2023 Fogarty Literary Award: The Ripple Effect

I’m thrilled that my manuscript The Skeleton House has won the 2023 Forgarty Literary Award and will be published by Fremantle Press sometime in 2024 (TBC).

Now that I’ve finally managed a decent sleep after two nights of staring into the dark with various muscles spasming (winning the Fogarty > eight shots of espresso), I’m taking advantage of this sunny Sunday and chorus of magpies to sit down and write.

The month of May has been a willy willy – we call them ‘dust devils’ back in Nevada – of anticipation, excitement, and activity. At the start of the month, I had a Monday afternoon call from Claire Miller and Georgia Richter at Fremantle Press to advise I’d been shortlisted, and the next few weeks passed in a blur of media releases and fighting distraction during my two day jobs.

I devoured every article, blog post, and podcast about me and my fellow shortlisted authors, who I’d like to recognise here (alphabetical by surname).

The shortlist

• Prema Arasu for The Anatomy of Witchcraft
• Josh Kemp for Jasper Cliff
• Patrick Marlborough for Nock Loose
• Karleah Olson for A Wreck of Seabirds
• Emily Paull for The Dreamers

It’s a phenomenal cohort with vibrant, diverse stories across multiple genres. I’m excited to see what’s next for them, their manuscripts, and their new ideas (writers always have one or two up their sleeve).

Literary Leaders

On the night itself, and through the next day, my excitement was focused on AHHH my book is going to be published and I get money for it?! But now that I’ve had time to calm down and reflect, there’s another layer, just as important: stewardship of the Fogarty Literary Leaders title.

Past winners Brooke Dunnell (2021) and Rebecca Higgie (2019) were quick to welcome me with hugs, smiles, selfies, and heartfelt offers to meet up for coffee and help with any questions I have.

Watching Brooke MC the event, recently reading her excellent novel The Glass House, being interviewed by her for the podcast, and knowing she read and judged the manuscripts has made me realise the next two years of my life are going to be rich with literary experiences, including meeting and championing my fellow writers, and editing and launching my own novel.

The Next Generation

Annie Fogarty gave a beautiful speech on behalf of the Fogarty Foundation and she spoke about their logo: dynamic circles to represent the “ripple effect.” Recognising and raising emerging writers encourages and produces more writers, who raise up more writers and their voices, and the ripple effect is felt throughout the community.

I’m lucky to have married into a big, warm, boisterous family – my husband is one of six children, and my mother-in-law is one of eight, so there’s no shortage of immediate and extended family members. We’ve done a tour of housesitting all around Perth for various relatives, and at a family wedding in April, the cèilidh dance floor was full of kids of all ages, including babes in arms. Outside, children ran screeching in the grass, hyped up by cake and illuminated by the fairy lights, passively supervised by whichever adults happened to be stood around chatting. Family events aren’t necessarily kid-focused, but they’re always kid-friendly. Every gathering is assumed to be an inter-generational party; there are frisbees and flower crowns.

On the night, in the beautiful Edith Spiegeltent, the Burrows family was well-represented by three of my husband’s siblings and their partners and children. When Annie Fogarty announced I was the winner and I floated toward the podium, fizzy with nerves, my four year-old nephew’s voice rang above it all: “Yay Auntie Kate!”

Let’s talk about that ripple effect: my tiny fan club that night, who ambushed me on stage afterwards, included five children aged 5 months to early teens. Their parents brought them along to an event that was mostly geared toward celebrating adult literature, on a Thursday school night, and this act of “tagging along” sends an important message. No better image captures this ripple effect than Jayden Boundry, during Welcome to Country, speaking and holding his toddler son.

This is what cultural and inclusive education looks like. Bringing children to events like this gives them a crystal clear message: This matters. This is important. This is valuable. And we want you to be part of it.

We are born with an innate need to listen to and tell stories. It’s one of the fundamental characteristics that make us human.

I can’t express my gratitude enough toward the Fogarty Foundation and Fremantle Press for celebrating this, and for giving me and my manuscript recognition and opportunity. I’ll be posting frequent updates to document my path to publication – if you’re interested in coming along for the ride, please subscribe and/or follow me on Instagram or Twitter.