The Prize for an Unpublished Manuscript by an Emerging Victorian Writer: Winner and Shortlist 2008

Many worthy manuscripts did not make the shortlist. Among them was ‘A Good Killer’ by Anne Vines, which deserves a mention for its charm and fast-paced storytelling.

Judges: Kevin Brophy (Convenor), Liam Davison and Louise Swinn

Winner

The winner of the 2008 Prize for an Unpublished Manuscript by an Emerging Victorian Writer is:

• 'Going Finish'
  by Mandy Maroney

Shortlist

	Conditions of Return Daniel Ducrou This page-turner about classically trained musician Andrew is told in rhythmic, musically informed prose. The confrontational and evocative narrative is well paced and confidently plotted, sometimes funny, with a warm, honest, appealing voice. Ducrou’s characters are engaging, believable, and convincingly contemporary, in a tale both deceptively carefree and aware of the darkness that can lurk beneath Byron Bay’s sunny exterior. This ominous quality makes this coming-of-age story of friendship and betrayal stand out.
	Going Finish - WINNER Mandy Maroney Set in Papua New Guinea in the early 1970s as independence approached, this novel is narrated by Billie, home from boarding school for the summer, pleased to be among people she knows, and ready to fall in love for the first time. The novel’s achievement is in its sure handling of an elegiac story of loss of childhood innocence and emerging sexuality among its young characters, within the context of a significant historical period of turmoil. It is compellingly unflinching in its attention to experiences of almost unbearable sadness and grief.
	In Search of the Blue Tiger Robert Power This powerful and formally adventurous narrative explores the darkly imaginative inner life of a troubled 11-year-old boy. It melds folk and classical tales of anthropomorphism with an increasingly disturbing story of family tension, crime and vengeance. The judges admired its daring approach and sustained intensity. The voice is precociously confident and brings an endearingly naive lightness and humour to what is essentially an examination of our darker impulses. Oscar Flowers’ quest for the mythical blue tiger takes the reader on a transformative journey that challenges one’s expectations.