Pham wins 2022 Heyman Mentorship Award

Kim Pham is the winner of the 2022 Heyman Mentorship Award for her novel manuscript ‘Bird Hands Beaver a Fishmint Bouquet’.

Set in the suburbs of Western Sydney, the book is described by the publisher as ‘a comical coming-of-age story with an unsettling twist’, and by the author as ‘if The Breakfast Club was directed by Bong Joon Ho’.

The novel follows 13-year-old Bridget Bui, who has only one goal this year: to ace Australia’s KRAPLAN tests and claim her rightful place as star pupil. Maybe then her parents will love her.

‘Bridget springs to life immediately, her relationship with her friend Desi rings so true, and the writing crackles with pace and humour,’ said HarperCollins publisher Catherine Milne.

‘When I began to read Kim’s narrative of her own background, I was immediately engaged,’ said Kathryn Heyman. ‘She writes with such precision and energy that I couldn’t look away. Her project is fresh and vivid, and I am excited to work with her over the next year.’

Pham, an emerging screenwriter and filmmaker from Western Sydney, said it was a privilege the receive the award. ‘I am so excited to begin this new chapter in my writing journey under the guidance of the wonderfully generous Dr Kathryn Heyman.’

The Heyman Mentorship Award is for a writer over 26 years of age from a background of social or economic disadvantage, writing full-length prose ‘which engages in some way with issues of class and economic disadvantage’. It offers the winner a year of mentoring by Heyman and a full editorial report from Milne at HarperCollins, with the publisher holding the first option to publish the work.

The award received over 40 applications in its third year. ‘I wish it were possible to offer more than one award—there are many stories which will stay with me,’ Heyman said.

UQP recently acquired Roseghetto, the debut novel by the inaugural recipient of the award Kirsty Jagger. Naima Ibrahim won the award in its second year.

For more information about the award see Heyman’s website.

Category: Awards Local news