GLEN Forrest writer David Harris has been shortlisted for Fremantle Press’ Hungerford Award and is in the running to win a $15,000 cash prize, a publishing contract and a fellowship for his novel Moments in Dust.

The Hungerford Award is Western Australia’s most prestigious literary award for an unpublished manuscript by an unpublished writer and is now in its 35th year.

Mr Harris said being shortlisted felt very significant to him.

“It feels like an acknowledgement of the work I’ve been quietly building,” he said.

“It’s also meaningful because the Hungerford has a history of recognising emerging Western Australian writers, which means my name gets to be mentioned alongside theirs!”

Mr Harris won his first writing competition in 2019 with the City of Armadale and later went on to win the Best Australian Yarn in 2022 and was again shortlisted in 2024.

In 2025 he was selected for the Writing WA Emerging Writers Program, and earlier this year he was shortlisted for the Furphy Literary Award.

His recent novel Moments in Dust is about two best friends who leave Kalgoorlie to head into the far north of Western Australia to work on a cattle station.

“At least, that’s what happens,” he said.

“What it’s about, is toxic friendship, generational trauma, survivorship, and the reasons why young men struggle to become men in truth.”

Mr Harris said he tried to strip away any exposition and let the words and actions of the characters speak for themselves.

“(This) somehow left the world feeling more visceral. It came slowly, but it came honestly, and the end result is something I’m really proud of,” he said.

“I began to write it when I finally stopped trying to think of what might get me published, and instead just wrote something that was compelling to me.”

The winner of the Hungerford Award will be announced on Friday, October 16 at the Walyalup Civic Centre from 6pm to 8.30pm.

General admission is free and tickets are available through Fremantle Press’ website.