New ASA mentorship program winners announced

The Australian Society of Authors (ASA) has announced the winners of mentorships in the 2026 CA/ASA Developmental Leadership Program.

Thirteen creators have won the opportunity to work with an experienced author, illustrator or publishing professional from the ASA’s mentors register to “help develop their manuscript or illustration project to a publishable standard”.

The successful applicants in each category are:

20-hour mentorships

• Carol Bracken for “Burnt” (fiction)
• Catherine Deery for “Soft Edges” (fiction)
• Robert Douman for “Najis” (nonfiction)
• Katie Flannigan for “Hunter in OverRealm” (YA)
• Paul Marshall for “An Island in Paradise” (fiction)
• Suneeti Rekhari for “Love in the Age of Time Travel (and Other Bad Ideas)” (fiction)
• Sandra Thom-Jones for “Changing the Channel” (fiction)
• Kym Tyzack for “Haven” (YA)
• Phuong Vuong for “The Oliphant Guardian” (children’s writing)
• Deborah Wardle for “Why We Cry” (fiction)

10-hour mentorships

• Kirsten Ealand for “How to Spot a Koala” (picture book)
• Grace Fraraccio, author and illustrator, for “Albatross and I” (picture book)
• Sandy Summons for “Captain’s Career” (picture book).

The winners also receive other benefits, including one year’s free membership to the ASA.

Highly commended

Two writers have been highly commended and awarded 3-hour mentorships along with other benefits:

• Natalie Forbes for “Flump’s First Flight” (picture book)
• Sharon Rockman for “True Fruit” (poetry).

Supported by the Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund, this new program focuses on connecting future creative leaders with current industry experts. It builds on the ASA’s long-running Award Mentorships.

More information about the program can be found on the ASA website.

Category: Awards Local news