UOW writer offered two-book deal in US
Aug 16, 2006
Faculty of Creative Arts senior lecturer Dr Merlinda Bobis, the winner of more than a dozen literary awards and fellowships for her writing, has been offered a two-book deal by Bantam in the United States of America. The deal has been offered for her novel ‘Banana Heart Summer’ which was shortlisted for the 2006 Literature Society Gold Medal and the book she is currently writing called ‘The Solemn Lantern Maker’. Dr Bobis, a Filipino-Australian, has published five poetry books, a collection of short stories and a monograph on writing fiction. Her theatre works have been performed in Australia, France, Philippines and China. This month, Dr Bobis receives a ‘lifetime award’ (the national Philippine Balagtas Award) for her fiction and poetry in English, Philipino and Bicol. In September she will research in Spain a sound ficto-documentary on the poet Federico Garcia Lorca for ABC Radio. A Doctor of Creative Arts graduate (1994) from the University of Wollongong, Dr Bobis' range of literary awards, prizes and fellowships include: * Judges' Choice Award, Bumbershoot Bookfair, Seattle Arts Festival 2001 for 'The Kissing' (Aunt Lute, San Francisco, 2000). Published as 'White Turtle' in Australia and the Philippines * Steele Rudd Australian Short Story Award (For the Best Published Collection of Australian Short Stories) 2000 for 'White Turtle' (Spinifex Press, Melbourne, 1999) * Philippine National Book Award for Fiction 2000 for 'White Turtle' (De La Salle University Press, Manila, 2000) * NSW Ministry for the Arts Writer's Fellowship 2000 for 'Fish-Hair Woman' * The Canberra Universities' Writing Fellowship 2000 for 'Fish-Hair Woman' * Prix Italia (won over entries from 30 countries) 1998 for radio play 'Rita's Lullaby' produced by ABC Radio * Australian Writers' Guild Award (AWGIE) 1998 for 'Rita's Lullaby' * Pamana Philippine Presidential Award for achievement in the arts, 1998 * Winner, Out of the Ashes Trans-Tasman Short Story Competition for 'White Turtle', 1998 * Winner of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Radio National's 'Books & Writing Short Story Competition' for 'The Parable of Illawarra Street', 1997 * Winner of Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Ian Reed Foundation Prize for Radio Drama, for 'Rita's Lullaby', 1996 * Carlos Palanca Memorial Award in Literature, Honourable Mention for 'Ms Serena Serenata', one-act play, Philippines, 1995 * Gawad Award Cultural Centre of the Philippines for Poetry in Filipino for Mula Dulo Hanggang Kanto (From End to Corner), collection of poems, 1990 * Likhaan Award for Daragang Magayon and other poems University of the Philippines Writers' Workshop, 1990 * Carlos Palanca Memorial Award in Literature, Second Prize for Lupang di Hinirang: Kuwento at Sikreto (Land Not Dearest: Story and Secret), collection of poems in Filipino, Philippines, 1989 * Carlos Palanca Memorial Award in Literature, First Prize for Peopleness, collection of poems in English, Philippines, 1987 * Caracoa Award for Outstanding Contributions, Philippines, 1987
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