Mark Williams

POETRY CATEGORY WINNER 2009

The Rocky Shore - Jenny Bornholdt

Victoria University Press, ISBN 978-0-86473-580-5, $25.00 pbk

The six long poems which make up The Rocky Shore were written over the course of six years. Together, they are as much autobiographical essay as long poem, and Jenny Bornholdt's most significant achievement to date.

Jenny Bornholdt is the author of eight previous collections of poetry and was Te Mata Estate New Zealand Poet Laureate 2005–2007.

Each year a panel of three judges is appointed for the Montana New Zealand Book Awards. The judges are supported by eight specialist category advisors and a Te Reo Māori advisor. The judges and advisors are chosen by the Montana New Zealand Book Awards Management Committee from a broad range of nominations put forward by literary and book trade organisations. Wherever possible one of the judges will be a practising writer.

Perkins Writes Story of her Wife to Win Montana Medal

Emily Perkins has won the 2009 Montana Medal for Fiction or Poetry for her taut and chilling book, Novel About My Wife.
The work - published by Bloomsbury - is described by 2009 Montana New Zealand Book Awards Judges’ Convenor, Dr Mark Williams as highly assured fiction by a writer working at the height of her powers.

New Zealand Book Awards - Winners 1997

Book of the Year/Cultural Heritage

The Story of Suzanne Aubert Jessie Munro, (Auckland University Press/Bridget Williams Books).

Fiction

What Becomes of the Broken Hearted Alan Duff, (Vintage).

Poetry

An Anthology of New Zealand Poetry in English ed. Jenny Bornholdt, Gregory O'Brien & Mark Williams, (Oxford University Press).

Montana New Zealand Book Awards Fiction Finalist Makes History

Tuesday 2 June, 6am

Debut novelist, Eleanor Catton is a finalist in this year’s Montana New Zealand Book Awards for her book, The Rehearsal; a work that has launched her onto the international stage, being snapped up by major-league publishers in the US and UK.