Holden Sheppard

One town, three boys: Zeke, a shy over-achiever, struggling with his family's Catholic expectations and the weight of his Sicilian heritage. Charlie, a hard-core rocker, who's not as tough as he looks. Hammer, a footy jock with big AFL dreams, and an even bigger ego. All three share a secret. Will revealing it make them or break them? By turns hilarious and harrowing, but ultimately hopeful, this gripping novel explores what it is grow up gay in rural Australia.

Invisible Boys

Laura Jean McKay

Lech Blaine

Rick Morton

Sami Shah

Growing Up in Country Australia is a fresh, modern look at country Australia. There are stories of joy, adventure, nostalgia, connection to nature and freedom, but also more grim tales - of drought, fires, mouse plagues and isolation. From the politics of the country school bus to the class divides between locals, from shooting foxes with Dad to giving up meat as an adult, from working on the family farm to selling up and moving to the city, the picture painted is diverse and unexpected. This is country Australia as you've never seen it before. Including nearly forty stories by established and emerging authors from a wide range of backgrounds - including First Nations and new migrants - Growing Up in Country Australia is a unique and revealing snapshot of rural life. Contributors include Holden Sheppard, Laura Jean McKay, Annabel Crabb, Sami Shah, Lech Blaine, Tony Armstrong, Bridie Jabour, Jes Layton, Lily Chan, Jay Carmichael and many others.

Edited by Rick Morton

Growing Up in Country Australia

A group of teenagers on schoolies find themselves confronting life-changing tragedy head-on in this electrifying novel by an award-winning YA author.

Holden Sheppard

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