Published Wednesday, 18 April, 2007 at 10:00 AM
Premier and Minister for Trade
The Honourable Peter Beattie
QUEENSLAND LITERARY AWARDS OPEN – WRITE HERE, WRITE NOW!
Queensland Premier Peter Beattie today urged authors across the country to put pen to paper and enter the prestigious 2007 Queensland Premier’s Literary Awards.
Mr Beattie said the awards, which offer $225 000 in prize money over 14 categories, is one of the leading literary awards programs in Australia, and is held in high esteem for its richness, diversity and generosity in rewards for authors.
“The Queensland Premier’s Literary Awards recognise and reward talent – whether you’re a budding writer or an established author with published work,” Mr Beattie said.
“The awards offer authors the chance to gain exposure in the national literary community, as well as providing financial assistance to support the development of high quality writing.
“The Queensland Government is proud to support the literary community through these awards, and to recognise the talent that brings stories of Australia’s people, places, culture, history and politics to life in various literary forms.”
Sydney-based author Ursula Dubosarsky won the 2006 Young Adult Book Award for her children’s book The Red Shoe, which shares the story of three young sisters growing up in Sydney in the 1950s during the Cold War Russian spy crisis known as the Petrov Affair.
Ursula, who has written 29 published novels, illustrated books and anthologies over her celebrated career as a writer, said winning the award was an extraordinary way of being recognised as an author and encouraging people to read her work.
“A prize like the Queensland Premier’s Literary Award bestows recognition upon an author that stands out from the usual publicity material – it’s a nod of approval from a prestigious and official third party,” Ursula said.
Nominations for the 2007 awards are being sought in the following categories:
• Fiction Book Award $25 000
• Emerging Queensland Author - Manuscript Award $20 000
• Unpublished Indigenous Writer -The David Unaipon Award $15 000
• Non-Fiction Book Award $15 000
• History Book Award $15 000
• Children’s Book – The Dymocks Literacy Foundation Award $15 000
• Young Adult Book Award $15 000
• Science Writer – Department of State Development Award $15 000
• Poetry Collection – Arts Queensland Judith Wright Calanthe Award $15 000
• Australian Short Story Collection - Arts Queensland Steele Rudd Award $15 000
• Literary or Media Work Advancing Public Debate - The Harry Williams
Award $15 000
• Film Script – Pacific Film & Television Commission Award $15 000
• Television Script – QUT Creative Industries Award $15 000
• Drama Script (Stage) Award $15 000
Since its inception in 1999, the Queensland Premier’s Literary Awards has rapidly grown into one of the most prestigious literary awards programs in Australia.
Winners of the 2006 awards included Brian Castro for The Garden Book (Fiction Book Award), Neil Chenoweth for Packer’s Lunch (Non-Fiction Book Award), Gideon Haigh for Asbestos House (Literary or Media Work Advancing Public Debate – The Harry Williams Award, Rolf de Heer for Ten Canoes (Film Script – Pacific Film and Television Commission Award) and Karen Foxlee for The Anatomy of Wings (Emerging Queensland Author – Manuscript Award).
Entries close on Friday 25 May 2007. Visit www.literaryawards.qld.gov.au or phone
(07) 3224 6206 for more information.
ENDS
Wednesday, 18 April 2007
Media contact – (07) 3224 4500
Mr Beattie said the awards, which offer $225 000 in prize money over 14 categories, is one of the leading literary awards programs in Australia, and is held in high esteem for its richness, diversity and generosity in rewards for authors.
“The Queensland Premier’s Literary Awards recognise and reward talent – whether you’re a budding writer or an established author with published work,” Mr Beattie said.
“The awards offer authors the chance to gain exposure in the national literary community, as well as providing financial assistance to support the development of high quality writing.
“The Queensland Government is proud to support the literary community through these awards, and to recognise the talent that brings stories of Australia’s people, places, culture, history and politics to life in various literary forms.”
Sydney-based author Ursula Dubosarsky won the 2006 Young Adult Book Award for her children’s book The Red Shoe, which shares the story of three young sisters growing up in Sydney in the 1950s during the Cold War Russian spy crisis known as the Petrov Affair.
Ursula, who has written 29 published novels, illustrated books and anthologies over her celebrated career as a writer, said winning the award was an extraordinary way of being recognised as an author and encouraging people to read her work.
“A prize like the Queensland Premier’s Literary Award bestows recognition upon an author that stands out from the usual publicity material – it’s a nod of approval from a prestigious and official third party,” Ursula said.
Nominations for the 2007 awards are being sought in the following categories:
• Fiction Book Award $25 000
• Emerging Queensland Author - Manuscript Award $20 000
• Unpublished Indigenous Writer -The David Unaipon Award $15 000
• Non-Fiction Book Award $15 000
• History Book Award $15 000
• Children’s Book – The Dymocks Literacy Foundation Award $15 000
• Young Adult Book Award $15 000
• Science Writer – Department of State Development Award $15 000
• Poetry Collection – Arts Queensland Judith Wright Calanthe Award $15 000
• Australian Short Story Collection - Arts Queensland Steele Rudd Award $15 000
• Literary or Media Work Advancing Public Debate - The Harry Williams
Award $15 000
• Film Script – Pacific Film & Television Commission Award $15 000
• Television Script – QUT Creative Industries Award $15 000
• Drama Script (Stage) Award $15 000
Since its inception in 1999, the Queensland Premier’s Literary Awards has rapidly grown into one of the most prestigious literary awards programs in Australia.
Winners of the 2006 awards included Brian Castro for The Garden Book (Fiction Book Award), Neil Chenoweth for Packer’s Lunch (Non-Fiction Book Award), Gideon Haigh for Asbestos House (Literary or Media Work Advancing Public Debate – The Harry Williams Award, Rolf de Heer for Ten Canoes (Film Script – Pacific Film and Television Commission Award) and Karen Foxlee for The Anatomy of Wings (Emerging Queensland Author – Manuscript Award).
Entries close on Friday 25 May 2007. Visit www.literaryawards.qld.gov.au or phone
(07) 3224 6206 for more information.
ENDS
Wednesday, 18 April 2007
Media contact – (07) 3224 4500