Alumnus shortlisted for prestigious national book award
Published on 18 July, 2011
Congratulations to CQUniversity Master of Letters graduate Nicole Alexander who has been shortlisted for the prestigious ABIA (Australian Book Industry Awards) Newcomer Award for 2011 for her first novel The Bark Cutters.
The award recognises a debut writer in any genre who has produced a work of high standing which achieves substantial sales across all book outlets nationally.
CQUni graduate and shortlisted author Nicole Alexander
On hearing of The Bark Cutter's shortlisting Nicole said, "I was very surprised and thrilled to be shortlisted for this award. It's a great honour just to make the final five. I didn't even realise that I'd been nominated".
Nicole's second work, A Changing Land which was published in March of this year went to Number One on the Australian Fiction Bestseller List (Neilson Bookscan Data), a remarkable achievement for a new fiction author.
The ABIA ceremony will be held at The Hilton Hotel, Melbourne on July 25 July.
Nicole is a fourth generation grazier and the elder daughter of respected north-west graziers Ian and Marita Alexander of ‘Murki', Boomi, NSW.
Despite completing a Masters in Creative Writing degree at the University she never needed to visit the campus. She studied remotely from her country property near the NSW-QLD border, an experience she endorses to anyone looking at becoming a writer.
She was overwhelmed at the support she received from the University through her online course.
"I would check the library website for material and within a few days it was at my door," Nicole said.
