Cross-posted from Australianwomenwriters.com.
(Will this appear in “News”?)
This week the Australian Women Writers Challenge reached a milestone: over 1000 reviews have been linked to the site.
We should be celebrating, right?
Or should we?
Over at Meanjin last week, while discussing the progress of funding for The Stella Prize, Chris Flynn wrote: “Is it too late to predict contenders for the inaugural Stella Prize? Too late, I’m doing it.”
Flynn proceeded to list 10 books of fiction released in 2012.
So far, six of these have been reviewed for AWW :
- Carrie Tiffany. Mateship with Birds, reviewed by Angela Meyer, Tony’s Reading List, Janine Rizzetti
- Deborah Robertson Sweet Old World, reviewed by Lisa Walker, Angela Meyer, Whispering Gums
- Paddy O’Reilly The Fine Colour of Rust, reviewed by Kate Rizetti, Shelleyrae, Maree K, Helene Young, Jenny Schwarz, Lisa Walker, Angela Meyer
- Susan Johnson, My Hundred Lovers, reviewed by Jessica White, Marg
- Drusilla Modjeska, The Mountain, reviewed by Stephanie RIASS
- Romy Ash, Floundering, reviewed by Shambolic Living, Jon Page, Su Luus, Sian Campbell, Jessica White
Four of the ten have not.
It made me wonder to what extent the challenge has achieved what it set out to achieve: to help redress the gender imbalance of reviews in literary pages. Would these participants have read and reviewed the above books anyway?
What about the other books on Flynn’s list? Any plans to read and review?
- Josephine Rowe, Tarcutta Wake
- Toni Jordan, Nine Days (forthcoming in September)Â
- Chloe Hooper, The Engagement
- Michele De Kretser, Questions of TravelÂ
I’m planning to read Chloe Hooper’s book as soon as it comes out (although it takes me a while to get around to writing reviews) – I’m a huge fan of her work.
Hi Jessica, Thanks for popping over. How did you know the new blog was here? We’re only just setting up as a test site in advance of next year’s challenge and I haven’t promoted it.
I must admit, I haven’t even read The Tall Man, yet. It’s the type of thing that needs fortitude, but I will get around to it. It’s on my “to be read” pile.
Hi Elizabeth, I got an alert from my blog, as you linked to it, and clicked on the link – I didn’t realise it was a new site (sorry! am not v observant this Friday arvo) ‘The Child’s Book of True Crime’ was such a clever, beautiful and unsettling piece of work, and so different to The Tall Man, that I’m really interested to see what she does next.
Oh, that explains it, thanks, Jessica. WordPress is continuing to impress me. The Child’s Book of True Crime sounds like my kind of read. (I don’t mind getting this one up and running concurrently, sort of like handing over a baton in a relay: so long as people forgive the teething problems.)
Yes! I’ve read Toni Jordan’s newie & plan to write a small review. I’ve just posted a small Q&A with her on the MWF blog. I’ve also read Tarcutta Wake (just gorgeous) but Josephine is a friend so I probably won’t be reviewing it. 1000 reviews! You should certainly be congratulated for putting together such a successful (& worthy) challenge.
That’s great to hear, Angela. As I wrote to Jessica, I wasn’t expecting people to find this test AWW blog so quickly. It’s still very much in draft form. But I’m so glad there’s still energy and enthusiasm around the challenge, enough to keep it going next year.
Well now that you’ve drawn my attention to it I’ll make it a goal to read them all. (Also was directed here from the pingback to my blog).
Fantastic, Janine! As for the pingbacks, I didn’t realise that happens. It’s a good system, though. I have a feeling WordPress is going to be very good for next year’s challenge.
Yes, I’m planning to read the Toni Jordan, at least. It’s in my house – just not yet read. I;ve never heard of Romy Ash I must say. And, I didn’t know de Kretser had a new one out (or, if I did, I’d forgotten in). I’ve read two of her books and like them immensely. (And yes, the pingback alerted me, though I’ve also subscribed to the site.)
Well, that’s good news, Sue. I’m glad this is performing a useful function. I must watch those pingbacks though! Still, so long as people realise this is a test site, and don’t expect all the pages to have content and the links to work, I’m happy.
I think you should be … it looks like it’s working well.
The pingbacks work, Elizabeth!
It does, Helene! Thanks for dropping by and for your reviews. What do you think of the draft AWW site so far?