When Malaysian-Australian author and artist Omar Musa first heard the news that he had won one of the country's most prestigious literary prizes, time seemed to stand still. Specifically, he froze right in the middle of a busy street in the Philippines, traffic whizzing past him, before immediately dialing the most important person in his life: his mother.

"My mother has been absolutely instrumental in helping to shape me and give me the freedom of imagination to create my art," Musa shared. "But not just me—anyone who's in the arts in Canberra or Queanbeyan would know my mother, Helen Musa."

A Unique Upbringing by the River

Musa, who grew up in Queanbeyan near the nation's capital, has long been a force in the creative scene as a poet, hip-hop artist, theatre performer, and visual artist. Now, he can add 2026 Miles Franklin Literary Award winner to his stellar resume for his acclaimed novel, Fierceland.

His journey to literary stardom is deeply rooted in his local upbringing. The son of a magazine editor and arts journalist mother and a Malaysian father, Musa describes his childhood as a beautiful contrast between suburban Queanbeyan streets and Canberra’s vibrant arts culture.

"I grew up in the flats there, spent a lot of time on the river fishing, getting up to all sorts of scallywaggery, running around the drains in the river and the streets," Musa recalled. "But I was also able to go to a lot of exhibitions, a lot of theatre shows, a lot of concerts. Having this privileged sort of access to the arts was really inspiring, really generative."

While other young boys in the neighborhood were steered toward sports, Musa’s parents nurtured his storytelling from day one, handing him a pen and paper to keep his imagination alive—a practice the only child continues to this day.

The Long, Tough Road to 'Fierceland'

The road to winning the Miles Franklin was far from easy. Musa spent over five years researching and writing Fierceland, pushing the manuscript through an exhausting 21 drafts.

"It's such a long, tough slog writing a novel and you're broke all the time," Musa admitted. "You're sort of full of self-doubt and impostor syndrome, wondering whether it's all worth it, whether anyone's going to read it."

The award-winning novel follows two siblings who travel to Malaysian Borneo for the funeral of their father, a man celebrated for his rags-to-riches success. However, they soon uncover a dark legacy of corruption, logging, and environmental destruction. Musa drew heavy inspiration from his own heritage, conducting extensive on-the-ground research deep in the jungles of Borneo to capture the complex realities of the region.

A Community United in Celebration

Despite his national and international success, Musa remains fiercely loyal to his roots, proudly identifying as a product of the local creative ecosystem. That pride is enthusiastically reciprocated by the Queanbeyan community.

Jordan Best, Artistic Director at the Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre, said she always knew Musa was destined for greatness. "He’s so creative in such an incredibly explosive way. It's like he has to just make things... it bursts out of him," Best said. "When someone from a little town like Queanbeyan wins a big award, it just proves art is everywhere."

The performing arts centre recently hosted a packed launch for Musa’s latest release, The Vape Lord of Queanbeyan, which featured a live cello performance by his wife, Mariel Roberts Musa.

Down the street, local businesses are also riding the wave of Musa's success. Carlie Lloyd, owner of Collins Booksellers in Queanbeyan, reported that The Vape Lord of Queanbeyan has become their best-selling book of the year, while Fierceland has completely sold out due to local demand.

"We're very proud of Omar. It couldn't happen to a nicer guy," Lloyd said. "We're just very stoked to be a part of his journey."