WA graphic novel on Aurealis shortlist

James Foley is on the Aurealis Awards shortlist for the third time. Brobot, his book for junior readers, has been shortlisted from over 800 entries Australia-wide in the ‘best graphic novel / illustrated work’ category.

Foley said he’s a huge fan of science fiction stories so it was an honour to have his comic book acknowledged in the Aurealis Awards.

‘I imagined the story as a sci-fi short film, but told on the page,’ said Foley.

‘The advantage of working in the comic book medium is I’m not limited by a special effects budget – the most ridiculous things can and do happen. I really enjoyed writing and illustrating these characters and I’m currently working on their next adventure.’

Brobot is a hilarious graphic novel for young readers featuring Sally of S. Tinker Inc. – the world’s foremost inventor under the age of 12 – who believes she can build a better brother than the model she currently has to live with.

Aurealis Awards Judges Coordinator Katharine Stubbs said the entries were of a very high standard and that the panel had a massive task.

‘The final decisions were subject to much debate among the panellists. The competition becomes stronger every year,’ said Stubbs.

Winners of the 2016 Aurealis Awards and the Convenors’ Award for Excellence will be announced at the Aurealis Awards ceremony, on the evening of Friday 14 April 2017 as part of the Swancon convention at the Metro Hotel, Perth. For more information about the awards go to www.aurealisawards.org.

James Foley will be at the Perth Writers Festival this weekend. He is currently working on a second S. Tinker Inc. book, Dungzilla, to be released in September 2017. Brobot is available in all good bookstores and online.