Good Job

2015 is the Aussie awards season for Are You Seeing Me? and, if the first four months is any guide, it’s a year that’s going straight to the pool room.

It started off with a delightful nod from those very fine fans at Booktopia. As an added bonus, they included a faker with the movers and shakers on their annual ‘Australia’s Favourite Novelist‘ poll. Like a qualifier facing Roger Federer at Wimbledon, I was disposed of quickly and efficiently in the first round…But, man, was it good to play Centre Court.

In March came a recognition that is a source of particular pride. The International Board on Books for Young Adults (IBBY) compiled their 2015 list of Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities and Are You Seeing Me? was among the 50 chosen. AYSM was one of two successful Australian entries in a worldwide submission involving 159 books and 27 countries and was a part of IBBY’s catalogue that did the rounds at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair.

Those successes were humbling.

Then came April.

On the 14th of the month, the Children’s Book Council of Australia announced their Notables and Shortlisted Books for 2015 and, sweet mother of nachos, AYSM was in the final six for the Older Readers category! My jaw dropped, my Twitter exploded and my analogies for Canadian friends commenced (“If the CBCA was the NHL, then this is like being a finalist for the Hart Trophy…”). Regardless of whether I win or not – the decision goes down in late August during Book Week – the writing caper will never quite be the same. As literary legend, former winner and good friend, Nick Earls, advised: “This is a big deal.”

While still tanning my pasty whiteness in the sunshiney rays of the CBCA gong, a second remarkable acknowledgement arrived: a shortlisting in the New South Wales Premier’s Literary Awards! This fabulous news prompted me to post the following on SM:

This month, it appears I’ve temporarily transformed into the little-known Marvel character, ‘Shortlist Boy’.

And if, like my publisher, you’re wondering how this dodgy superhero might be attired:

Shortlist Boy wears a suit with a dinkus on the chest and a cape made entirely of rejection letters. 🙂

So, there you have it – the unexpected, thrilling, recognition roll call of that is the year to date. What else is in store for the remainder of 2015? Are there more ribbons on offer?

If there is, you’ll be the first to know.