Laughing River is an unpublished novel that is shortlisted for the 2025 Dorothy Hewett Award. In this short interview, with UWA Publishing intern Reilly McGrath, N. J. Madden shares how it feels to be shortlisted and his advice for writers looking to submit to the Dorothy Hewett Award in the future.
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N. J. Madden is a Naarm-based writer. Madden’s debut novel, Laughing River, was shortlisted for the Unpublished Manuscript Award at the Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards 2024. He was among the writers selected for the Wheeler Centre’s Hot Desk Fellowship for 2025 and has also been a featured artist at the Emerging Writers' Festival. Madden studied literature at university, focusing on eco-criticism which deeply influences his work. Â
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Laughing River is a thrilling historical fiction novel about a boy who grows to become a feared bushranger, before going through a moral and spiritual crisis. Set against the pristine but violent backdrop of the goldrush era, it is a meditation on what becomes of individuals when they are held together only by an instinct to survive. The 2025 Dorothy Hewett Award judges commented "A captivating road novel set during what appears to be the Victorian gold rush, Laughing River chronicles the hardening of a young boy into an inveterate survivalist, as he drifts from one locale to the next, changing names and companions along the way. Through its tightly controlled narration and subtle music, the novel, like its characters, is charged with a powerful reticence that gives each burst of violence or tenderness an almost mythic resonance."
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UWA Publishing intern, Reilly McGrath, interviewed N. J. about his shortlisting:
Reilly: What does being shortlisted for the Dorothy Hewett Award mean to you? Â
N. J.: Being shortlisted for the Dorothy Hewett Award is significant and marks a turning point for me as a writer. I’ll note firstly how unexpected it was. This is a field where nothing is guaranteed, so when you do find support it should be appreciated, and on this scale is something exceptional to me. Right now I’m still moving through it, but I know in the future it will be a moment to look back on as a deeply encouraging and motivating level of recognition, and an honour I won’t take for granted. Â
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Reilly: How long have you been working on this piece, and what made you want to submit to the DHA this year? Â
N.J.: It’s hard to keep track. At this point the manuscript’s gone through so many versions it’s difficult to say when it really began. Shortest answer is a few years, at least! And as to why I submitted, I was wondering where this piece might belong, and I was drawn to the kind of work platformed by the Dorothy Hewett Award over the last few years. Considering what I was exploring with my novel, I couldn’t help but follow the gut feeling that submitting to the DHA was the right path for it. Â
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Reilly: Do you have any advice for writers considering submitting their work in to the Dorothy Hewett Award in the future?Â
N.J.: This award is so unique and has introduced the world to outstanding artists and their work. It’s a rare opportunity for a writer to be considered in this way, and if you feel your work is ready to be shared and there are people you want to share it with, then don’t hold back. Â
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Laughing River is an unpublished fiction manuscript shortlisted for the 2025 Dorothy Hewett Award. The winner will be announced late July.
Reilly McGrath is a former Bachelor of Arts student from the University of Western Australia, with First Class Honours in English Literary Studies. Â
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Check out our interviews with the other 5 shortlisted writers:
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