3 March 2014
Looking back at 2013, it seemed like a great time to be an Australian debut novelist. There were two supernova first novels - Graeme Simsion's The Rosie Project and Hannah Kent's Burial Rites, plus strong work that sold well from debut novelists such as Fiona McFarlane. Publishing houses appeared to be reaching out: throwing open their doors with pitch days, and digital-only imprints searched for new talent.
The doom and gloom of the last few years - with the closure of Borders, and Angus and Robertson - has given way to more optimistic outlook. The Australian Financial Review last month declared that "we are reading more than ever before".
