NZSA Canterbury announces the 2020 NZSA New Zealand Heritage Book Awards are open for entries.  Now in its seventh year, this event is now firmly established on the New Zealand Literary calendar. Past winners have included Fiona Farrell, Fiona Kidman and Brian Turner – and last year’s major winners were Andrew Crowe for his beautiful Pathway of the Birds and Witi Ihimaera and Whiti Hereaka for Pūrākau: Māori Myths Retold.

In 2020 we are offering two new categories: a children’s book award and an award for a book which can be bilingual or fully in Te Reo. These join the traditional categories of fiction, non-fiction, short prose and poetry. All books linked to New Zealand’s heritage which have been published between 1 July 2019 and 11 September 2020 are eligible to enter.  We are not accepting books that are have only been published digitally. The competition opened on 1 July and closes on 11 September 2020. All entries should have some relationship with the theme of Christchurch Heritage Festival 2020: Encounter our Stories – Arts, Culture and Identity.

We have a stellar line up of judges. Ockham Fiction Award Winner Becky Manawatu will judge the short fiction entries. Her debut novel Auē was praised by judges for its insight into the minds of children. Other Heritage Award judges include Māori language advocate Hana O’Regan, award winning poet and educator James Norcliffe, best-selling novelist and short story writer Maxine Alterio, the poet Teoti Jardine and well-known Nelson writers Hilary and John Mitchell who will judge the non-fiction books.

Shortlists will be announced on Monday 12 October 2020. Winners on Thursday 29 October, 7.30pm, at St Michael & All Angels, 95 – 99 Oxford Tce Christchurch as part of WORD Christchurch Festival 2020.

All books are to be sent to NZSA Canterbury c/- 302 Lake Terrace Rd, Shirley, Christchurch 8061. Short fiction and poetry can be emailed to nzsacanterbury@gmail.com or posted to the above address. Entry forms and terms and conditions can be found at nzsacanterbury.wordpress.com or emailed on request from nzsacanterbury@gmail.com.

The entry fee for Non-Fiction and Fiction is $40, and for Te Reo and Children’s book $20. For Short Prose and Poetry, the entry fee is $15.

For further information please contact: nzsacanterbury@gmail.com or Jenny Haworth jjhaworth@xtra.co.nz  or president@nzauthors.org.nz