura ereader.

The Hot Key Books Young Writers Prize was launched in 2012 with previous sponsor, the Guardian, to coincide with the one-year anniversary of the Guardian’s children’s books website. Australian author Joe Ducie won the inaugural prize last year for his YA novel The Rig, along with US writer Katie Coyle, who received the award for her YA novel Vivian Versus the Apocalypse. Both novels were published by Hot Key Books in September 2013. 

Hot Key Books, which publishes commercial fiction for young people aged nine to 19, is part of the Bonnier Group. The imprint was launched in 2011 and is distributed locally by the Five Mile Press. 

For more information about the prize, visit the Hot Key Books website here.

Please note: an earlier version of this article named the Guardian as the sponsor of this year’s award, which is incorrect. This year’s award is sponsored by Kobo.

 

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Category: Local news