The short list for the 2010 Territory Read NT Book of the Year has been announced. Territory Read celebrates the finest accomplishments in contemporary Northern Territory literature.

In this, the second year of the award, 17 entries of recently published books were submitted from across the NT. The entries reflect diversity and calibre of writers in the Territory.

We were fortunate to have judges of such high standing this year, including Gail Jones (shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize), Steve Grimwade (Director of the Melbourne Writers Festival), Yvette Holt (University of Queensland lecturer and poet), Mark Mcleod (acclaimed publisher of children’s literature) and Sandra Thibodeaux (poet, playwright and the Executive Officer of the NT Writers Centre).

After much deliberation, the following six books were short listed for Territory Read Book of the Year. In alphabetical order, they are:

Cassie by Barry Jonsberg (Allen and Unwin)
Every Secret Thing by Marie Munkara (UQP)
Listen Deeply, let these stories in by Kathleen Kemarre Wallace and Judy Lovell
(IAD Press)
My Private Pectus by Shane Thamm (Ford St Publishing)
The Devil you Know by Leonie Norrington (Allen and Unwin)
The Red Highway by Nicolas Rothwell (Black Inc Books)

Territory Read is an award for published books of all genres written by people residing in the Northern Territory. The winner of Territory Read will be announced 12 February 2009, with a year of promotional activities to follow.

Las year’s winner, Andrew McMillan, enjoyed an unprecedented year of national and international promotion that came about as a result of the award. Highlights included: sold-out appearances at the Sydney Writers' Festival, appearances at the other major literary festivals (Brisbane, Melbourne and Ubud), interviews on Radio National and 3RRR, a feature on Stateline (NT) and a column mention in The Weekend Australian, with an overall benefit of increased book sales for his winning title An Intruder’s Guide to East Arnhem Land. Meanwhile, the other short-listed writers, Nick Bland, Jo Dutton, Barry Jonsberg, Alec Kruger/Gerard Waterford and Leonie Norrington also enjoyed extensive promotion through bookshop displays, events and media campaigns.

In 2010, Territory Read enjoys the support of Copyright Agency Limited. Angus & Robertson have also come on board to sponsor the Children and Young Adult Fiction Award. Meanwhile, the Chief Minister will once again sponsor a cash prize for the overall winner. We’d like to thank these sponsors for their generosity. In particular, the CAL grant allows for the payment of judges which will enable us to approach high calibre writers and industry experts from across Australia, with the result that NT books will gain further promotion from the award.

Territory Read is an initiative of the Northern Territory Writers’ Centre supported by Arts NT.

Hard copies are available for review from NT Writers Centre.

Writers’ biographies and book synopses attached. For more info please contact NTWC on 08 89 412 651