On Gallant Wings Longlisted in the ARA Historical Novel Prize!

I am thrilled to announce that On Gallant Wings has been longlisted in the ARA Historical Novel Prize CYA category! This has been a long-held dream of mine! It’s an honour to be sitting beside such an incredible list of stories and authors.

It’s over 20 years ago since we first discovered Lake Boga and the little-known story of the Catalina Flying Boat sitting on the dirt beside the hidden communications bunker.

Seven years since we returned to find a spectacular museum, and the idea of On Gallant Wings began to form.

Five years since I began writing the first draft and returned to Lake Boga to begin friendships with some lovely people who have championed my book and become important in our lives.

Two visits to Lake Boga to speak at the Women With Wings events.

One trip to Townsville to run workshops and visit sites where the Pigeon Service was based.

One beautiful launch at the War Memorial at The Gums with family and friends.

One stunning launch at the Lake Boga Flying Boat Museum.

One trip to Canberra to launch the book and visit the real war pigeon at the Australian War Memorial.

Hundreds of hours of writing, researching, and editing.

Five months since On Gallant Wings was released into the world.

Writing a book is not a small thing. It’s not a quiet thing. It’s a wild ride of ideas and worlds and discussions and sometimes tears. In historical fiction, it’s forging relationships and finding communities and seeking to honour the past, spending an incredible amount of time getting things right and then pulling them apart to fit your story within it, because history must never get in the way of a great story.
History rocks.

Thank you to the judges and Historical Novel Society Australasia. Good luck, everyone! Shortlists announced on 24th September.

Helen x