New Zealand Book Council

Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser.

Kia ora,

The New Zealand Book Council is celebrating its part in a group of industry bodies, including the Publisher’s Association, Booksellers New Zealand, Book Month and the New Zealand Society of Authors, which last week formed a new alliance that will work together to help promote books and reading. It’s a hugely exciting development that we hope will lead to much greater collaboration and innovation in the coming year.

I have also just returned from a research trip to the Frankfurt Book Fair on behalf of Creative New Zealand to look into new ways of promoting our country’s literature overseas. Frankfurt is the major world gathering for anyone connected to the book industry and I’ve written a short piece on the experience for Booksellers New Zealand which you can find here.

The New Zealand International Arts Festival launched last week and boasts a huge array of literary talent that will be visiting Wellington in March next year. Scientist Richard Dawkins, historian Simon Schama,and novelists Sarah Waters, Chloe Hooper, Kamila Shamsie, Neil Cross and Susanna Moore, plus the multi-talented writer Neil Gaiman are among the extraordinary range of writers that we’ll be looking forward to during the Writers and Readers Festival. A full listing of the first wave of announcements is available here, on the Festival website. Tickets for solo events featuring Dawkins, Schama, Waters, Gaiman, and the opening event are available from Ticketek from Thursday 19 November.

As regular visitors to our website may have noticed, the Book Council is now on twitter! We are tweeting a couple of times a day, keeping you updated on what's new on our site and in the NZ literary scene. Follow us at nzbookcouncil.

Finally, we would like to acknowledge the life of Heather McKenzie, Publicity Director of VUP, who died suddenly two weeks ago. Heather will be much missed by the literary community and our thoughts are with her partner Neil Brown and all her friends, family and colleagues across the country and beyond.

Best wishes,

Noel

Launch of innovative new book experience

'...Ah Laps grocery where you could buy Chinese Ginger in jars, the Scout Hall, the Anglican church, the Jam factory. And vineyards and farms on the other.'
Maurice Gee, Going West (1992)

Going West, which is launched this month on YouTube literally brings the experience of reading alive in an immersive creative video stop-motion animation. The brainchild of Nick Worthington of Colenso BBDO, and the creative work of siblings Martin Andersen and Line Andersen, Going West aims to promote and inspire the love of reading and books. You can view it here.

The School Library

The School Library is our publication produced especially for our school members, featuring reviews from leading children’s book reviewer Crissi Blair, editor of New Zealand Children's Books in Print.

Inside The School Library you will find book reviews for children of all ages plus Writers in Schools writer interviews, and news and commentaries from the New Zealand children's book world.

* Current issue
* Reviews searchable archive
* The School Library PDF archive

New Zealand Book Council writers' file intake

The New Zealand Book Council would like to announce their new criteria for accepting writers’ applications to be a part of the NZBC New Zealand Writers’ database is now available online here. Further criteria for joining the Writers in Schools programme is now here.

As the current demand for the service exceeds their resources, the Book Council will select up to 5 authors every six months (in July and December) to create files for in their Writers’ Database. In the case of Writers in Schools writers, there will be up to 10 selected at the end of each year. All applications will be considered by a panel of experts, and the Book Council panel reserves the right to request applications from writers they believe should be represented on the Files or in their education programmes.

The next cut-off date for applications to be part of the Writers’ database, or to be part of the 2010 Writers in Schools programme is Friday 11 December. To find more out about the Writers in Schools programme and other education programmes from the writer’s point of view, please go here. All application forms can be found online, and should be sent to Sarah Forster, Education Manager and Web Administrator, web@bookcouncil.org.nz, or via post at:

New Zealand Book Council
Level 7, Alan Burns Insurances House
69-71 Boulcott St
Wellington 6035
Fax: (04) 499 1424

Speed Date An Author Winner Announced

Aimee Penman from Saints Peter and Paul School, Lower Hutt, has won the New Zealand Book Council’s inaugural Speed Date an Author student writing competition for her entry, ‘A Treasure Trunk of Memories’. The year 7 student said she was amazed and proud of herself. ‘I am honoured that my narrative was selected as the winner. And I’m excited about winning more books to read!’ said Aimee.

The judges said Aimee’s story was an evocative and moving piece of writing about an elderly woman climbing her childhood tree and remembering her first love. They were particularly impressed at her poetic use of language and strong characterisation.

Aimee wins $100 worth of Book Tokens from Booksellers New Zealand and a pile of books by the 2009 Speed Date an Author writers, as well as winning her school a free 12-month membership of the New Zealand Book Council. Her story can now be found in the NZ Book Council’s Creative Writers’ Gallery.

Two other young writers were also recognized in the competition, which was open to the 57 students who participated in the Speed Date an Author workshop. First runner-up Daisy Lutyens (Year 8) from Wadestown School placed with the fantasy-inspired ‘Not a Chance in Heaven’. Second runner-up Logan Byrne (Year 8), with the tension-filled story ‘Balloons’, was also from Saints Peter and Paul School. Both of these young writers win a pile of books, and have also had their work published online in the Creative Writers’ Gallery.

Saints Peter and Paul teacher, Patricia Roche said, ‘I am proud of Aimee’s and Logan’s efforts, and pleased that their efforts and abilities have been recognised on a wider stage.’

Background
Speed Date An Author is the latest incarnation of the New Zealand Book Council’s Writers in Schools programme. Groups of top writing students spend fifteen minutes each with six of New Zealand’s best children’s writers and illustrators as they share their experience, knowledge and passion for reading and writing. The 2009 writers were: Tessa Duder, Gavin Bishop, Mandy Hager, Melinda Szymanik, Maria Gill, and Ruth Paul.

School membership of the New Zealand Book Council allows schools to request a free author visit through the Writers in Schools programme, which sees leading New Zealand writers reach 50,000 students each year. If you are interested in becoming a member, please see further information here.

Six Easy Questions with Jo McColl

Jo McColl is co-owner of Unity Books in Auckland and she answers six easy questions on the eve of the launch of Unity Books' brand new website.

1. What will be on offer for visitors to the new Unity website?
I am truly excited about our new website. It is being lovingly developed by our very own Lily Richards, who has used the Unity ‘What’s in Here?’ brown paper bags as a general visual theme – it looks fantastic! As for what’s on offer? Well, you’ll just have to visit! I believe it’s as unique as the store and that it truly reflects the passion and excitement that Unity has for great books.

2. What initially drew you to the New Zealand book trade?
I left Victoria University in 1979 and applied for a job in Unity Books Wellington. It was simply the best bookstore in the country as far as I was concerned – chock full of American imports. You have to remember that this was back in the Dark Ages when the British publishing empire ruled over our choices of reading material. Unity’s books were radically different. Alan Preston gave me a job and I’m still here (I’ve just realised it’s thirty years this year). I do know that I have the best job in the world!

3. The Nigel Cox Unity Books Award was announced last week. What does this celebrate?
There are a lot of awards and grants for writers in New Zealand. Most involve money, but any writer hoping to write full-time and exist on their winnings will have to be frugal. I see it all the time in Unity. Most writers don’t spend much money on books. I thought it would be great to have an award that would be the equivalent of a bookaholic’s treat – a $1000 book token to be spent at leisure. It seemed right that this award – which is all about being able to consume books – should be named the Nigel Cox Unity Books Award. Probably given annually, this book token will go to the author considered to have an exceptional way with words. My aim with this is to make some writer seriously happy!

4. Are there books that you've read more than once, and why?
No, never – there’s always far too many gorgeously tempting brand new books to immerse myself in.

5. What is the most exciting book that you've read this year?
Without a doubt Parrot and Olivier by Peter Carey. Every second novel of his is genius but he’s surpassed even his own brilliance with this one. I loved it from start to finish.

6. What is on your bedside table right now?
Too many books to fit on the table as usual! Slightly ahead in the ‘read me’ stakes are Jasper Johns by Craig Silvey, Ransom by David Malouf and Crossroads by Philip Caputo. Right now I’m about two-thirds through Paul Auster’s latest, Invisible, which is his best for ages. If he pulls off a decent ending it will be in my top five for the year.

Award and competition applications

2010 CWA Debut Dagger Writing Competition 2010

The Crime Writers Association (CWA), based in the United Kingdom, has now opened the entry period for the 2010 CWA Debut Dagger, a prestigious writing competition for unpublished authors from throughout the world. Entries for the 2010 Debut Dagger will be accepted online or by post by the CWA between 31 October 2009 and 6 February 2010

The CWA Debut Dagger Award was established in 1998 and is open to all writers who have not had a novel published commercially. Entrants submit the opening chapter(s) of their novel (up to 3,000wds) as well as a synopsis of the full novel.

Readers wanting further information about the 2010 CWA Debut Dagger, including rules, FAQs, and advice on submissions, can visit here. For Craig Sisterson's advice to new crime writers, go to this page.
-------------

Rodney Writing Competition: Your story

Sponsored by the Rodney District Council, this year you have the freedom to choose a topic of your choice. You may write a short story (up to 2,500 words) about anything. Write to inspire, provoke, excite or entice your reader. We encourage you to be creative in your thinking. This is an opportunity to turn a gem of an idea into a short story. Prizes are awarded for the Premier Award $1,000 (first), $500 (runner up), Novice Award $500 (first), $200 (runner up) and Young Writers Award $500 (first) $200 (runner up). The closing date is 5 March 2010. Further information and entry forms are available on the Rodney District Council website.
-------------
Nigel Cox Unity Books Award

Jo McColl & Susanna Andrew announce the creation of the Nigel Cox Unity Books Award, to be given yearly to the author they consider to have an exceptional way with words. This award takes the form of a $1,000 Unity Books voucher, for which there is no expiry date. The first outstanding wordsmith will be announced at the 21st birthday party for Unity Books Auckland in February 2010.
-------------

Waihi Arts Short Story & Poetry Competition

This competition forms part of the 39th Annual Waihi Arts Festival that runs from January 22nd - 25th 2010 in the Waihi Memorial Hall, Seddon Street. Entrants must reside in Hauraki or Thames Coromandel districts, or Waihi Beach, Bowentown and Katikati areas. Closing date: 30 November. Prizes: Short Story - Open: 1st $250 2nd $100 3rd $50; Young Writer (14-18 years): 1st $100 2nd $50; Poetry: 1st $150 2nd $75. Entry fees: adults $7 each, young writers $4.You must not have received more than $500 for your writing in the last three years. Entries anonymous - details of entry on the official entry form available from waihisummerfestival@hotmail.com. Competition entry and fees to: Waihi Summer Festival, PO Box 199 Waihi 3641 (+ SSAE for return of entry if required.)

-------------

Au Contraire Short Story Competition

The best entries for this competitiong will be included in an anthology of New Zealand science fiction and fantasy to be published by Random Static Press. The anthology will be launched at Au Contraire. All stories accepted for the anthology will be paid for as well as receiving a contributor's copy of the book, and there will be an additional prize for the overall winner. Entries should be connected in some way to the convention theme 'the future is a foreign country'; a New Zealand setting or link is a bonus, but not essential. Stories should be under 7000 words, and should not condone racism, sexism, homophobia, etc, and any graphic violence or explicit sex should be appropriate to the story and not simply for its own sake. Other than that they are open to a broad range. Deadline 31 January 2010. Email your story to anthology@aucontraire.org.nz or post to PO Box 10104, Wellington.

For further information about entry standards and other details visit the website.

Residency and workshop applications

Summer Writing Workshops The University of Auckland

Continuing Education Summer Writing Workshops will run from 6-12 January at The University of Auckland.

Workshops include:

Freelance Journalism and Non-fiction Writing (Paul Smith)
Write on the Road (Yvonne van Dongen)
Writing Short Fiction (David Lyndon Brown)
Introduction to Writing (Judith White)
Narrative and the Novel (James George)
Poetry Holiday (Siobhan Harvey)
Writing Fiction for Children and Teenagers (Lorraine Orman)
Life Writing (Deborah Shepard)

Venue: Epsom Campus, 74 Epsom Ave. Plenty of FREE PARKING. For further information contact Continuing Education Ph: 0800 864 266 or www.cce.auckland.ac.nz

-------------

The New Zealand Book Council receives core funding from Creative New Zealand. We are extremely grateful to our funding partners, who enable us to deliver our programmes. We also value your membership, which supports our work in schools and communities throughout New Zealand.

The School Library
Launch of innovative new book experience
NZ Writers' File intake
Speed Date an Author
Six easy questions with Jo McColl
Award and Competition applications
Literary Prizes
What's on

The winners of the two copies of Copper Top (Whitireia Publishing), the new junior fiction novel by Coral Atkinson, were Denyse Taylor and Sheri Pradel.

Grant Strachan won Awa Press' 100 Best NZ Films, by Hamish Douall, which takes us on a journey through New Zealand's biggest and best films.
Congratulations to all winners.

This month we have two copies of Dorothy Butler's memoir All This and a Bookshop Too (Penguin) to give away. Please enter the draw by emailing reception@bookcouncil.org.nz, with the title of the book in the subject line and your mailing address in the body of the email. Entries must be received by 12 noon on Friday 27 November.

We have so many fantastic book stores around the country, including a number of excellent online stores such as, Good Books NZ, Fishpond, The Mighty Ape, The Nile, and New Zealand Books Abroad.

Many New Zealand bookshops also have fantastic websites through which you can order books and explore their stock. These links and bookshop websites can be found on Booksellers brand new website in the Directory here.

nzepc has a great range of essays and interviews with top NZ writers which you can find here. Also if you want to catch up on past episodes of The Book Show, you will find them here. TVNZ's The Book Show, now shown on TVNZ7 as The Good Word, is presented by novelist Emily Perkins and features author interviews by journalist Finlay Macdonald plus a panel of celebrity readers.

Five new Arts Foundation Laureates were announced last night: Anne Noble, Chris Knox, Lyonel Grant, Witi Ihimaera and Richard Nunns. Each of the five Laureates received a $50,000, no-strings-attached donation to celebrate their past achievements and invest in their future, at an Awards ceremony held in Auckland on the evening of 17 November, 2009.

New Zealand Post and the Katherine Mansfield Menton Trust announced late last month that playwright Ken Duncum is winner of the 2010 New Zealand Post Mansfield Prize. The $100,000 Prize is the most valuable international residency programme for New Zealand writers and enables them to work at the Villa Isola Bella in Menton, France, where famed writer Katherine Mansfield lived and wrote in 1919 and 1920.

Three of New Zealand‘s most celebrated writers – CK Stead, Brian Turner and Dr Ranginui Walker were honoured at the 2009 Prime Minister’s Awards for Literary Achievement, held at Premier House in Wellington. Each writer received $60,000 in recognition of their significant contribution to New Zealand literature. The awards are administered by Creative New Zealand. These three writers were recognised in the categories of Poetry - Brian Turner, Fiction - CK Stead and Non-Fiction - Dr Ranginui Walker.

New Zealand author Dame Fiona Kidman was awarded two high honours by French Ambassador Michel Legras on 27 October 2009. Dame Fiona received a medal of Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres for her long and distinguished literary career, which also included a long and close association with French culture. She also became a Chevalier of the French Legion of Honour.

Library readers of the world have presented judges of the IMPAC Award with exciting choices, including novels by five New Zealand writers, among the 156 titles nominated. New Zealand writer Elea

nor Catton was nominated for The Rehearsal (VUP), Kate De Goldi for The 10pm Question (Longacre Press), Stephanie Johnson for Swimmer's Rope (Vintage, Random House), Linda Olsson for Sonata for Miriam (Penguin) and Emily Perkins for Novel About My Wife (Allen & Unwin). The IMPAC Award is nominated by member libraries. For the full list, please go to the IMPAC website.

Two of New Zealand’s award-winning writers have been chosen for residencies at the Michael King Writers’ Centre in Devonport in early 2010. Biographer Rachel Barrowman will hold the first of two eight-week residencies from January. Martin Edmond, a writer of non-fiction, has been awarded the second residency from mid-March. The residencies, which are supported by Creative New Zealand, m

ean the two authors have free accommodation and use of the writer’s studio at the Devonport centre and each receive a stipend of $8,000.

Sunday Star-Times Short Story Award Winners were announced on the 27th of October. Supreme Award for the open division went to Waimate writer Sue Francis for 'The Concentrators'. Palmerston North’s Thom Conroy was the People’s Choice award winner with several hundred people placing their votes online. Conroy was also runner-up in the open division. Third prize in the open division went to Emma Gallagher from Wellington.
First prize in the Secondary School division, judged by Fleur Beale, went to Rangitoto College’s Anna Krepinsky for her story Gardening Lessons.

David Hill has been awarded the 2008–2009 Prix Adolire for Dérapages, the French translation of Coming Back. The Prix Adolire is an award given every year by high schools in Brittany, France. It is a readers’ choice award, with high school students voting for their favourite book from a long list of sixty titles. Previous winners of the award include Philip Pullman and Jacqueline Wilson.

Eleanor Catton's The Rehearsal is one of the five shortlisted books in contention for the £10,000 The Guardian First Book Award. The Guardian first book award began 10 years ago, replacing the Guardian fiction prize created in 1965. This year's judges are author Nadeem Aslam, the political philosopher John Gray and the Guardian deputy editor Katharine Viner.

Poet and children's book author Glenn Colquhoun is the recipient of the 2009/10 NZSA Beatson Fellowship. Colquhoun will work on a libretto as part of a collaborative project with three musicians aimed at evoking the soundscape of Kapiti Island.

The two winning entries in the Royal Society of New Zealand Manhire Prize for Creative Writing 2009 are Tina Makereti from the Kapiti Coast, awarded the non-fiction prize, and Katie Henderson from Auckland winning the fiction category. The theme of this year's competition was 'the place of human beings in the universe' and was chosen to coincide with the 2009 International Year of Astronomy. The winners each received $2500, presented by the editor of the New Zealand Listener, Pamela Stirling. The awards were judged by Rebecca Priestley.

Please note this is only a sample of events from the events page on our website.

The Auckland Writers Room Debate
24 November 7.00pm
Auckland Writers Room Debate: Writers should Write, Directors should Direct (and never the twain shall meet). MC Ella Henry, Gaylene Preston, Nick Ward, Taika Waititi, Oliver Driver, Kathryn Burnett and Paolo Rotondo come together to bring you a comic yet magnificent fight over the validity of the auteur. Be there for the final event of 2009 and stay afterwards for beer coutesy of Stella Artois and pizza courtesy of Nga Aho Whakaari.
Venue: The Classic, 321 Queen Street, Auckland City, Auckland

Fourteenth Annual AAWP Conference
26-28 November, 9.00am-5.00pm
The 14th Annual Conference of the AAWP (Australian Association of Writing Programs) is to be hosted by the School of Media Arts, at Wintec, in Hamilton New Zealand. The theme for the conference is Margins and Mainstreams.
Conference costs: $60 - $300, depending on how long you wish to attend. Please go to the AAWP website for more information and to register.
Venue: School of Media Arts, at Wintec, Hamilton New Zealand

The Art of the Book Exhibition
Now - 14 December 2009 10.00am - 4.00pm
The Art of the Book exhibition considers how the role of the book influenced the social and cultural landscape of Russell from 1840 to 1960. Rare books in Russell Museum/Te Whare Taonga o Kororareka’s collection have been brought out of hiding and in to the light. Open 10 am to 4 pm daily. On now to 14 December 2009.
Venue: Russell Museum, 2 York Street Russell, 0202

Meet Your Local Authors - Ponsonby
1 December, 6.00pm
Dymocks Booklovers in Ponsonby hosts an early evening monthly event at which local authors will talk about their books.It’s a great opportunity to ask any burning questions you might have - and enjoy a glass of wine with like-minded people. Although each event is free, we would appreciate an idea of numbers. RSVP to Ponsonby@dymocks.co.nz.
Guest: Peta Mathias - and her new book Just in Time to be Too Late.
Venue: Dymocks Booklovers in Ponsonby

Katherine Mansfield Bookclub Lecture
2 December, 12.30pm
Professor Jane Stafford gives the 8th Katherine Mansfield Bookclub lecture on The Butcher's Shop by Jean Devanny.
Venue: Wellington Bridge Club, 17 Tinakori Rd Thorndon

Glenn Heenan: More than Looking
Now - 6 December, Tues-Frid 10.00am-4.00pm and Sat-Sun 12.00-4.00pm
Glenn Heenan's 'More than Looking' is New Zealand’s first photographic and poetry exhibition created for both a blind and visually impaired audience. More than Looking Disabilityart@ccess is designed and curated specifically for persons with disabilities and coincides with The International Day of Disabled Persons on 3rd December 2009.
Venue: Whangarei Art Museum, Cafler Park, Water Street, Whangarei

Book Launch - Louise Wallace
3 December 6.00pm
Victoria University Press and Unity Books invite you to celebrate the launch by Jenny Bornholdt of Since June, a new collection of poetry by Louise Wallace.
Venue: Unity Books, 57 Willis St, Wellington

Remove me from this list

Forward this email to a friend