Six female authors in the running to win $35,000 in prizes
As trustee of the Nita B Kibble Literary Awards for Women Writers (the Kibble Awards), Perpetual today revealed the shortlists for the 2015 Kibble and Dobbie Awards, with three female authors nominated for each.
Over the past 22 years the Kibble Awards have advanced women’s literature in Australia by recognising notable writers, including previous winners Geraldine Brooks, Helen Garner and Gail Jones.
The Kibble Awards were established by Nita Dobbie in honour of her pioneering aunt, Nita Kibble – the first female librarian of the State Library of New South Wales. They comprise the Kibble Literary Award for an established author, as well as the Dobbie Literary Award for a first time published author.
The Awards are open to Australian female writers who have published a book of fiction or non-fiction classifiable as ‘life writing’. This includes novels, autobiographies, biographies, literature and any writing with a strong personal element.
In competition for total prize money of $35,000, the 2015 shortlisted authors are:
Kibble Literary Award for an established author ($30,000 prize)
Dobbie Literary Award for a first time published author ($5,000 prize)
On behalf of the judges, Ms Webby said that this year’s exceptional shortlists demonstrate the continuing high quality of life writing by Australian women.
“The books shortlisted for the Kibble Award present new insights into traumatic events and their lasting impact on Australian lives: the polio epidemic of the 1950s, Cyclone Tracy’s destruction of Darwin in 1974, Robert Farquharson’s murder of his sons on Father’s Day 2005,” she said.
“Those shortlisted for the Dobbie Award also deal movingly with such confronting subjects as Aboriginal dispossession, neglected children and Japanese war crimes. But their humanity, humour and literary excellence ensure that each is an inspiring read.”
Perpetual’s National Manager of Philanthropy, Caitriona Fay, said: “As trustee of the Kibble Awards we are proud to promote both established and emerging female writers.”
“Congratulations to the six outstanding shortlisted authors, who are each advancing literature for the benefit of our community,” she said..
The 2015 Kibble Awards winners will be revealed at an event in Sydney on 15 July 2015.
