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McPherson and Green recipients of 2021 Magabala fellowship

Magabala Books has announced Sue McPherson and Charmaine Papertalk Green as the recipients of the 2021 mid-career Fellowship. McPherson and Green each receive $10,000 to work on a current manuscript.

McPherson is the author of two YA novels, Grace Beside Me (2012) and Brontide (2018), both published by Magabala. She writes for television, film, scripted podcasts and young adult fiction, and lives on the Sunshine Coast. With the support of the fellowship, McPherson will work on her first adult fiction novel, tentatively titled ‘Caravan’.

‘We have so many incredible storytellers, I honestly didn’t think ‘Caravan’ (working title) had a chance. Genuine heartfelt thanks to our Magabala family. With your support, I can camp across country, yarn with Peg (protagonist) uninterrupted and record her powerful story,’ said McPherson. ‘A challenging year, a surreal moment and now a solid plan for the new year.’

Green is a visual artist, poet and writer from the Wajarri, Badimaya and Southern Yamaji peoples of Mid-west Western Australia. Her publications include Nganajungu Yagu (Cordite, 2019) and False Claims of Colonial Thieves (co-authored with John Kinsella, Magabala, 2018). She will use the fellowship to work on two manuscripts.

Of the fellowship award, Green said: ‘I am now very excited about completing both manuscripts. I would like to thank the Magabala Fellowship selection group and Magabala for ongoing support of me as a female Yamaji writer, so very much grateful for the opportunity.’

Established in 2020, the Magabala mid-career fellowship is open to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mid-career authors and offers recipients time to work on a manuscript. The 2021 fellowship is supported by Serp Hills Foundation and Australian Indigenous Coffee.

Tristan Michael Savage was awarded the inaugural fellowship in 2020. For more information, see the Magabala website.

Pictured L–R: Sue McPherson, Charmaine Papertalk Green

 

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