Author: Claire Miller
Cristy Burne’s book, Off the Track, has been voted WA’s favourite book by the state’s young readers. Cristy beat out the Wimpy Kid, David Walliams, Tom Gates and Ahn Do to take the 2022 West Australian Young Readers Book Award for Younger Readers. Some 26,000 votes were cast by WA readers across four categories. Cristy […]
It is with deep regret that Fremantle Press acknowledges Wendy Jenkins AM, who passed away suddenly late last week at the age of 70. She is survived by her sister Lois and brother John. Wendy’s career at Fremantle Press spanned four decades as a manuscript assessor and mentor, editor and writer. We were proud to […]
Sienna Rose Scully is the youngest of four children. She is an Integrated Marketing Communications graduate who grew up in Noongar Whadjuk Boodja (Fremantle), Western Australia. Sienna has dealt with OCD since childhood and is passionate about bringing awareness to what this disorder entails and to help other OCD sufferers. She is a contributor to […]
One of my favourite features of novels – and one that makes the art form different to many others – is their ability to take on the perspectives, words and thoughts of a fictional character. As readers, we feel the intimacy of being told a story and enjoy the benign voyeurism of having a window […]
A showcase of WA comedy, featuring twenty-five shows over four venues across Perth, is taking place this November. Some of WA’s funniest ever are performing at WA Comedy Week to remind us all where they came from. Jon Doust – who will not be in the showcase as he is way too old, no longer […]
Stellarphant by James Foley is one of just five Australian titles to make the 2022 White Ravens list. Compiled by the team of experts at the International Youth Library, the list features 200 titles in 37 languages from 53 countries. All are recently published books that they consider especially noteworthy and of international interest, and […]
Fremantle author Molly Schmidt has won the 2022 City of Fremantle Hungerford Award for her manuscript Salt River Road. She takes home a $15,000 cash prize and a publishing contract with Fremantle Press. Judged anonymously, the biennial prize is in its 32nd year and is presented to an emerging West Australian writer for their first […]
We invite all transgender and gender diverse storytellers and readers to join us for Trans Stories Matter: a publishing industry panel discussion about transgender stories and representation. Hosted by editor and founder of Get YA Words Out, Seth Malacari (he/they), guests will include Nat Latter (they/them) from Rabble Books & Games and Fremantle Press publishers Georgia Richter […]
The Ghost of Gracie Flynn is part of a long tradition of novels with otherworldly narrators. I gave Gracie the reins because I felt that the various points of view I’d created in early drafts needed a compelling, omniscient perspective to pull them all together. And I’m glad I did that because it turned out […]
On leaving home When I left Melbourne at the age of twenty-one, I left behind the squelching autumn leaves that fell from the big European trees along the Yarra. I left behind bracing clifftop walks on Phillip Island with my two best partners-in-writing, and the salami we placed where the phone handset should be. I […]
Helen Milroy is a descendant of the Palyku people of the Pilbara region of Western Australia. She has always had a passionate interest in health and wellbeing, especially for children, which is why she became a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist. In this Q&A the talented writer and illustrator tells us about her latest book. Tell […]
In Helen Milroy’s newest picture book, Owl loves the sparkle of the stars and sits on his tree at dusk waiting for them to appear. But Owl becomes worried one evening when his favourite, Little Star, doesn’t show herself. So Owl searches far and wide using all his strength to bring her back. This free […]
Activity Sheet
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It is with much regret that Fremantle Press acknowledges the death of Errol Broome who was 85 years old when she passed away on 14 September 2022. Errol grew up in Perth, studying Arts at the University of Western Australia and working as a journalist at the West Australian. Even before her first book with Fremantle […]
Dark Tales from the Long River: A Bloody History of Australia’s North-West Frontier by David Price and The Petticoat Parade: Madam Monnier and the Roe Street Brothels by Leigh Straw are in the running for the Margaret Medcalf Award. Eight books made the shortlist for the award, which recognises excellence in research and the use […]
Entranced by the power of words from birth, Marie O’Rourke spent many years reading, analysing and teaching the stories of others before working up the nerve to start shaping her own. Her writing pushes against the tradition of first-person, past-tense, chronological, narrative memoir, hoping to capture the shape-shifting nature of memory and identity. Marie’s essays […]
Molly Schmidt is a writer and journalist, currently undertaking the Four Centres Emerging Writers Program with Fremantle Press. By day, she works as a radio producer and reporter for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, where her passion for storytelling is put to good use. While writing her first manuscript, Molly has been collaborating with Noongar Elders […]
Joy Kilian-Essert, Gerard McCann, Marie O’Rourke and Molly Schmidt are in the running for $15,000 in prize money from the City of Fremantle and a publishing contract with Fremantle Press. All four Western Australian writers were shortlisted for the 2022 City of Fremantle Hungerford Award, which is in its 32nd year. Fremantle Press Publisher Georgia […]
Eleven Western Australian writers are longlisted and in the running for the City of Fremantle Hungerford Award. Judged anonymously, the City of Fremantle Hungerford Award is a biennial prize awarded to an unpublished manuscript by a Western Australian author for a work of fiction, narrative non-fiction or young adult fiction. The winner receives a cash […]
Fremantle Press is delighted to announce that Alex Allan has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer. An experienced publishing professional and business leader, Alex will commence on Monday 17 October 2022, replacing outgoing CEO Jane Fraser. Prior to her current role in higher education, Alex was Group Publisher for Welbeck Children’s Books in the United […]
The Vexatious Haunting of Lily Griffin is the whopper doorstop of never-ending educational resources and inspiration for students ages 8–13. Here some activities for the classroom. Real-life issues/themes The Vexatious Haunting of Lily Griffin is a supernatural fantasy of epic proportions, but wrapped up in all the haunting, high jinks and history lies an earnest and […]
Fremantle Press commenced its reconciliation journey in August with a formal Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), endorsed by Reconciliation Australia. Over the last six months, I have been working with fellow RAP Working Group member Kirsty Horton and Reconciliation Australia to build the framework of our first action plan. Designed to enable our organisation to sustainably […]
Ninni Yabini is a dual language picture book – in Noongar and English – by Cheryl Kickett-Tucker and Tyrown Waigana. We asked Cheryl to tell us more about why she wrote the book and why wants you to read this story with the kids in your life. Why did you write the picture book? I […]
Jayden Boundry has been hard at work behind the scenes recording an online pronunciation guide to support readers of Noongar Boodja Waangkan: First Noongar Words. Launched to coincide with the United Nations International Year of Indigenous Languages, the book was co-created by Jayden, a Wadjak Ballardong Noongar and Badimaya Yamatji man, and Tyrown Waigana, a […]
If you’re like me when you enjoy a thing, you want others to share that joy. The drunk bellowing over your shoulder at the football game might be irksome, but doesn’t it beat being an audience of one? This is particularly so if you’re a writer. Sure, we should write for ourselves (goes the advice), […]