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Joy Killian-Essert joins the podcast to chat with Maria Papas, winner of the 2020 City of Fremantle Hungerford Award, about her manuscript, The Slow Patience of the Sea & Other Stories – an immersive and intimate collection of short stories that weaves its narrative closely with nature. For Joy, the process of writing has been […]

Noongar Boodja Waangkan: Noongar First Words by Wadjak Balardong Noongar and Badimaya Yamatji author Jayden Boundry, and Wardandi Noongar and Ait Koedhal illustrator Tyrown Waigana, is an illustrated book of first Noongar words. Created for those interested in learning about the vibrant, living First Nations language and culture of the Noongar people. The book covers words for family, […]

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'Noongar Boodja Waangkan Stickers'

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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 […]

Maria Papas, winner of the 2020 City of Fremantle Hungerford Award, chats with Marie O’Rourke about her shortlisted manuscript, Kintsugi, a wise and gentle piece of narrative non-fiction. Kintsugi is inspired by the Japanese artform by the same name, celebrating beauty in breakage. Marie discusses how her manuscript uses a delicate touch to work with […]

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 […]

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'Help Owl and Little Star Sparkle'

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On the surface, it seems as though Chemutai Glasheen’s short story ‘The Debt’, in Unlimited Futures, and Maria Papas’ award-winning novel Skimming Stones, don’t have much in common. However, as the second panel at Fremantle Press’s Great Big Book Club got underway, it became clear that Chemutai’s and Maria’s stories and writing processes share quite […]

Gerard McMann joins Maria Papas, winner of the 2020 City of Fremantle Hungerford Award, to talk about his manuscript called Tell Me the Story, a generous and insightful personal narrative non-fiction. Tell Me the Story is a compelling read that reinforces to publisher Georgia Richter that when a story is well told, anything is possible. […]

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 […]

On today’s podcast, Molly Schmidt discusses her manuscript, Salt River Road – a beautiful and moving piece combining verse and prose – with Maria Papas, winner of the 2020 City of Fremantle Hungerford Award. Salt River Road is set in the Great Southern region of Western Australia and follows the aftermath of a beloved mother’s […]

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 […]

I live on a rural bush retreat in Western Australia’s Great Southern region, and have been writing stories obsessively since childhood. After completing a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing at Curtin University, my short fiction began to win or be placed in writing competitions, with a number being published in various journals and anthologies […]

Gerard McCann grew up in Cottesloe in the 1950s and 60s, the second of five boys. Staunch Catholicism had the boys on their knees at night and Sunday mornings, but otherwise running free, exploring and adventuring in the streets and neighbouring gardens. He studied Architecture at the Perth Tech and UWA, and specialised in heritage […]

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 […]

Speaking to host Brooke Dunnell on the Fremantle Press podcast, novelist David Whish-Wilson said the main problem he sees from his students as a Creative Writing teacher is ‘overcoming the fear of the known; overcoming this fear that your life is somehow not authentic and your life is not as interesting as other people’s.’ David’s […]

Calling all storytellers! Join Joanna Morrison at the Open Book for a three-part creative writing course to unlock your creativity, hone your skills, and workshop your own short story in a fun and constructive environment.

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 […]