Rhyll McMaster
Encyclopedia
Rhyll McMaster is a contemporary Australian poet
and novelist. She has worked as a secretary, a nurse and a sheep farmer. She now lives in Sydney
and has written full-time since 2000.
Her poems have been appearing in Australian publications since she was sixteen. Her first book of poetry
, The Brineshrimp, 1972, won the Harri Jones Memorial Prize for Poetry
; Washing the Money, 1986, was awarded the C.J. Dennis Prize for Poetry and the Grace Leven Prize for Poetry
. On My Empty Feet was published in 1993 and poems from that selection were broadcast as a play for radio by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
in 1996. Flying the Coop, New and Selected Poems, 1972-1994, was awarded the Grace Leven Prize for Poetry
in 1994. Chemical Bodies, A Diary of Probable Events, 1994-1997 was published in 1997.
Her first novel, Feather Man was published in Australia
by Brandl & Schlesinger in 2007 and in the UK, US & Canada by Marion Boyars Publishers
, 2008. It was awarded the inaugural 2008 Barbara Jefferis Award
and the UTS Glenda Adams Award for New Writing, New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards
, 2008. It was shortlisted for the Vance Palmer Prize for Fiction
, Victorian Premier's Literary Award
, 2007 and for the Australian Literature Society Gold Medal, 2008 for an outstanding literary work.
McMaster has also been employed by The Canberra Times
as a poetry editor and a book reviewer by The Sydney Morning Herald
and The Australian
.
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
and novelist. She has worked as a secretary, a nurse and a sheep farmer. She now lives in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
and has written full-time since 2000.
Her poems have been appearing in Australian publications since she was sixteen. Her first book of poetry
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
, The Brineshrimp, 1972, won the Harri Jones Memorial Prize for Poetry
Harri Jones Memorial Prize for Poetry
The Harri Jones Memorial Prize for Poetry is an annual prize awarded by the University of Newcastle, Australia, to “an Australian poet, not yet 36 years of age, whose work in the field of poetry is judged to be outstanding”. The Prize is name for T...
; Washing the Money, 1986, was awarded the C.J. Dennis Prize for Poetry and the Grace Leven Prize for Poetry
Grace Leven Prize for Poetry
The Grace Leven Prize for Poetry is an annual award given in the name of Grace Leven who died in 1922. It was established by William Baylebridge who "made a provision for an annual poetry prize in memory of 'my benefactress Grace Leven' and for the publication of his own work"...
. On My Empty Feet was published in 1993 and poems from that selection were broadcast as a play for radio by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
in 1996. Flying the Coop, New and Selected Poems, 1972-1994, was awarded the Grace Leven Prize for Poetry
Grace Leven Prize for Poetry
The Grace Leven Prize for Poetry is an annual award given in the name of Grace Leven who died in 1922. It was established by William Baylebridge who "made a provision for an annual poetry prize in memory of 'my benefactress Grace Leven' and for the publication of his own work"...
in 1994. Chemical Bodies, A Diary of Probable Events, 1994-1997 was published in 1997.
Her first novel, Feather Man was published in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
by Brandl & Schlesinger in 2007 and in the UK, US & Canada by Marion Boyars Publishers
Marion Boyars Publishers
Marion Boyars Publishers is an independent publishing company located in Great Britain, publishing books that focus on the humanities and social sciences.-External links:*...
, 2008. It was awarded the inaugural 2008 Barbara Jefferis Award
Barbara Jefferis Award
The Barbara Jefferis Award is an Australian Literary award prize. The award was created in 2007 after being endowed by John Hinde upon his death to commemorate his late wife, author Barbara Jefferis. It is funded by his $1 million bequest....
and the UTS Glenda Adams Award for New Writing, New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards
New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards
The New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards were established in 1979 by the New South Wales Premier Neville Wran. Commenting on its purpose, Wran said: "We want the arts to take, and be seen to take, their proper place in our social priorities...
, 2008. It was shortlisted for the Vance Palmer Prize for Fiction
Vance Palmer Prize for Fiction
The Vance Palmer Prize for Fiction is a component of the annual Victorian Premier's Literary Award and is valued at A$30,000. Most Australian state premiers present annual Australian literary awards to promote Australian writing in all its forms. The award is named after Vance Palmer...
, Victorian Premier's Literary Award
Victorian Premier's Literary Award
The Victorian Premier's Literary Awards were created by the Victorian Governmentwith the aim of raising the profile of contemporary creative writing and Australia's publishing industry....
, 2007 and for the Australian Literature Society Gold Medal, 2008 for an outstanding literary work.
McMaster has also been employed by The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times newspaper was founded in 1926 in Canberra, Australia by Arthur Shakespeare.It was the second paper to be printed in the city, the first being The Federal Capital Pioneer. The paper was sold to the Fairfax group in the 1960s by Arthur Shakespeare on the condition that it continue...
as a poetry editor and a book reviewer by The Sydney Morning Herald
The Sydney Morning Herald
The Sydney Morning Herald is a daily broadsheet newspaper published by Fairfax Media in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1831 as the Sydney Herald, the SMH is the oldest continuously published newspaper in Australia. The newspaper is published six days a week. The newspaper's Sunday counterpart, The...
and The Australian
The Australian
The Australian is a broadsheet newspaper published in Australia from Monday to Saturday each week since 14 July 1964. The editor in chief is Chris Mitchell, the editor is Clive Mathieson and the 'editor-at-large' is Paul Kelly....
.
External links
- Rhyll McMaster's official website
- 3 poems
- Review of Feather Man from Australian Book ReviewAustralian Book ReviewAustralian Book Review is Australia's leading literary review. Created in 1961 the ABR is an independent non-profit organisation that publishes articles, reviews, commentaries, essays, and new writing...
- Review of Feather Man from Brisbane TimesBrisbane TimesBrisbane Times is an Internet-based news site for Brisbane and Queensland, Australia. It was launched on 7 March 2007 by then-Queensland Premier Peter Beattie....
- An excerpt from the novel Feather Man from Marion Boyars