Rebecca Higgie talks books, magic and play
The shortlist has been announced for the 2019 Fogarty Literary Award and Western Australian author Rebecca Higgie is on the list. In this podcast she chats to Marketing and Communications Manager Claire Miller about her manuscript The History of Mischief and what it took to create the story.
This includes but is not limited to the concept of how we handle grief, mischief as a magical thing, the extensive research required for each ‘history’, and the other-worldly nature of the town of Guildford. Rebecca also reads an excerpt from her manuscript that spans nine locations, time periods and perspectives, and explores the grief of two bereaved sisters, and how they learn to deal with it in a magical way.
Rebecca is a writer who fosters childhood literacy as the Library Officer at Guildford Primary, WA’s oldest public school. Formerly an academic at Curtin University and Brunel University London, she has published research on satire, politics and play. Her creative works have appeared in publications such as Westerly, Stories of Perth and Australian Love Poems.
The inaugural winner of the Fogarty Literary Award will be announced as part of the next Fremantle Press Great Big Book Read at ECU’s Spiegeltent, 6 pm on Wednesday 22 May 2019. Tickets are free, but places are limited. RSVP to the event on Eventbrite or by emailing
The Fogarty Foundation was established by Brett and Annie Fogarty in 2000 to support and provide educational and leadership opportunities for young people across the spectrum of the Western Australian community. As well as partnering with a range of organisations, the foundation has initiated its own programs that include the UWA Fogarty Scholarship Program, CoderDojo WA and Fogarty EDvance.
This episode of the Fremantle Press podcast is mastered and edited by Aidan d’Adhemar.