Dark Jelly by Alice Tawhai: ‘Tawhai writes like a dream’

Alice Tawhai (Tainui, Ngāpuhi) says, ‘I was first inspired to write when I read The Bone People by Keri Hulme as a teenager.  I loved it.’  

Tawhai’s latest book is Dark Jelly, a collection of short stories takes a glimpse behind closed doors.  It provides a snapshot of New Zealand culture and subcultures, exploring people’s experiences and how they choose different pathways in life.

“Huia is pleased to be publishing Alice’s third book.  Alice has been hailed as an exciting and significant contemporary writer following her first two books.  Dark Jelly is sure to be just as successful and popular”, says Robyn Bargh, Director of Huia Publishers.

Alice Tawhai’s previous publications are Festival of Miracles and Luminous, both short story collections.

Her first book Festival of Miracles gained a special mention in the Montana Book Awards 2006, as one of three deserving candidates for the Best First Book Award for Fiction.  It was also judged one of the ten best books of 2005 by the New Zealand Listener.  Louise Wareham when reviewing Festival of Miracles summed it up with ‘Tawhai writes like a dream.’

Luminous was a finalist in the Montana New Zealand Book Awards in 2008. With such high praise already, Tawhai’s latest collection promises to live up to the high standards.

Dark Jelly will be available in bookstores and from the HUIA website from 14 October 2011 and will retail for $30.00