Finalists announced for the 2018 Northern Territory Literary Awards

The Northern Territory Library congratulates local Territory writers who have been shortlisted for the 2018 Northern Territory Literary Awards.  

Over 300 submissions were received with a strong field of entries across all seven categories. The judging panel was impressed at the originality, creativity and flair of the work submitted.

Department of Tourism and Culture’s Senior Director Northern Territory Library and Archives, Patrick Gregory, said the Library is always impressed by the high level of quality submissions received each year from across the Northern Territory. 

“We are excited that six of the shortlisted works are by authors who live in or near Alice Springs. It will make the Awards Ceremony all the more special when it is held at Araluen Arts Centre for the first time this year,” Mr Gregory said.

“Even more special is that three of the works shortlisted in the youth category are by Alice Springs high school students. We hope their experience in these Award encourages them to keep writing.” 

The annual Northern Territory Literary Awards have celebrated the work of Northern Territory writers for more than 35 years. It is part of an ongoing program of events at the Northern Territory Library that celebrate the achievements of established and emerging writers, storytellers and prominent Territorians.

Winners will be announced and presented with their prizes at a ceremony held at Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs on 24 July 2018. This free event is open to the public with tickets available through Eventbrite. 

The 2018 Northern Territory Literary Awards shortlist include:

Browns Mart Theatre Award
A Smoke Social, Sandra Thibodeaux 
Cusp, Mary Anne Butler 

Charles Darwin University Creative Non-Fiction Award 
Chess, James Murray 
Karen, Worthington Smelling 
Missing out on being a Catholic, Kaye Aldenhoven 
OF EYES, ASTRONAUTS AND ANTS, Lolla Stewart 
We Never Had Any Proper Food, Kaye Aldenhoven 

Charles Darwin University Essay Award
‘Unviable’ languages? Colonisation, assimilation, and bilingual education in the Northern Territory
Amy Claire Thomas 

Flash Fiction Award
A Fishbone in the Throat, Betty Lum 
Big Foot Marcus, Trish Higgins
Chaos, Ashleigh Ascoli
Don Juan Quandary, David Quan
Fortunate Dragon, Shona Ford 
Gods Nectar, Georgia Manuela Delgado
Matthew, Worthington Smelling
Virginia Woolf would be proud, Johanna Bell 

Kath Manzie Youth Award
From my Culture and Ancestors, Ezra Angeles 
I Belong, Janaya Kopp
Vanilla, Ellaby Kenneth
We Can Still, Holly Van't Sand

NT Writers' Centre Poetry Award
Melancholy Portrait, Brian Obiri-Asare
Stone country, Susan Fielding
There'll Be A Payphone At The Roadhouse, Parker Black
What to do with the foam in my mouth, Johanna Bell

Zip Print Short Story Award
EDGE, Dina Davis
Inseparable, Edgar Keighley
Some problems I am having, Johanna Bell 
The Virgin Mary and Katrina Sparks, Mhairi Duncan