Howie Casey wins ASA/HQ Fiction Prize
Karen Howie Casey has won the 2026 ASA/HQ Fiction Prize for unpublished manuscripts for her novel All the Little Wide Worlds, as announced by the Australian Society of Authors (ASA) and HarperCollins publishing division HQ.
The prize organisers described All the Little Wide Worlds as “book club fiction that raises questions about belonging in contemporary Australia”. In the story, a local boy is found unconscious at the bottom of a river embankment and “the eye of suspicion immediately turns to the town’s newest arrivals, a young mother and her son”.
Howie Casey is a former journalist, fiction writer and communications professional. Her work has been published in newspapers, lifestyle, industry and literary magazines, and online.
Howie Casey said, “I could never let go of this story. After many attempts to launch, I relegated it to the bottom of the pile only to wander back to it repeatedly. I adore these characters, even the awful ones, and the community they’re a part of. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to the ASA and HQ for giving me the opportunity to share it. I’m thrilled! Congratulations also to the runner-up and all the shortlisted writers. It’s an honour to be on this journey with you.”
The prize offers a publishing contract with HQ and a $10,000 advance against royalties.
HQ publisher Rachael Donovan said, “This book is so much more than it first appears. Karen’s writing is deft and realistically drawn as she takes us behind closed doors within this pressure-cooker community revealing a trove of watercooler issues – mental health, adoption, addiction, aging, grief and rural economic decline – perfect for book clubs and anyone who loves great Australian storytelling.”
The runner-up is Sonya Gellert with “Best Served Cold”, a “darkly satirical novel set amid Sydney’s glossy food media scene”. Gellert will receive $500 and one year’s membership of the ASA.
ASA CEO Lucy Hayward said, “Our warmest congratulations to Karen Howie Casey! We are thrilled to partner with HQ to provide a publishing opportunity for writers, and this year’s applications have demonstrated the breadth of talent in contemporary Australian writing. We wish Karen every success with her book, and congratulate runner-up Sonya Gellert.”
The competition received 280 entries showcasing uniquely Australian and New Zealand voices. The 4 shortlisted manuscripts included “Querencia” by Jillian Britton and “The Dark Angels Book Club” by Johanna Skinner.
The ASA/HQ Fiction Prize, previously called the ASA/HQ Commercial Fiction Prize, is a biennial award. It was first presented in 2020 to Sally Bothroyd for Brunswick Street Blues, published in 2022. It was awarded in 2022 to Ayesha Inoon for Untethered, published in June 2023. The 2024 winner was Kathleen Hastings for the manuscript “Hendrickje, Rembrandt’s Bathsheba”.
Category: Awards Local news
