Help me enter

I was thrilled to hear that the new Australian Government had set up a literary award that was open to Australian writers anywhere in the world who’d had a book published in 2007, even expats. It’s colossal – 100,000 AUD – that’s enough to be able to write for at least three or four years. Of course there’ll be competition, but it’s a prize that’s like the Olympics – and I want to be in it.

And then in the guidelines I saw the one thing that would block me from entering. The print run had to be at least 750 books published. Now a terrific inclusive award was starting to look exclusive in that many small independent publishers, mine included, wouldn’t be able to play.

What if?

What if the 250 copies I still needed to be eligible with my collection of stories, Back Burning, could be published POD by 28 March 2008? That’s about five weeks away. Impossible?

What if it’s possible?

Of course the books would have to be ordered and sold to be PODed and thus considered published.

So here’s the plan.

I’ll donate all my royalties for the 250 to the Indigenous Literacy Project. And I’ll get my publisher to match my donation or even exceed it. How’s that for spreading the word?

And if I don’t make the 250 by 28 March I’ll get my publisher to donate any POD royalties due to me as from the date of posting this message on my blog. That way, the Indigenous Literacy Project will still receive a donation.

So if you haven’t yet bought my book, please do. Please buy online. If you’re a bookshop, please buy through Lightning Source – they sell via the UK and the US, or through BookSurge. If you’re a reader you can get Back Burning at Amazon. But it’s also available from Barnes & Noble and Borders and … heaps of places in the UK, USA, Japan, France, Germany, Ireland, Sweden, Czech Republic, South Africa, Canada – just see the list in the sidebar on my blog.

Please help me be eligible to enter Back Burning in the Prime Minister’s Literary Prize. You’ll also be helping to raise urgently needed funds for literacy for remote Indigenous communities in Australia.

Passion makes possible!

ps. and if you’ve already bought my book and liked it, please pass on the word.