The news is just in:
*drumroll*
The 2018 winner of the MUBA (Most Underrated Book Award) is Living in Hope’ by Frank Byrne, a child of the Stolen Generations (with Frances Coughlan & Gerard Waterford), published by Pilotus Press.
It’s just a day or two since I had a good hunt around to see if I could get a copy of this book, with no luck. So let’s hope this award makes the book more available!
Update 19/12/18 Good news: you can buy a copy from the NT Writers Centre. It’s only $17, postage paid (within Australia).
ANZ LitLovers LitBlog 
Hi Lisa, the MUBA is so good for getting the word out there for small presses – via people like you! Hopefully for the moment people can get hold of the book via the publisher: https://www.ptilotuspress.com/contact/
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By: Emma Ashmere on November 23, 2018
at 8:52 am
Hi Emma, lovely to hear from you – *wink* are you working on a nice new novel for me to read?
Yes, I really would like to get a copy of this winner because it would be perfect for next year’s Indigenous Literature Week in July:)
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By: Lisa Hill on November 23, 2018
at 11:21 am
I hope you can find it – small presses run on such slim resources which why this award is so needed and so good. In answer to your encouraging question, thank you for asking and, well yes, it’s being read at the moment by a mentor – which is very lucky. So, I will definitely let you know if/when it eventually finds its way into book form. In the meantime, have been dusting off some short stories and making small dents in the teetering TBR.
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By: Emma Ashmere on November 23, 2018
at 2:05 pm
It occurs to me that an award like this involves tricky decisions for a small press. How do they calculate the likely extra sales, so that they can do another print run, I wonder.
Maybe they’ll do a digital version….
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By: Lisa Hill on November 23, 2018
at 7:35 pm
Oops, would you believe I had to sign in here to comment – first time I’ve come to your blog since resetting that checkbox this evening!! Not looking good!
Anyhow, thanks for this notification. A bit sad if an award winner, even one like this, can’t be found. Such a great little award. I’m so glad it’s continuing.
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By: whisperinggums on November 23, 2018
at 9:23 pm
It’s so annoying!
If push comes to shove I’ll go into the State Library and try to find a copy to read there…
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By: Lisa Hill on November 23, 2018
at 9:46 pm