The Sargeson Trust and national law firm Buddle Findlay have announced that novelists Karyn Hay and Craig Marriner are the 2004 Buddle Findlay Sargeson Fellows.

The fellowship provides the opportunity for outstanding writers to write full-time without the pressures and confines of a “day job” - an opportunity that has particular appeal for the 2004 fellows, who have arrived at writing by interesting and varied routes.

Coincidentally both winners have more than their writing journeys in common. Both have produced raw and uncompromising first novels that are bleak fables of modern life - and not recommended for the faint-hearted. And both have won prestigious New Zealand fiction awards for their novels: Karyn Hay for Emerald Budgies and Craig Marriner for Stonedogs.

Karyn Hay hails originally from Waitoa but has spent the past 18 years moving between New Zealand and the UK, working as a TV producer and director. Her highly acclaimed novel Emerald Budgies won the Hubert Church Best First Book for Fiction (Montana Book Awards) in 2001.

Karyn took up the fellowship in February and plans to complete her second novel during her stay. She is married to ex-Mockers member Andrew Fagan and has two sons Seth and Fabian. She is currently preparing for her future “intrepid journey” to Kyrgyzstan in May.

Craig Marriner was born and educated in Rotorua ("Roto-Vegas"). His first novel Stonedogs was Deutz Medal winner in 2002. Craig will take up the second fellowship in July when he returns from a period researching overseas for his third novel. He plans to put the finishing touches to his second novel which is centred around the Kiwi/Aussie scene in London.

Past Buddle Findlay Sargeson fellows (from 1997 onwards) include Toa Fraser, Debra Daley, Denis Baker, Riemke Ensing, Vivienne Plumb, Chad Taylor, Shonagh Koea, Diane Brown, Catherine Chidgey, Sarah Quigley, Tina Shaw, Kapka Kassabova, Sue Reidy, James Brown and Charlotte Grimshaw.

Past Sargeson Trust fellows include Janet Frame, Alan Duff, Kevin Ireland, Michael King, and Marilyn Duckworth.