Featuring two works of nonfiction, a graphic memoir, one book of poetry, and two novels, and celebrates established and debut Australian women writers, six bold and compelling books by Australian women and non-binary writers are in the running for the eleventh annual Stella Prize.
In alphabetical order by author’s surname, the 2023 Stella Prize shortlist is:
- We Come With This Place by Debra Dank (Echo Publishing)
- big beautiful female theory by Eloise Grills (Affirm Press)
- The Jaguar by Sarah Holland-Batt (University of Queensland Press)
- Hydra by Adriane Howell (Transit Lounge)
- Indelible City by Louisa Lim (Text Publishing)
- Bad Art Mother by Edwina Preston (Wakefield Press)
The 2023 shortlist was announced by longstanding Stella supporter and leading Australian journalist Patricia Karvelas live on ABC Radio National’s Breakfast program.
“Although all the books on our shortlist are very different, common themes emerge about a woman’s relationship to her art and to the world around her,” said Chair of the 2023 Stella Prize Judging Panel, Alice Pung OAM.
“All our shortlisted books also explore with moving complexity some of the most pivotal relationships in a woman’s life, and their roles as daughters, partners, wives, and mothers.”
Each of the shortlisted authors receives $4,000 in prize money. The winner – to be announced at a ceremony in Sydney on Thursday 27 April – will be awarded $60,000 thanks to the generous support of the Wilson Foundation. For more information, visit: www.stella.org.au for details.
Image: The 2023 Stella Prize shortlist (supplied)