• Raise the Roof for Randell Cottage: Live Letters

    Media release June 7, 2024 Letters read live in support of historic writer’s cottage The lost art of letter writing and reading will be reignited at Live Letters, a special fundraising event on July 15. Raise the Roof for Randell Cottage: Live Letters brings together an eclectic group of literary luminaries to read aloud poignant, […]

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  • Local New Zealand publisher Exisle Publishing launches the international Children’s Publishing Academy with a writing competition

      Dunedin-based book publisher Exisle Publishing has launched an international Children’s Publishing Academy aimed at supporting budding children’s book authors. The Children’s Publishing Academy provides a forum where authors can have the opportunity to learn from a leading children’s publishing professional as well as from other published authors. ‘Breaking through as a children’s author is […]

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  • BIG NAMES FEATURE ON NATIONAL CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD SHORTLIST

    For immediate release, Thursday 6 June 2024 Books that will delight and inform – from big names such as Joy Cowley, Gavin Bishop, Stacy Gregg, Tessa Duder and Donovan Bixley as well as talented newcomers – have been announced today as finalists in the 2024 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults. The […]

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  • SLANZA: Building on Structured Literacy: We Need to Fund School Libraries

    Media Release 30 May 2024 The School Library Association of New Zealand Aotearoa (SLANZA) is concerned by the absence of funding in today’s budget announcement for essential school library resources to address the falling literacy rates in Aotearoa New Zealand. “Whilst we applaud the allocation of funds to structured literacy programmes, we are concerned that […]

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  • The five regional winners of the 2024 Commonwealth Short Story Prize

    The Commonwealth Foundation is delighted to announce the five regional winners of the 2024 Commonwealth Short Story Prize: Reena Usha Rungoo (Mauritius) for the Africa region Sanjana Thakur (India) for the Asia region Julie Bouchard (Canada) for the Canada and Europe region (translated from French into English by Arielle Aaronson) Portia Subran (Trinidad and Tobago) for […]

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  • Allen & Unwin NZ announces Children’s List and new Publishing Director

    Allen & Unwin New Zealand is delighted to announce the newly created role of Publisher at Large for Jenny Hellen who is handing over her role as Publishing Director to Michelle Hurley. Jenny will continue to publish some of her bestselling authors such as Chelsea Winter, Ruth Shaw, Lotta Dann and Doug Gold and will […]

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  • Have you published a Māori book between Matariki 2023 and Matariki 2024?

    If so, The Māori Literature Trust wants to hear from you!  The MLT is compiling a list of Māori Books for an upcoming series, to celebrate the many Māori books  that have been brought into te ao Mārama in the past year. Please note that this is not an award or competition, but an opportunity to […]

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  • Record-breaking attendance signals a new era for Auckland Writers Festival Waituhi o Tāmaki

    May 20, 2024   The Auckland Writers Festival Waituhi o Tāmaki has broken all attendance records, ushering in a bold and exciting new era for the Southern Hemisphere’s largest literary festival. Held at Auckland’s Aotea Centre from 14 – 19 May, attendance reached a record high of more than 85,000. The programme was designed to […]

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  • Announcing the Inaugural Mercedes Webb-Pullman Poetry Award

    New Zealand/Australian writer Mercedes Webb-Pullman died in Kapiti in July 2023. Mercedes’ family has decided to use any future royalties from her published works to fund an annual poetry award in her name, which in 2024 will be $500 NZD.   For this inaugural award, and in honour of Mercedes’ revolutionary spirit, entries are invited from […]

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  • Announcing the 2024 Moore Prize Jury for Writing on Human Rights

    1 May, 2024 – For immediate release The Christopher G. Moore Foundation is delighted to announce the jury for their eighth annual literary prize honouring books that feature human rights themes. The Prize has been established to provide recognition to authors who, through their work, contribute to the universality of human rights. This unique initiative […]

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  • Defend Press Freedom Amidst Israel’s War on Gaza: World Press Freedom Day 2024

      “Amid the mounting death toll, destruction, and reports of harrowing atrocities, journalists in Gaza risk their lives and limbs to cover the war. Deliberately targeting journalists, and indiscriminate attacks that kill or injure journalists, amount to war crimes. All those responsible must be held to account. Protecting press freedom and ensuring the safety of […]

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  • PANZ welcomes Courtney Sina Meredith as new Association Director

      The Publishers Association of New Zealand Te Rau o Tākupu is delighted to announce that Courtney Sina Meredith has been appointed as Association Director. PANZ President | Tumuaki Claire Murdoch says, “Courtney needs no introduction to Aotearoa’s literary community as a writer. However, what blew our panel away in a seriously competitive field of candidates […]

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