RHYLL McMASTER's poetry was published in The Bulletin while she was still a schoolgirl. Of her six poetry books, The Brineshrimp won the Harri Jones Memorial Award. Washing the Money won the Victorian Premier's Award and the Grace Leven Prize. Flying the Coop was also awarded the Grace Leven Prize. On My Empty Feet was adapted as a radio play for the ABC. Her poems have been broadcast on national radio and television.
Feather Man, McMaster's first novel, won the inaugural Barbara Jefferis Award and the UTS Glenda Adams Prize in the NSW Premier's Awards. Feather Man was also shortlisted for the Victorian Premier's Award and the Australian Literature Society's Gold Medal. World English rights were sold to Marion Boyars and it has been published in the UK, USA and Canada. It was longlisted for the World Book Day (UK) Spread-the-Word: Books to Talk About 2009 Prize.
Feather Man has been favorably reviewed in The New Statesman and was recommended as Pick of the Week in The Boston Globe. It was chosen for special promotion through independent bookshops by the American Booksellers' Association. It was discussed as Book of the Month on the online Barnes & Noble Book Explorers Club, and Rhyll was interviewed on PRI's The World radio program which is hosted by Lisa Mullins and broadcast across America. She lives in Sydney.