The history and character of two Wheatbelt towns have helped inspire a novel that has earned Rockingham author Rosanne Dingli a place on the shortlist of one of WA’s highest literary honours.

Dingli’s book, Chance and Necessity: A novel of Narrogin and Williams, has been shortlisted in the 2026 WA Premier’s Book Awards, which recognise excellence in writing across six categories and two special prizes.

The 72-year-old first developed an affection for the Wheatbelt communities while working on a photographic history project of Narrogin and Williams in 1988.

After beginning her career writing poetry, she began writing fiction in 1991.

Dingli said the book centres on two strangers whose lives become increasingly intertwined as they open up about their pasts.

“It‘s about a man and a woman . . . they sort of confide in each other; they’re both very shy, they both have had very bad experiences and gradually the stories of their lives come out in flashbacks, and they realise how similar they are,” she said.

“They’re very different as people and they come from different places, and they were married to different kinds of people but they realise that the patterns of their lives are pretty similar and in all this there’s the history of both towns — Williams and Narrogin.”

Dingli said she hopes people from the two towns would enjoy seeing their history reflected in the novel.

“I hope they love it to bits because in it you can see what narrating used to be like in the 70s and because it’s kind of historical (about the towns),” she said.

The WA Premier’s Book Awards, presented annually by the State Library of WA, celebrate the State’s best contemporary writing, with this year’s shortlist featuring more than 30 authors.

Dingli said being shortlisted for this award was one of her career highlights.

“It makes me feel like I’ve won the lottery,” she said.

“I’ve been quite successful in certain areas but this one, I mean I can stop tomorrow and I’ll be happy.

“I kind of hit the jackpot a bit.”