Deborah Cass 2018 prize shortlist announced

14 November 2018 Books+Publishing

The shortlist for Writers Victoria’s Deborah Cass Prize for emerging writers from migrant backgrounds has been announced.

The shortlisted works are:

‘Bread of the dead’ by Shannon Anima (Canada)
‘The resurrection of Tuesday Goodman’ by Lyn Dickens (Singapore)
‘Things I used to believe’ by Karina Ko (China)
‘Taking care of eggs’ by Nasrin Mahoutchi-Hosaini (Iran)
‘Fell our selves’ by Aline-Mwezi Niyonsenga (Rwanda)
‘The lady on the dark side of the moon’ by Marianna Shek (China)
‘Maybe it’s Wanchai’ by E Sun (Malaysia, Vietnam, China)
‘The origin of things’ by Su-May Tan (Malaysia).

Entrants will be judged on a 3000-word extract from an unpublished manuscript that ‘reflects at least in part on the migrant experience’. The winning author will receive $3000 and a three-month mentorship with an established writer, and Black Inc. will ‘consider the resulting manuscript’ for publication.

Writers Victoria director Angela Savage said: ‘It is a great sign for the migrant literary scene in Australia that the Deborah Cass Prize attracted almost 100 entries again in 2018, in this its fourth year. Writers Victoria is excited by the work that this prize illuminates and thrilled see it leading to publishing success.’

The judging panel for the award includes author Christos Tsiolkas, lawyer Nyadol Nyuon and screenwriter and director Tony Ayres, who will choose the winner from the shortlist of nine entries.

As previously reported by Books+Publishing, 2015 winner Moreno Giovannoni’s manuscript ‘Tales of San Ginese’ was acquired by Black Inc for publication in 2018. Perth writer Rafeif Ismail won the 2017 prize for her manuscript ‘Almitra Amongst Ghosts’.

The 2018 winner will be announced at an event in Melbourne on 5 December.

For more information, visit the Writers Victoria website.

Category: Awards Local news