Tasmanian author Susie Greenhill won the A$10,000 (about US$7,675) Richell Prize for Emerging Writers for the manuscript of an "ecological love story" titled The Clinking. The award is a partnership between Guardian Australia, the Emerging Writers' Festival and Hachette Australia in memory of Matt Richell, the Hachette Australia CEO who died in a surfing accident in 2014. In addition to the cash award, Greenhill receives a mentorship and a publication option with Hachette.
Michaela McGuire, a prize judge and director of the Emerging Writers' Festival, described Greenhill's writing as "electric, and profoundly affecting."
Greenhill said: "I feel like there are a lot of voices that don't get heard adequately and right now one of those is the natural world.... It's a beautiful opportunity. I hope I can create something that would make [Matt Richell] proud. I am totally overwhelmed."