AT an end-of-year literary feast, the 2013 ACT Writers Centre Award winners have been announced.

The Marjorie Graber-McInnis Short Story Award, commemorating the life of a Canberra short story writer, went to Monica Carroll for “This Square Called a Ring”, while Michelle Brock’s “Breath” and Claire Delahunty’s “Feather-light” were highly commended.

The Michael Thwaites Poetry Award, named after the Australian poet, went to Penny O’Hara for “Ode to a Toothbrush”. Claire Delahunty’s poem “After Nights” and Rebecca Fleming’s “An Untimely Death” were highly commended.

In the ACT Writing and Publishing Awards (sponsored by Paperchain Bookstore) non-fiction book category, G.A. Mawer was awarded first place for “Canberry Tales: An Informal History” (Arcadia). “Leaving the Rest Behind: An Immigrant’s Story” by former theatre critic and publisher Ann Nugent, was highly commended.

In the fiction book category, Kaaron Warren’s “Through Splintered Walls” (Twelfth Planet Press) was the winner, with Nigel Featherstone’s “I’m Ready Now” (Blemish Books) and Donald McMaster’s “Provocation” (Arcadia) highly commended.

In the poetry book category, Melinda Smith was the winner for “First…Then…” published by Ginninderra Press. Suzanne Edgar’s “The Love Procession” (Ginninderra Press) and Leon Trainor’s “In Country” (Bat Trang Road Press) were highly commended.

In the children’s book category Tanya Davies’ “Sarah’s Song” (A Tiny Publication) and Mary Teychenne’s “My Aunt Ate a Plate” (Starry Night Publishing) were co-winners.

The Z4 Award for book reviews (sponsored by Zane Hills Wines) went to Duncan Driver’s review of Martin Amis’s novel “Lionel Asbo: State of England”.

Finally, the Anne Edgeworth Writers’ Award for Young ACT Writers, honouring poet, writer, theatre director, academic and conservationist Anne Edgeworth (Godfrey-Smith), went to law student and playwright Brian Obiri-Asare, who receives $4500 to help produce his play “In Between the Solitude of Sunburnt Islands”, and to undertake research for a work of fiction.