Back to NZ Book Month. There’s been a great response to the ‘Six Pack’ competition and now is time to read and vote, people. The basic website is now up and running, with all the extracts from the entries received so far. You can take part in the people’s vote, which will see one lucky author into the finalists’ arena and pocketing $5,000. Go here and read.
In case you’re not aware of NZ Book Month, it’s a new initiative being taken by the entire NZ publishing community. The aim is simple: to get more New Zealanders reading more NZ writing. Phil Twyford is heading the team that’s co-ordinating these efforts. Phil’s background is CEO of Oxfam NZ, (he was big internationally too, check the bio) and he’s currently the Labour candidate for the North Shore.
New Zealand Music month is an annual event that has contributed to an extraordinary increases in sales of New Zealand music. Last year over-the-counter sales in New Zealand of local music were 100% up. It’s touched a chord and tapped into some changing attitudes. Phil hopes that Book Month will become a regular event too and become just as successful. Over 5-10 years they’re hoping to increase the number of New Zealand books published by 5-10% and therefore increase the income to writers. The fundamental economic argument is that it's about jobs – sustainable, high quality employment - as a significant export industry. New Zealand Book Month aims to showcase the best of New Zealand writing, and encourage new writers.
So go and get yourself a cuppa, settle back and read some of these manuscripts. And keep coming back – content on the site is going to balloon in the coming month or two leading up to the big events that will be happening from mid-September to mid-October. Hell, while you’re on a roll, why not go out and buy or borrow the entire shortlist for the Montana Book Awards? That fiction list quite honestly holds five of the best books I’ve read for years. And I’ve read quite a few. Leave your cultural cringe in the bin and do it. NZ Books are the new black, sweetie.
07 Jun 06 | Filed by Kathy | Add your comment (5 so far)
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Comment by Mary Mac ~ June 8, 2006 9:18 AM
Kia ora. Directed by Leafsalon, I went to look at the Gift Book site in all eagerness yesterday and had a quick spin through. It's certainly very smartly put together and it's exciting to see a whole bunch of new writing especially so many nascent novels --and all so different (-: Although, after flipping through what was on offer and reading a few and running out of time I began to wonder a. who out there would take the time to read everything so they could make a considered vote? there seems an awful lot to get through and so many 'chunks' without the satisfaction of reading the whole so it's harder to get into them b. are we getting the full extracts as submitted? they seem awfully short -- novels could have up to ten thousand words -- how can we properly judge the submission if we're only getting some of it? c. where's the non-fiction? I had another look just now (before I posted this) and I could imagine I might pop in and out of the site and read what's on offer that way rather than doing it all at once. As long as I remember.
Comment by Stephen ~ June 8, 2006 11:48 AM
Mary, they are only "extracts" (probably no more than 800 words) - they are not the full entries. And yes, I agree. As "chunks" they are hard to determine. A flashy couple of paragraphs does not a whole story make. I also have a problem with the numerous entries being works -in-progress (i.e. novel extracts). So, even some of the extracts are in fact only of "extracts" in and of themselves.
Another thing, if you look on the GiftBook website, you'll see the names of the "official" judges for the competition ... my, what GIANTS of literature they are.
Comment by Islander ~ June 8, 2006 8:08 PM
Stephen - hmmm, yearsss...
Incidentally, the first - and only= extract I looked at was published in the CHCH Press last year-
Comment by Tania ~ June 12, 2006 7:27 PM
I only read the poets - because I wanted to vote for one, of course, being interested in poetry, and not having enough time to waft through all the fiction and try to imagine what the stories might be like in full - and what amused me was how easy it was to spot who at least two of them were. I suspect the other poets probably aren't "new" to writing either but these two are very well known in NZ poetry, amongst those who read it. Was it the same for those reading the fiction I wonder?
Comment by maggie ~ June 13, 2006 11:04 AM
I can only find the fiction... where is the poetry Tania?
And I tend to agree that it is difficult to commit to reading "extracts" of a novel. In fact it was for this reason I did not submit any fiction (although did send in an essay...not shorlisted though) - but didn't like the idea of part of a novel out there in cyberspace unloved...
A friend, whose piece has been short-listed has sent a group email asking for votes... which is exactly what I would do in her shoes... but it does turn this a bit into "dancing with the stars" - mainly because (agreeing with Mary), who has the time (or even inclination) to read all the fiction on-line and try to imagine it as part of a bigger piece.
On the other hand; far be it for me to be complaining about any intiative that tries to help new writing in NZ.
And, it goes without saying, if my non-fiction piece had been chosen - I'd be yelling "yeeha"...
Oh, writing is such fun ...
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