Experienced Judging Panel Leads New Chapter in New Zealand Post Book Awards

The judges selected for the inaugural New Zealand Post Book Awards bring with them a wealth of literary expertise as they set about choosing the country’s best books published in 2009.

This year sees an increase from three to five judges as part of a new, streamlined structure of the country’s premier book awards.

Judging panel convenor, Stephen Stratford, author and editor, brings vast experience to the role. He was judge for the last Goodman Fielder Wattie Book Awards in 1993, convenor of the first Montana Book Awards in 1994, judge for the Montana New Zealand Book Awards in 1999 and the convenor in 2000.  He is joined by poet, short story writer and novelist, Elizabeth Smither; writer, educationalist and broadcaster, Charmaine Pountney; writer, historian and broadcaster, Paul Diamond; and nature writer, biographer and photographer, Neville Peat.

Booksellers NZ Chief Executive Officer, Lincoln Gould, is delighted with the calibre of judges appointed to mark this, a new chapter in the history of these Awards.
“Each judge was selected for the broad range of skills they bring to the judging process. Individually and collectively, the judging panel represents a wide range and depth of knowledge in different subject areas. They each have very diverse writing styles and reading preferences, which I am sure will result in very interesting discussions and critique of the books submitted.”

Stephen Stratford says the New Zealand Post Book Awards 2010 has a clear emphasis on excellence.
“Excellence in writing, of course, but also excellence in all the other areas that make a book. The judges are very conscious that a book is an object, not just a manuscript that has found its way between hard (or soft) covers. The text is the main element, in almost all cases, but when two books are neck-and-neck on literary grounds, it could well be the better-produced object that nudges ahead.

"The really difficult decision will be the overall Book of the Year Award, where a slim volume of poetry could be up against a heavyweight history, a challenging novel, or a beautiful illustrated book. I can’t think of another four judges I’d rather attempt it with.”

As part of the Awards restructure, there will be four judging categories this year, reduced from a previous list of eight. The four categories are; Poetry, Fiction, Illustrated Non-fiction and General Non-fiction. There will be 16 finalist books in total (three finalists in the Fiction and Poetry categories and five in the Illustrated Non-Fiction and General Non-Fiction categories).

With fewer categories, the prize pool has been substantially increased, with the overall New Zealand Post Book of the Year Award winner receiving $15,000. Winners of the four Category Awards will each receive $10,000, the Māori Language Award $10,000, Readers’ Choice Award $5,000, and the winners of the three New Zealand Society of Authors (NZSA) Best First Book Awards $2,500 each.

“The judges agree that the move to four rather than eight categories was helpful – it brings greater clarity and focus,” says Stratford.

The judges will read more than 160 submitted books published in 2009 before selecting the finalists and, ultimately the winners.

The New Zealand Post Book Awards 2010 finalists will be announced on Tuesday 22 June 2010. On that day, winners of the Māori Language Award and of the three NZSA Best First Book Awards for Fiction, Poetry and Non-fiction will also be announced.

The winners will be announced at a gala dinner held in Auckland on 27 August 2010.

New Zealand Post Group’s sponsorship of the New Zealand Book Awards is symbolic of their strong and active support of the country’s literature. As sponsor of the New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards for 15 years, this new sponsorship highlights the company’s commitment to promoting literary excellence. Working closely with Booksellers NZ, New Zealand Post and other dedicated segments of the community actively encourage New Zealanders to read and enjoy books.

The New Zealand Post Book Awards 2010 are also sponsored by Creative New Zealand.  The Awards are managed by Booksellers NZ and supported by the New Zealand Society of Authors and Book Tokens (NZ) Ltd.

KEY DATES

• 22  June 2010 New Zealand Post Book Awards finalists announced
• 22  June 2010 Māori Language Award winner announced
• 22 June 2010 NZSA Best First Book Awards for  Fiction, Poetry, Non-fiction announced
• 22 June 2010 Readers’ Choice Award voting opens
• 30 July 2010 National Poetry Day
• 13 August 2010 Readers’ Choice Award voting closes, 5pm.
• 27 August 2010 New Zealand Post Book Awards winners announced.

• JUDGES ARE AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEW
• JUDGES’ IMAGES ARE AVAILABLE ON REQUEST FOR REPRODUCTION

For further information please contact: Penny Hartill, Hartill Communications Ltd, 09 445 7525, 021 721 424, phartill@xtra.co.nz
www.nzpostbookawards.co.nz
www.booksellers.co.nz

Editor's Notes - New Zealand Post Book Awards judges’ biographical information

Stephen Stratford has published more than a dozen books, mostly non-fiction. He has edited more than 100 other books, and currently runs the manuscript assessment service Write Right. He is deputy secretary of the Sargeson Trust, and a NZ Society of Authors representative on the Board of Copyright Licensing Ltd.

As a magazine journalist he has worked for Quote Unquote, Metro, the NZ Listener and many other publications.

He was a founding trustee of the Auckland Writers and Readers Festival and has been a judge of the Spectrum Book Design Awards, the Wattie Book Awards and the Montana Book Awards (twice as convenor).

He lives near Cambridge.

Elizabeth Smither is the author of 15 collections of poetry, five short story collections and four novels (a fifth is due in March 2010). She was Te Mata Poet Laureate (2001-03); received an Honorary  Doctorate in Literature from Auckland University and an MNZM for services to literature (2004); and was awarded the Prime Minister’s Award for Literary Excellence in Poetry in 2008.

She has been a member of the Literature Committee of Creative New Zealand and judge of the Sunday Star Times short story award 2009.

She lives in Taranaki.

Paul Diamond (Ngäti Hauä, Te Rarawa and Ngäpuhi) is a writer, historian and broadcaster. After working as an accountant for seven years, he switched to journalism in 1997.  Paul's journalism has been recognised with Qantas Media Awards, Peace Awards and a David Low Chevening Fellowship to Oxford University.  His first book, A Fire in Your Belly, a collection of interviews with Maori leaders, was published by Huia in 2003.  His second book, an illustrated biography of Makereti (1873-1930), Makereti: taking Maori to the World was published by Random House NZ in 2007.  Paul also contributed an essay to Sexuality and the stories of Indigenous People, published by Huia in 2007. 

From 2007 to 2009 Paul managed the Vietnam War Oral History Project for the Ministry for Culture and Heritage.

He lives in Wellington.

Charmaine Pountney is a passionate reader, a well-known educator, broadcaster and writer; she has been an English teacher, secondary school principal, teachers’ college principal and university dean.

Currently she is Chairperson of the Franklin Arts, Culture and Library Trust.  She lives and works with her partner Tanya Cumberland on their organic farm at Awhitu, on the Manukau Harbour growing and processing fruit and hosting educational and tourism groups, and is involved in community and environmental action.

From 1997 to 2000 she contributed a weekly column to the New Zealand Herald.  Her book, Learning Our Living (Cape Catley, Auckland, 2000) was widely praised as a critical analysis of, and visionary proposals for, New Zealand education.  She has also written a large number of articles, scripts, reviews, reports, and community pamphlets over the years.  In 1985 she was awarded a Nuffield Scholarship for study in the U.K, and, in 1993, the New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal.  In the 2002 Queen's Birthday Honours list she was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to education.

Neville Peat is a leading New Zealand nature writer and photographer, and the author of more than 30 books covering such areas as natural history, geography, biography and the environment. His books, ranging from tropical Tokelau to Antarctica, include the best-selling Hurricane Tim – The  Story of Sir Tim Wallis, Kiwi – The People’s Bird, and Detours – A journey through small-town New Zealand. His latest project, due for release mid-2010, is a major book on the Tasman Sea, which he completed with the support of the Creative New Zealand Michael King Writers’ Fellowship. Neville served as an Otago regional councillor for nine years (1998-2007), with the role of Deputy Chairperson in his third term.

He lives with his wife, Mary, and their daughter Sophie, on Otago Peninsula, Dunedin.  www.nevillepeatsnewzealand.com