The rich yet economical novella form has been revived with the publication of the upcoming edition of Griffith REVIEW46: Forgotten Stories – The Novella Project II. This issue includes five novella-length stories from some of the country’s best writers with themes exploring the nature of history in Australia.
The Revival
In 2012 Griffith REVIEW released their first Novella Project, and two years on they’re revisiting the form. Novellas have suffered from a demise in print publications due to costs and marketing pressures, but with the popularity of digital publishing and social media the novella is seeing a resurgence. Griffith REVIEW have said that:
We hope [the projects] will help foster a new golden age for the novella with an antipodean perspective”
After an overwhelming response from established and emerging writers from around Australia and New Zealand, a handful of exceptional stories were chosen to redefine the way we approach Australian historical fiction.
The Stories
With written works by Cate Kennedy, John Kinsella, Megan McGrath, Emma Hardman and Masako Fukui, and a picture essay by Michael Cook, the stories in this issue approach our Australian history from various ‘forgotten’ perspectives including an Afghan cameleer, the daughter of a Japanese kamikaze, and an indigenous prime minister (just to name a few).
Challenging our preconceived notions of Australian history is as inspiring and entertaining to read as it is important to our culture. Editor Julianne Schultz says:
The limits of myth, of reducing life on this continent to a few iconic moments, is becoming increasingly apparent – there are richer and more complex tales to be told, tales that in the retelling can increase understanding and open new possibilities.”
Stay tuned to purchase Forgotten Stories – The Novella Project II from Griffith REVIEW through their website in October and keep up to date with subscriptions and offers through their e-newsletter, Facebook and Twitter.