A confronting tale of heartbreak and redemption

Omega Park is a housing commission estate on the fringes of Queensland’s Gold Coast. Dingo Patterson and Jacob Box are growing up and trying to survive.

Surrounded by broken families, crime and desperation, they are young men with dreams of a different life. When a car chase ends in tragedy for one of the boys, relations with police and within the community reach crisis point.

‘Omega Park is an engaging read and exerts a considerable narrative grip. This tour through the dark underside of the Gold Coast is eye-opening and ultimately satisfying.’ Australian Literature Review

‘Omega Park is a powerful first novel.’ Bookseller + Publisher

‘Amy Barker has written a gently fierce story that is one of the best novels of this year.’ Courier Mail

‘The strength of Barker’s debut resides in her unflinching descriptions of Omega Park and her evident yet clear-eyed sympathy for those trapped within its confines.’ Weekend Australian

‘This is not the Gold Coast of the tourism ads and postcards, but is a representation of the cold reality of every modern city.’ Gold Coast Bulletin

Read more about Omega Park >
Read more critical praise >

The judges were unanimous in choosing Omega Park as winner of the biennial award, established in 1994 by IBBY Australia founding president Ena Noël with the aim of encouraging and assisting young, emerging Australian authors and illustrators of children’s and YA books.

IBBY Australia award announcement >
Ena Noël Award and past winners >

Now in its twenty third year, the FAW Christina Stead Award is for a work of fiction first published in Australia.

Other Highly Commended authors in this category were Sonia Hartnett for Butterfly, HM Brown for Red Queen and Adair Robin for Death & the Running Patterer, while David Brooks was Commended for The Umbrella Club and Justine Larbalestier won for her book Liar.

The judges commented, “Originality; skilful writing and plotting; and insight into the human condition were the common threads that linked all the books that made it on to the short-list… The compulsion to keep reading was strong in each of the short-listed titles…Un-put-down-ability was a box that each of the short-listed books ticked.”

The headliner for this year’s festival is Bret Easton Ellis, author of the cult classic, American Psycho!

Amy’s Main Program Sessions:

Fri 6 Aug 9-10am From manuscript to market: getting my book on the shelf, with Daniel Ducrou, Darren Groth and Tasma Walton, chaired by Peter Bishop.

Fri 6 Aug 12-12.30pm 30 Minutes with: readings and musings from Amy Barker (an opportunity for readers to get up close and personal in an intimate venue).

Sun 8 Aug 1.30-2.30pm Heightened states: fragility and danger in young lives, with Georgia Blain and Patrick Holland, chaired by Peter Bishop.

Amy will also take part in the Secondary Schools Day on the panel Suburban Mayhem: characters on the edge, as well as conducting a Workshop on writing your first novel.

For the full program / tickets visit the Byron Bay Writers Festival website.

Amy will lead the workshop themed From Manuscript to Market, which will cover topics such as your choice of subject matter, drafts, pitching your book and the where/who/how of the submission process.

Amy will also talk about what happens during and after the editing, publication and review process.

When: Saturday 20 March / 11.00am-1:00pm
Where: The Edge, State Library of Queensland, Cultural Centre, Stanley Place, South Brisbane.

Express Media provides support and development opportunities for young Australians in writing and media.

In addition to student sessions on each day of the festival, Amy will be appearing in The Journey of the Book seminar with author of young adult and adult fiction Belinda Jeffrey and UQP Children’s Publisher Kristina Schulz.

When: Wednesday 17 March / 10.30am-12.00pm
Where: Somerset College, Mudgeeraba
Tickets: On sale 15 February

From writing to editing, design, promotion and professional development, this seminar is a must for any aspiring writer.

Description: Society’s margins can mean the end of the road for some, and offer the possibility of escape for others. The underclass narrative is underrepresented on bookshop shelves. Amy Barker aims to change that.

The Smith Family is a national, independent non-profit organisation committed to helping disadvantaged Australian children by unlocking opportunities through education and learning.

Chris Nyst is a high-profile criminal lawyer, author and the award winning screenwriter of the film Gettin’ Square, which is set on the Gold Coast.