TASMANIAN novelist and poet Katheryn Lomer has won the 2024 Furphy Literary Award (FLA) for her story, Nothing About Kissing. She was presented with a cheque for $15,000 by FLA directors, Adam and Sam Furphy at the awards ceremony on Saturday, July 27.
Nothing About Kissing will be published in The Furphy Anthology 2024 (available in November), along with 15 other shortlisted stories.
“The winning story unfolds as layers of assured, erudite but often plainspoken reflection. Into these, the writer drops several crucial moments with such startling aplomb you want to stand and applaud. Different readers will respond to different elements: unvarnished insights into the provocations of the contemporary art scene; the entanglements of sex and sensuality, mind and body; the invisibility of work; or as one judge described it, ‘a meet-cute story for grown-ups’,” said FLA judge, Stephanie Holt.
Katheryn Lomer joins Jen Rewell, Cate Kennedy, Thomas Alan and Ruby Todds as winners of the FLA since it was expanded to a national competition in 2022.
Second place went to Jane Downing for her story Are you there Margaret? It’s me, God, while Paulette Gittins’ story Should’ve, Could’ve, Would’ve won third place.
The 2024 FLA Junior and Youth Competition winners were also announced over the weekend. There are four Junior/Youth categories, which were open to young people from Greater Shepparton and surrounding regions.
Junior (up to 12 years) Poetry 2024 FLA winners were Milo Rose with Energetic! (first place) and For Future’s Sake (second); and Errol Rose with My Bruised Legs (second) and Worn Out Boots (third place).
Junior Short Story winners were Jane Pearce with The Dragon Apprentice (first), Malavika Shibu with A Lady’s Treasure (second), and Sean Kelly’s Outsiders (third).
Youth Poetry, open to writers 13-17 years, was Hannah Bhullar’s Odyssey to the Land of Wonder (first place), Ali Alkundi’s Hometown (second), and Cedric Pang with Soul’s Eclipse (third).
Youth Short Story winners were Tori Pettie’s Stella (first place), Ayra Fatima with Music to my Ears (second), and Felix Jensen’s story Heard Below (third place).
Named in honour of Australian writer Joseph Furphy, the annual FLA celebrates Australian story telling in the short story format. Joseph Furphy was the author of several works written under the pen name Tom Collins – the most famous of which was Such is Life, published in 1903.
