The Winner of the 2021 The Australian/Vogel’s Literary Award is Emma Batchelor, 32 from Canberra. Her novel, Now That I See You, is an authentic, complex and intimate exploration of identity, gender, sexuality, love and mental health. This auto-fiction novel spans over 18 months of a long-term relationship, after one partner discloses to the other that they are transgender.
The judges were unanimous with their praise, saying:
‘A psychological masterclass in exploring why and how we become who we are and what that means for the people closest to us. This is a novel about love—of others and of self—and wants and needs and urges. The lovers at its centre have their own particular challenges, but deep down they could be any couple.’ –Stephen Romei, Literary Editor of The Australian
The Australian/Vogel’s Literary Award is one of Australia’s richest and most prestigious literary prizes for an unpublished manuscript from an author under the age of thirty-five. This longstanding award is integral to Australia’s cultural landscape, having launched the careers of over 100 Australian authors, including Tim Winton, Rohan Wilson, Kate Grenville, Andrew McGahan and Gillian Mears.