News

I’m so excited and grateful to have been awarded Deakin University’s 2017 Philip Brown History Award, for research using original sources.

“Twenty-one creative individuals and groups have been named the state’s ‘Creators’ for 2018, as the first recipients of funding through the Victorian Government’s ground-breaking Creators Fund.”

I saw bits of myself in some of them, and I saw lots of what I am not and have no ownership of, stories that cover great multitudes of experience that isn’t published, that isn’t relayed, and that isn’t recognisable or even present in our media. I took bits away. I learned.

My little story is one of fourteen chosen for inclusion in this year’s fiction edition of The Big Issue. Support your local vendor and grab a copy! See more of my upcoming short fiction here.

“The Gulf … suggests an Australian literary talent just beginning to come into its own.”

“Ben is one of the most charming characters in fiction …”

“If I want people to hear something, I can’t punish them for reading it. So this is the best way for me to deliver the message I want to. Partly for the readers’ sake, and partly for my sake as well.”

“It’s this extraordinary empathy and immersion that lifts The Gulf above other stories of its type. It deserves to be read by adults and teens alike.”

“… the writing impels you through the narrative, always vital, often funny. Spargo-Ryan is definitely a writer to watch.”

“Anna Spargo-Ryan is a writer in command of every sentence, who somehow makes the unspeakable succinct.”

“It’s not always easy to read The Gulf but it is impossible to turn away.” With book pal Eliza Henry-Jones, and her novel Ache.

“For this issue, we are looking for writers’ own stories about identity, perception, perspective and reality. This might mean stories of home, displacement, gender, race, physicality, ability, dysphoria, illness, altered states, or any other experience realised in your fiction. Send in stories that have listened, and that require listening to.”

    Reviewer Lorien Kaye says: “Anna Spargo-Ryan returns with another impressive novel that will have readers feeling every emotion experienced by the beautifully written characters.” (paywalled) 

I’m so delighted that The Paper House has been longlisted for the Matt Richell Award for New Writer of the Year, alongside the most wonderful group of other books and authors.

I mean, holy shit, I won! With so much gratitude to the other brilliant shortlistees, the incredible judges, The Saturday Paper, Aesop, my wonderful sister who accepted the award on my behalf, and everyone who’s ever read anything of mine.

I couldn’t be more excited to announce that my essay is one of five shortlisted for The Horne Prize, a “major essay prize” from The Saturday Paper and Aesop.

What a great thrill to have this piece (originally in From the Outer) included alongside writers like Helen Garner, Fiona Wright, Richard Flanagan and Clive James!

I’m very excited to be speaking with Hannah about her new book, The Good People, in Beaumaris on October 19 at 7:30pm. SOLD OUT.

Australian fiction: from fractured families to cli-fi
Three new Australian books reviewed (including mine!)

We talked about writing, poetics, mental illness and the combination of all these things.

A really wonderful review from Kylie Maslen at book-plate.

A very generous review of The Paper House from Gretchen Shirm, author of Where the Light Falls.