Meet Howard McKenzie-Murray, shortlisted for the 2024 City of Fremantle Hungerford Award
Howard McKenzie-Murray says his main character was inspired by a road trip, Huckleberry Finn and his own sister.
He says, ‘Far From Wonderful is somewhere between a coming-of-age and a journey-home story set in Perth and narrated by 21-year-old med student Maud Tarkington. Maud brings you with her through a 24-hour period spanning her 21st birthday and her brother’s funeral. It’s a story about the unrushable, unsexy, awkward and messy grieving process and its collateral damage.’
Tune in on your favourite podcast app to hear a reading from the manuscript and to find out why fiction publisher Georgia Richter shortlisted Far From Wonderful.
Show notes
About Howard
Howard McKenzie-Murray is a writer born on Whadjuk land in the settler-state of WA. He writes fiction and for the theatre. After studying languages and philosophy at UWA and Murdoch University, he lived abroad and travelled widely. These days, he lives in Fremantle, travels when possible, reads, gardens and practises zen.
Follow Howard’s journey on Instagram: @_howardmckenziemurray_
About the hosts
Georgia Richter has an MA (Creative Writing) from the University of Western Australia and is an IPEd Accredited Editor. She has taught creative writing, professional writing and editing at the universities of Melbourne and Western Australia, as well as at Curtin University. Georgia joined Fremantle Press in 2008 as the fiction, narrative non-fiction and poetry publisher.
Books by Georgia Richter, Fremantle Press publisher
How to be an Author: The Business of Being a Writer in Australia
Claire Miller is the Head of Sales and Marketing at Fremantle Press where she produces the Fremantle Press podcast and oversees the City of Fremantle Hungerford Award.
About the award
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Proudly sponsored by the City of Fremantle, Fremantle Press and the Centre for Stories, Western Australia’s most prestigious award for an unpublished work of adult fiction, narrative non-fiction or young adult fiction by an unpublished writer offers a cash prize of $15,000, a publishing contract with Fremantle Press and a fellowship at the Centre for Stories. In 2024, the City of Fremantle Hungerford Award will celebrate its 33rd year.
Music: ‘Letter to a Daughter of St George’, from the Meat Lunch EP: Songs from Floaters. Written by Alan Fyfe. Performed by Trevor Bentley (guitar and vocals – @trevormb) and Chris Parkinson (harmonica). Produced by Blake Carnaby of Nuglife studios with impresario work by Benjamin P. Newton.
Producer: Claire Miller
Mastered and edited by: Aidan d’Adhemar
