‘The Minnow’ wins 2013 Text Prize; Text acquires second shortlisted book
Diana Sweeney has won this year’s Text Prize for Young Adult and Children’s Writing for her manuscript The Minnow.
Sweeney was presented with the prize by Text publisher Michael Heyward at an event in Melbourne on 29 May. Sweeney has won a $10,000 advance against royalties, as well as a publishing contract with Text. The novel is due to be published in 2014.
The Minnow, which was shortlisted under the working title Flood Damage, is described as a ‘timely novel for older readers … [about] a young woman’s struggle to regain control of her life after a devastating flood’. The Minnow was among four shortlisted works, selected from 350 entries. ‘It was a long time in the making. It took five years to write and had a lot of rewrites,’ said Sweeney at the prize announcement.
Heyward also announced that Text has acquired the rights to Waer by Meg Caddy, which was shortlisted for the prize. ‘We awarded a prize for one book, but at this stage we’ve found two books and we’re thrilled,’ said Heyward.
The Text Prize for an unpublished manuscript by an Australian or New Zealand writer is now in its sixth year. Last year’s winner, Zac and Mia by A J Betts, will be published in August.
Category: Local news
