Entries for the inaugural Stella Prize are now closed and we’re very pleased to report that we had nearly 200 books entered. Almost two-thirds of entries were fiction, many were self-published or from smaller publishers, and a handful were e-books only. The large number and range of entries truly attests to the richness and diversity of books being written by Australian women. Our wonderful judges, Kerryn Goldsworthy (chair), Kate Grenville, Claudia Karvan, Fiona Stager and Rafael Epstein, are now beginning the judging process. We know what they will be doing at the beach this summer!
We’d like to thank all of the publishers and authors who entered books this year. A shortlist will be announced in March 2013. The first-ever Stella Prize, for the best work of literature published in 2012 by an Australian woman, will be awarded in mid April 2013. The winner will receive $50,000 in prize money.