PRIZES to win! PROMOTIONS
Michael Earp (they/them) is a non-binary writer and bookseller living in Naarm (Melbourne, Australia). They are the contributing editor of Kindred: 12 Queer #LoveOzYA Stories (2019) and contributor to Underdog: #LoveOzYA Short Stories (2019). They recently edited an anthology for Affirm Press (2023). Alison Evans (they/them) is the award-winning author of the queer YA books Ida, Highway Bodies, and Euphoria Kids. Alison is a contributor in Kindred: 12 Queer #LoveOzYA Stories, HomeTown Haunts: A Horror #LoveOzYA anthology, co-edits the zine Concrete Queers and is the fiction editor for #enbylife. They are based on Wurundjeri Land. They are co-editor of the pirates anthology and also a contributor.
'Avast! is vibrant, varied and diverse, a fascinating introduction to some of Australia's best transgender and queer writers. Each compelling take on the pirate theme keeps the reader turning pages, eager to explore new worlds.' Magpies 'Being able to read and see your identity through books and characters like these is essential for tamariki [children] and using pronouns will make everyone feel included.' Read NZ 'Avast! is a treasure trove collection of stories from transgender authors that unites characters who wield courage and creativity in exhilarating escapades, all in search of a place to call home.' Good Reading 'These stories are compiled to present the first of its kind in the Australian YA space. Told through the lens of transgenders writers, this is a diverse and artistic approach to storytelling. While it does focus on characters at the top end of the young adult age bracket, there is much here for other age groups as well.' Children's Book Council of Australia (CBCA) 'Avast! Pirate Stories from Transgender Authors is a unique anthology with a twist ... These bite-sized stories will have you hooked.' Star Observer
