Self-published author longlisted for Miles Franklin
Michael Winkler has been longlisted for the Miles Franklin Literary Award for Grimmish, a novel he self-published before it found a commercial home with Puncher & Wattman.
Winkler has written an opinion piece for the Age/SMH, outlining the journey from being a writer whose book no one wanted to publish to being the first self-published author longlisted for Australia’s most prestigious literary award.
Miles Franklin longlistee apologises for plagiarism
In other Miles Franklin related news, the author John Hughes, who was longlisted for his novel The Dogs (Upswell), has apologised for multiple instances of plagiarism found in his book.
Hughes apologised after the Guardian said it found 58 ‘similarities and some identical sentences’ in a comparison of The Dogs and the English translation of Belarusian writer Svetlana Alexievich’s nonfiction book The Unwomanly Face of War.
Hughes’ publisher made a statement distancing herself from the author after more instances of plagiarism came to light, and Hughes, also in the Guardian, sought to defend himself on the grounds of artistic practice.
Upcoming writers festivals
NT Writers Festival runs 23–26 June in Garrmalang/Darwin under the theme ‘balarr | catching the light’. Guests include Sarah Holland-Batt, Jazz Money, Jackie Huggins, Hannah Kent, Larissa Behrendt, John Safran, Lee Kofman, Christopher Raja, Delia Falconer, Thomas Mayor, Teela Reid and Jasmin McGaughey. For tickets and more information, click here.