Paul Ham, Catherine Jinks and Babette Smith were shortlisted for 'The Nib': CAL Waverley Library Award for Literature, which recognises excellence in research. They join Ashley Hay in discussion.
'The Nib': CAL Waverley Library Award for Literature recognises quality research undertaken in the creation of Australian writing. Three of last year's shortlisted authors talk about research from their different perspectives. Paul Ham's Vietnam: The Australian War; Catherine Jinks' The Dark Mountain and Babette Smith's Australia's Birthstain each won the Alex Buzo Shortlist Prize and will provide the focus for discussion. The books are representative of the best of last year's writings and cover both fiction and non-fiction.
Ashley Hay is a former literary editor of the Bulletin and writer of non-fiction and fiction. Her non-fiction books are The Secret, Gum, Herbarium and Museum.
CATHERINE JINKS (LOCAL) CATHERINE JINKS became a writer because she loves reading. She also loves history, films, TV and gossip. Catherine has a BA (Hons) in medieval history, and gets her ideas from everywhere, particularly good science-fiction films. The author of many award-winning, popular books for children and adults, her most recent books include Evil Genius, Genius Squad and the much-awaited Pagan's Daughter. Her latest book is The Reformed Vampire Support Group.
BABETTE SMITH (LOCAL) BABETTE SMITH is an independent historian and author of the bestselling account of the lives of a shipload of female convicts, Cargo of Women. Babette’s latest book, Australia’s Birthstain, is a groundbreaking history of convicts in Australia that lays bare the distortions and myths that caused the nation to deny its own past.
PAUL HAM (LOCAL) PAUL HAM is the author of Vietnam: The Australian War and Kokoda. Vietnam won the NSW Premier's Prize for History and was shortisted for the Prime Minister's Prize for Non-Fiction. Both books were shortlisted for the Walkley Award for Non-Fiction. Paul is the Australia correspondent for The Sunday Times of London, and has contributed to The Financial Times, The Bulletin, The Australian and The Sydney Morning Herald. He is currently editing Captain Bullen’s Diary, the Vietnam diary of Australian Captain John Bullen.
ASHLEY HAY (INTERSTATE) Ashley Hay is the author of four books of non-fiction: The Secret: The Strange Marriage of Annabella Milbanke and Lord Byron, Gum: The Story of Eucalypts and Their Champions and two other collaborations with the photographer Robyn Stacey titled Herbarium and Museum. Ashley also writes essays, short stories and journalism. A former literary editor of the Bulletin, her writing has appeared in The Monthly, The Independent Monthly, Best Australian Essays and Australian Greats. She has just completed her first novel, The Body in the Clouds.
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