Former cleaner wins literary award.

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A former cleaner has beaten legendary power authors, Thomas Keneally and David Malouf, to win the Rudd award for fiction.

Propelled from cleaner to award winning author in one swoop; wow! A hell of an achievement!

Australian Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, decided to establish the prize to commemorate Australian writing. It’s the country's highest paying prize for novels, giving a tax-free cheque of A$100,000 (£44,000).

Rudd selected the frontrunners from a shortlist of seven titles, with help from the panel of judges.
The novel has been praised for its "command of engrossing plot" and its "ethical seriousness", and assures Conte's position as the new voice in Australian fiction.

Conte, 42, funded his writing by working as a barman, life model, taxi driver, public servant and book reviewer, as well being a cleaner in Brussels and a waiter in Cornwall whilst travelling around Europe.

So people, there's hope out there yet. A real life, rags-to-riches tale. It gladdens my heart!

My next post, characters.
My other blog, Bedlam.
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