Strong field for WA Premier's Book Awards

• Shortlist announced for Western Australia's top literary prizes

• 792 entries, 57 finalists in new biennial format 

A total of 792 eligible entries have been received for the 2016 Western Australian Premier's Book Awards, with 57 making the shortlist.

Announcing the finalists today, Culture and the Arts Minister John Day said there was a strong field of entries, with the independent judging panel working hard to narrow the selection for shortlisting.

"The shortlist announced today demonstrates that Australian writing and publishing is flourishing, with quality works in all categories eligible to win the Premier's Prize," Mr Day said.

"Western Australian authors and publishers have put in a strong showing in a competitive national field.  UWA Publishing and Fremantle Press are both well represented, and the Western Australian Museum's publication Inspired by Light & Land: Designers and Makers in WA by Dorothy Erickson, also features in the shortlist in the WA History category.

The 2016 entries include works published since 2014, after the book awards moved to a biennial format.

"Encouraging parents and carers to read to their children is made easier when there is such a great selection of books for young readers on the shortlist.  Young adult readers are also well catered for, with six titles nominated," the Minister said.

Mr Day thanked the judges for their work to date, noting that the challenging task of picking the category winners and overall winner had only just begun.

The Premier's Prize will be awarded to the best overall entry from all category winners at a ceremony in October 2016.

Fact File

• 2016 Premier's Book Awards category entries: Fiction 149, Non-fiction 170, WA History 42, Children's 186, Poetry 92, Scripts 42, Writing For Young Adults 72, Digital Narrative 20, WA Emerging Writers 19

• There were 493 entries in the 2014 Premier's Book Awards 

Minister's office - 6552 6200

2016 Western Australian Premier's Book Awards Shortlist

Fiction

Allinson, Miles Fever of Animals Scribe Publications (2015)

Bradley, James Clade Penguin Books (2015)

Harrower, Elizabeth In Certain Circles Text Publishing (2014)

Harrower, Elizabeth A Few Days in the Country and Other Stories Text Publishing (2015)

Jones, Gail A Guide to Berlin Vintage Books (2015)

Kinsella, John Crow's Breath Transit Lounge (2015)

London, Joan The Golden Age Vintage Books (2014)

Midalia, Susan Feet to the Stars and Other Stories UWA Publishing (2015)

Ryan, Tracy Claustrophobia Transit Lounge (2014)

Non-Fiction

Atkinson, Alan The Europeans in Australia: Volume 3 - Nation UNSW Press (2014)

Bungey, Darleen John Olsen: An Artist's Life ABC Books, an imprint of HarperCollins (2014)

Garner, Helen This House of Grief Text Publishing (2014)

Niall, Brenda Mannix Text Publishing (2015)

Sayer, Mandy The Poet's Wife Allen and Unwin (2014)

Starke, Ruth and Hannaford, Robert My Gallipoli Working Title Press (2015)

Ward, Biff In My Mother's Hands Allen and Unwin (2014)

Children's Books

Balla, Trace Rivertime Allen and Unwin (2014)

Barnard, Simon A-Z of convicts in Van Dieman's Land Text Publishing (2014)

Caisley, Raewyn and Blair, Karen Hello From Nowhere Viking (2014)

Graham, Bob How the sun got to Coco's house Walker Books (2015)

Kwaymullina, Ezekiel and Morgan, Sally We all sleep Fremantle Press (2015)

Lester, Alison and Honey, Elizabeth Our Island Viking (2014)

McKinlay, Meg A Single Stone, Walker Books (2015)

Metzenthen, David and Camilleri, Michael One Minute's Silence Allen and Unwin (2014)

Millard, Glenda The Duck and the Darklings, Allen and Unwin (2014)

Pignataro, Anna Being Agatha, The Five Mile Press (2015)

Poetry

Dougan, Lucy The Guardians Giramondo (2015)

Holland-Batt, Sarah The Hazards University of Queensland Press (2015)

Kissane, Andy Radiance Puncher & Wattmann (2014)

Maiden, Jennifer The Fox Petition Giramondo (2015)

Malouf, David Earth Hour University of Queensland Press (2014)

WA History

Bolton, Geoffrey Paul Hasluck: A life UWA Publishing (2014)

Erickson, Dorothy Inspired by Light & Land: designers and makers in WA Western Australian Museum (2015)

Morgan, Ruth A. Running Out? Water in Western Australia UWA Publishing (2015)

Newstead, Adrian The Dealer is the Devil: an insider's history of the Aboriginal Art trade Brandl & Schlesinger (2014)

Taylor, John J. Between Duty and Design: the architect soldier UWA Publishing (2014)

Young Adults

Croggon, Alison The River and the Book Walker Books (2015)

Groth, Darren Are You Seeing Me? Random House (2014)

Hayes, Nicole One True Thing Random House (2015)

Lawson, Sue Freedom Ride Black Dog Books, an imprint of Walker Books (2015)

Lomer, Kathryn Talk Under Water University of Queensland Press (2015)

Zorn, Claire The Protected University of Queensland Press (2014)

WA Emerging Writers

Davis, Brooke Lost and Found Hachette Australia (2014)

Glickman, Ray Reality Fremantle Press (2014)

Maling, Caitlin Conversations I've never had Fremantle Press (2015)

Shah, Sami I, Migrant Allen and Unwin (2014)

Scripts

Decent, Campion Unholy Ghosts Australian Script Centre (2014)

Lui, Nakkiah Kill the Messenger Belvoir (2015)

Miller, Suzie Dust Stage Play Black Swan Theatre Company (2014)

Murray-Smith, Joanna The Divorce Currency Press (2015)

Philpott, Lachlan The Trouble with Harry Oberon Books (2014)

Sewell, Stephen Embedded The Yellow Agency (2015)

Digital Narrative

Breeze, Mez A [[Non]] Guardian Age

Crisp, Ben Stasis: 7-118

Dena, Christy Magister Ludi

Powell, Dimity The Chapel of Unlove

Reiter, David P. Timelord Dreaming