Longlist announced for inaugural Fresh Ink Emerging Writers Prize

Yes, we know we were supposed to announce a shortlist today but the judges felt the quality of the entries warranted a longlist. Congratulations to:

• Jackie Bailey, Austinmer, for Sublime: Living a Spiritual Life Without God
• Alex Chalwell, Wollongong, for The Anatomy of Laughter
• Rebecca Chaney, Forresters Beach, for Stu and the Sketchy Time Stops
• Cathy Fulton, Gerringong, for Another Woman’s Memories
• Lisa Kenway, Terrigal, for East Coast Low
• Lorina Mason, Wangi Wangi, for Brushed

• Nate McCarthy, Tuross Head, for After the Fires
• Catherine Moffat, Lake Munmorah, for The Girls in the Band

• Jodi Vial, Wallsend, for All the Water a Body Can Hold


Thank you to judges Sunil Badami, Ivy Ireland and Inga Simpson. This is what they had to say about the entries: “We were surprised and heartened by the number of entries to the inaugural Newcastle Writers Festival Fresh Ink Award. The breadth and depth of entries was exciting, offering an inspiring insight into the imaginative and creative lives of so many talented regional and rural emerging writers.

From time travelling casino capers to the adventures of a hospital clown, supernatural family sagas, the search for spiritual meaning, and searing accounts of the devastations caused by climate change, illness, bushfires and the pandemic, in an incredibly diverse range of experiences, styles, genres and voices, the standard of work was of an almost universally high standard.

We wish all of you all the very best for your writing, and your writing careers, and hope we’ll see more of your work in years to come.”

We’ll share more information about each writer in the next couple of weeks and stay tuned for the shortlist announcement on September 16. The winner will be announced at a special online event on September 25.

Thank you to prize money sponsor Elephant in the Room Wine and funder Create NSW.