#LoveOzYA celebrates the best of new Australian writing for teenagers. It has grown from a humble hashtag into a movement, reflecting the important role young-adult fiction plays in shaping our current generation of readers. This anthology collects, for the first time, some of the tremendous work from the #LoveOzYA community.
Featuring a foreword by award-winning Australian novelist Fleur Ferris (Risk, Wreck, Black and Found), Underdog celebrates the diverse, dynamic and ever-changing nature of our nation’s culture. From queer teen romance to dystopian comedy, hard-hitting realism to gritty allegory, this brilliant, engrossing and inspiring collection of short stories will resonate with any teen reader, proving, yet again, why there is just so much to love about #LoveOzYA.
Tobias Madden: is a writer, editor, and proud Hufflepuff. Originally from Ballarat, Tobias worked as a singer/dancer/actor for 10 years, touring Australia and New Zealand with musicals such as Mary Poppins, CATS, and Guys and Dolls. In recent times, he shifted his attention to the world of writing and publishing. In 2017, he edited an indie anthology called Wolves, and typeset another, called Seasons of Discontent. Underdog is Tobias’ first commercial undertaking as an editor.
Tobias’ dream was to create a platform for aspiring young adult fiction writers to showcase their work, giving them a chance to be seen, heard, and noticed. With this in mind, he began working on the Underdog project, which led to the establishment of Underdog Books and the humble beginnings of the Underdog anthology.
Underdog Books is an independent publisher based in Sydney. Established by editor Tobias Madden in 2017, the company was specifically designed to foster the growth of aspiring Australian young adult fiction writers, and to provide them with platform to have their voices heard.
Underdog: #LoveOzYA Short Stories is the first publication from Underdog Books, and what started out as a very small idea has already grown into something much bigger than anticipated. Tobias hopes that he will be able to build upon this momentum, with a view to publishing full length novels by 2020, focusing on the work of writers from diverse backgrounds.
Underdog: #LoveOzYA Short Stories is available from all leading book retailers including Booktopia. For more information, visit: www.underdogshortstories.com for details.
Image: Underdog: #LoveOzYA Short Stories (supplied)