James McKenzie Watson
James McKenzie Watson writes fiction with a focus on health and rural Australia. His novel Denizen won the 2021 Penguin Literary Prize and was shortlisted in the 2023 Ned Kelly Awards for Best Debut. Denizen also received a 2021 Varuna Residential Fellowship and a 2021 KSP Residential Fellowship. James has written for The Guardian, Meanjin and Kill Your Darlings. He has appeared at events including the Sydney Writers Festival, Newcastle Writers Festival and BAD Crime Sydney, and taught creative writing for organisations including Writing NSW. He co-hosts the writing and health podcast James and Ashley Stay at Home and works as a nurse.