• Queen’s Birthday Honours for Deborah Challinor

    Posted on 5 June 2018

    Deborah Challinor has been made a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to literature and historical research. She was this country’s highest-selling author in 2015, 2016 and 2017. “It was a real shock as I opened the letter,” the 59 year old said of the moment she discovered she was being […]

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  • Siobhan Harvey – President of the New Zealand Society of Authors (PEN NZ Inc) – annual AGM address

    Posted on 30 May 2018

    T?n? koutou, t?n? koutou, t?n? koutou katoa Talofa lava As President of the New Zealand Society of Authors, I welcome you to our 2018 AGM and Development Weekend, ‘TURNING THE PAGE’. A veritable feast of workshops, panel sessions, discussions, ideas and meetings with fellow writers await you tomorrow. I want to humbly thank The Auckland […]

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  • 2018 Commonwealth Short Story Prize Shortlist announced

    Posted on 24 May 2018

      Twenty-four outstanding stories have been selected by an international judging panel from 5182 entries from 48 Commonwealth countries. The writers come from 14 countries including, for the first time, Samoa and Ghana. The Commonwealth Short Story Prize is awarded for the best piece of unpublished short fiction in English from the Commonwealth. As well […]

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  • New Zealand Book Council launch READNZ campaign #readNZ

    Posted on 21 May 2018

    ReadNZ campaign 2018 Our books matter. Our authors and their stories are world-leading. ReadNZ is a campaign to get more of us reading books written by New Zealanders. New Zealand books reflect the rich social and cultural history that has shaped us as a nation. There is a special joy in reading about ourselves, and […]

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  • Twenty-five-year-old debut novelist wins inaugural Michael Gifkins Prize for an Unpublished Novel

    Posted on 19 May 2018

    Ruby Porter is the winner of the 2018 Michael Gifkins Prize for her remarkable novel, Attraction. Porter receives a publishing contract with Text and a NZ$10,000 advance against royalties. She accepted the award this afternoon at the Michael Gifkins Prize party held during Auckland Writers Festival week. The present reckons with the past in Attraction. Porter’s unnamed narrator […]

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  • Recognising the importance of our arts, culture and heritage

    Posted on 17 May 2018

    Thursday, 17 May 2018, 2:22 pm Press Release: New Zealand Government Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Recognising the importance of our arts, culture and heritage Budget 2018 lays the foundations for a significant programme of work that highlights the essential role the cultural sector plays in the wellbeing of our society, […]

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  • OCKHAM NEW ZEALAND BOOK AWARDS WINNERS ANNOUNCEMENT

    Posted on 16 May 2018

    Pip Adam wins premier book awards’ $50,000 prize A novel which judges say ‘will bring readers back from the dead’ has won the 2018 $50,000 Acorn Foundation Fiction Prize in the country’s premier book awards. Wellington writer Pip Adam received the honour for her novel The New Animals (Victoria University Press) at the glittering Ockham […]

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  • English Pen event: Celebrating Nelson Mandela: His Letters, His Legacy

    Posted on 14 May 2018

    PENmandelaletters To mark the centenary of Nelson Mandela’s birth on 18 July and the publication of The Prison Letters of Nelson Mandela (Liveright) on 10 July, English PEN is holding an evening of readings with very special guests on 17 July. Taking place at the Union Chapel in London, the event features letters by Nelson Mandela from […]

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  • Turning the Page: NZSA AGM and Development Weekend

    Posted on 14 May 2018

    May 25 – 26 2018 Auckland A chance to meet other members, take part in shaping the direction of NZSA for the year ahead and participate in stimulating and informative workshops, presentations and panel discussions. Hosted this year in Auckland there are a range of events for all. REGISTER HERE  Friday May 25, 6-8.30pm  Registration […]

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  • Turning the Page: AGM Workshop Opportunities

    Posted on 14 May 2018

    Saturday 26 May 2018: 1pm – 5pm Ellen Melville Centre, Auckland City Enjoy an afternoon of stimulating and informative workshops, presentations and panel discussions. With the choice of nine events over three time slots there is much to inspire, encourage and challenge. This event, hosted by the Auckland Branch of the New Zealand Society of […]

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  • The Unity Books 50th Anniversary Literary Awards

    Posted on 10 May 2018

    Unity Books has marked its 50th Birthday by honouring two New Zealand authors with awards worth $20,000 each for their extensive body of work and for their long-span social justice activism. The recipients of the Unity Books 50th Birthday Literary Awards are Patricia Grace and Peter Wells.  ‘As Unity turned 50 years old we asked afresh: who matters […]

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  • NZ Icon Artist Award for son of Samoa

    Posted on 10 May 2018

    PASEFIKA PLANET Maualaivao Albert Wendt at the Icon Awards ceremony.  10 May, 2018. – Samoa’s most revered author and the ‘Father of Pacific Literature’ has been named a New Zealand Icon Artist, joining a prestigious group of recipients. Maualaivao Albert Wendt was presented with his Icon medallion at a ceremony held at Government House in Wellington, […]

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