The Australian Society of Authors (ASA) and HQ, a publishing division of HarperCollins, are delighted to announce the shortlist for the 2024 ASA/HQ Fiction Prize for unpublished manuscripts:

• Sashini Gamage, The Fright of Real Feathers 
• Kathleen Hastings, Hendrickje, Rembrandt’s Bathsheba
• Arianne James, Second Skin
• A’Mhara McKey, The Shores Between
• Esme Wilmot, Parallel

The winner of the 2024 ASA/HQ Fiction Prize is Hendrickje, Rembrandt’s Bathsheba by Kathleen Hastings.

Hendrickje, Rembrandt’s Bathsheba is the vividly told story of Hendrickje Stoffels, a maid in the household of the artist Rembrandt van Rijn who becomes his model, his employer and his common-law wife.

A retired teacher and deputy principal, Kathleen Hastings has a background in art, languages and education. She has Master’s degree in Fine Art and studied at the Sorbonne and University of Paris. 

Kathleen Hastings said, ‘I’ve been involved with Hendrickje since my encounter with breast cancer in 1990 when Rembrandt’s image of her as Bathsheba bathing was used by the Cancer Council of Australia to encourage women to self-examine for breast cancer – using her image for my painting and, obviously, this story. I am sure that she was the woman behind Rembrandt’s success. I am so amazed and appreciative that ASA and HQ have given me the opportunity to share her story with others.’ 

HQ Publisher Rachael Donovan said, ‘It’s a thrill to find a manuscript with such potential. This is an insightful and evocative story for anyone interested in painting, European history or the retelling of history through the eyes of women. Kathleen’s historical research is impeccable and her writing paints a captivating portrait of women’s lives in seventeenth-century Republic of Holland, as well as bringing to life Rembrandt’s conflicting ambition and foibles.’   

The runner-up is The Fright of Real Feathers by Shashini Gamage, an exquisite and resonant story of a woman returning to Sri Lanka to care for ageing parents and discovering the truths of her life through these loving yet complex relationships.

ASA CEO Olivia Lanchester said, ‘Our warm congratulations to Kathleen Hastings whose striking novel Hendrickje, Rembrandt’s Bathsheba is a testament to the extraordinary historical fiction writing we have in Australia. We’d also like to congratulate runner-up Shashini Gamage – we’re thrilled to have the opportunity to support Shashini in the next steps towards publication.’

The Australian Society of Authors (ASA) and HQ, a publishing division of HarperCollins, are delighted to announce the shortlist for the 2022 ASA/HQ Commercial Fiction Prize for unpublished manuscripts:

•  Lydia Evans, Someone Else 
• Ayesha Inoon, Untethered
• Inessa Jackson, Next of Kin

The Australian Society of Authors (ASA) and HQ, a division of HarperCollins Publishers, are delighted to announce that Ayesha Inoon has won the 2022 ASA/HQ Commercial Fiction Prize for unpublished manuscripts with her work Untethered.

Untethered is a finely observed contemporary novel of a young Muslim woman’s experience of immigration to Australia, leaving behind the political unrest of Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Ayesha Inoon is a Sri Lankan–Australian writer and former journalist who has lived in Sri Lanka, Egypt, India, the USA and Canada. She based the novel in part on her own experience.

Ayesha said, ‘I have carried this book in my heart for so long, and writing it was a way to explore and understand my own experience of immigration and what it meant to recreate a sense of identity and belonging in a new country. We immigrate in search of better lives and freedom from conflict and we don’t fully understand what we are leaving behind until we are on the other side. I am excited to work with HQ on the next stage of this journey and would like to thank both ASA and HQ for this fabulous opportunity. And many congratulations to the other shortlisted authors.’

Head of Publishing for HQ Jo Mackay said, ‘A standout in an already strong field, Untethered is thoughtful, insightful writing that brings readers the lived experience of what it is to lose family, friends and country and start again in a new and not always welcoming place.’

ASA CEO Olivia Lanchester said, ‘Our warm congratulations to Ayesha Inoon! We are thrilled to be able to partner with HQ to offer this opportunity, and we wish Ayesha all the very best success with her book.’

The runner up is Someone Else by Lydia Evans, a funny, authentically voiced novel of a woman’s struggle to be the perfect mother, wife, friend and daughter that others expect her to be. 

HQ fiction and the Australian Society of Authors are delighted to announce the shortlist of unpublished manuscripts in contention for the ASA/HQ Commercial Fiction Prize:

• Brunswick Street Blues by Sally Bothroyd 
• Sargasso by K.W. George 
• Nina and Pearl by Fleur Glenn 
• The Vet from Snowy River by Stella Quinn

The winner of the inaugural ASA/HQ Commercial Fiction Prize for unpublished manuscripts was Brunswick Street Blues by Sally Bothroyd.

Described as a compelling and distinctively Australian mystery set on the mean streets of Melbourne, Brunswick Street Blues will be published by HQ Fiction in March 2022. The author Sally Bothroyd is a director of the Northern Territory Writers Centre and former journalist. Sally commented:

‘Writing a novel is such a huge journey, and I’m looking forward to working with HQ on the final stretch! I’m so excited to win this award, and I want to congratulate the other authors who were shortlisted. Thanks also to the ASA for partnering with HQ to offer this opportunity to unpublished authors.’

The runner-up is Nina and Pearl by Fleur Glenn, a meditative and evocative story of love, loss and difficult decisions.