Gallipoli novel on PM short list

• Stephen Romei, Literary editor
• From: The Australian
• May 28, 2011 

WHEN former New Zealand soldier Stephen Daisley published his first novel, Traitor, one of his old army mates emailed him.

"Dais," he wrote, "I see you are an author now. Read your book. Didn't understand a f. . .king word of it. But good on you, mate."

Daisley, who now lives in Perth, remembered that critique yesterday when his novel was shortlisted for the Prime Minister's Literary Awards. "It's a huge honour," he said. "A fine Australian nod for this Kiwi."
Traitor, a novel about patriotism and friendship that starts on the beaches of Gallipoli, is one of five finalists for the fiction prize, worth $80,000 tax-free.

The judges have described it as "brilliant, poignant and provoking". It won the best first novel prize at the NSW Prime Minister's Literary Awards last week.

Full story at The Australian.