Good Job

Back in April, I posted about how 2015 had already achieved ‘house on fire’ status in the Are You Seeing Me? chase for literati glory. Given we’re now in November, I figured I should update you on the six months that have passed.

What a caper.

While still coming down from the CBCA shortlist clouds (it rightfully took several months), I discovered that AYSM was a finalist for the Griffith University YA Book Award in the QLA’s. To receive this nod from my state of origin was very gratifying and took me back to my very first brush with literary acknowledgement: a shortlisting in the 2004 Queensland Premier’s Literary Awards’ young adult category for Most Valuable Potential.

Next came two very cool pats on the back.

First up was a shortlisting in the 2015 Children’s Peace Literature Award which, to quote the Psychologists for Peace blurb, is a “biennial award to Australian authors of books for children that encourage the peaceful resolution of conflict or promote peace at the global, local or interpersonal level”. Following that, AYSM was selected as a ‘White Raven‘ by the International Youth Library in Munich, Germany. This prestigious list profiles 200 books from more than 50 countries in over 30 languages, and will be introduced at the 2016 Book Fair in Bologna.

These wonderful achievements set the scene for a real shocker. In the early morning of October 7, while idly googling myself (not a euphemism) for new reviews, I came across a piece of news that beggared belief: AYSM had been nominated as a finalist for a Governor General’s Literary Award here in Canada! The book had only been out in the North American market for seven weeks at that point, so I entertained the idea this was some form of cruel delayed hazing at the hands of my adopted country. Not so — my little novel about Perry and Justine’s trip of a lifetime to the Pacific Northwest was in the bright lights of one of Canada’s premier literary trophies.  A month and a half later, I’m still happier than Pharrell on an endless loop.

So, there you have it: in all, since first being published in August 2014, AYSM has now garnered six major recognitions on three continents. Are there more ribbons to come?

Maybe.

Watch this space.