Event and Ticketing Details
Dates & Times
Wednesday 22 April
6:15 PM - 7:15 PM
The 2015 Stella Prize shortlist is a powerful showcase of the diversity and depth of Australian women’s writing. These six extraordinary books offer deft explorations of identity, family, displacement and belonging, with distinctly Australian resonances. Of the six, two are debut works — highlighting the immense talent of Australian women writers, even those merely beginning brilliant careers as authors.
Following the announcement of the 2015 Stella Prize on 21 April, judges Caroline Baum and Melissa Lucashenko will speak with shortlisted author Sofie Laguna and this year’s winner Emily Bitto — as well as other shortlisted authors — in celebration of the best of Australian women’s writing.
Hosted by Caroline Baum.
Featuring
Emily Bitto
Emily Bitto is a Melbourne-based writer of fiction, poetry and non-fiction. She has a Masters in Literary Studies and a PhD in Creative Writing from the University of Melbourne. Her debut novel, The Strays, was the winner of the 2015 Stella Prize.
Emily's fiction, poetry and non-fiction has appeared in various publications, including Meanjin, The Age, The Monthly, The Saturday Paper, The Big Issue and The Sydney Morning Herald. In 2018, she was awarded a six-month Australia Council International Residency in Rome to work on her second novel and debut poetry collection. She has been teaching creative writing for over a decade and is currently a tutor at the Faber Writing Academy. She is also the co-owner of Carlton wine bar Heartattack and Vine.
Sofie Laguna
Sofie Laguna was born in Sydney and moved to a farm in the country when she was 12. Beginning her career as an actor, she turned to writing in her 30s. She has written for children and young adults (Bird and Sugar Boy, My Yellow Blankie, Too Loud Lily and Bad Buster).
Her first adult novel, One Foot Wrong was shortlisted for the Miles Franklin Literary Award and the Prime Minister’s Literary Award in 2009. Her most recent book for adults, The Eye of the Sheep, was shortlisted for the 2015 Stella Prize. She lives in Melbourne.
Caroline Baum
Caroline Baum is a respected journalist and presenter. She has worked for the BBC, ABC, Time Life Books, Vogue magazine (UK and Australia), was the founding editor of Good Reading magazine and the editorial director of Booktopia.
Caroline has been a judge of the Stella Prize and the Ned Kelly and Kibble Awards. She is in demand as a presenter at writers’ festivals across Australia and has interviewed many of the world's top international authors. Her writing has been published in major national publications and online media.
Caroline is a regular contributor to national media and her writing has appeared in two anthologies: My Mother My Father and Rebellious Daughters. She is the recipient of the Hazel Rowley Fellowship 2015. Caroline lives on the South Coast of NSW.
Melissa Lucashenko
Melissa Lucashenko is a Goorie (Aboriginal) author of Bundjalung and European heritage. Her first novel was published in 1997 and since then her work has received acclaim in many literary awards. Killing Darcy won the Royal Blind Society Award and was shortlisted for an Aurealis award. Her sixth novel, Too Much Lip, won the 2019 Miles Franklin Literary Award and the Queensland Premier’s Award for a work of State Significance. It was also shortlisted for the Prime Minister’s Literary Award for Fiction, the Stella Prize, two Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards, two Queensland Literary Awards and two NSW Premier’s Literary Awards. Melissa is a Walkley Award winner for her non-fiction, and a founding member of human rights organisation Sisters Inside. She writes about ordinary Australians and the extraordinary lives they lead. Her latest book is Edenglassie.
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