Kiwis Can Launch The Career Of A New Writer

Kiwis Can Vote Online And Launch The Career Of A New Writer

From June 5th-July 2nd New Zealanders are invited to read the 25 short-listed entries in the New Zealand Book Month competition online at www.nzbookmonth.co.nz and vote for their favourite piece of writing.

New Zealand Book Month is a month long celebration of NZ books and NZ writers from 18 September – 15 October 2006.

The New Zealand Book Month celebrations include a nationwide competition, which called for published and aspiring authors to submit their best piece of new writing in the categories fiction, non-fiction, essay and poetry. Many New Zealanders entered the competition and a short-list of 25 entries has been finalised.

The New Zealand public is invited to read the 25 short-listed entries online and vote for their favourite.

The winner of the online voting will be included in The Six Pack - an anthology of six winning entries published to coincide with the launch of New Zealand Book Month later this year.

The winners will be announced at a gala event in Auckland on Monday 18 September. The Six Pack will then be for sale at all good bookshops for $6 – that’s $1 per piece of writing. Each winning author will also receive one of six cash prizes of $5,000 each.

The other five winning entries will be chosen by the a distinguished panel of judges including World Cup winning All Black captain and now CEO of John Fairfax Holdings Ltd David Kirk, broadcaster Maggie Barry, bookseller Tom Beran, author Sarah-Kate Lynch and current affairs host John Campbell.

The judges have been enthusiastic about the quality and diversity of the entries and are pleased to be able to support New Zealand Book Month.

John Campbell says, “We are a nation of readers and writers. For a country this size we produce some fantastic books. New Zealand Book Month is a great idea and I am thrilled to support it by judging the entries in The Six Pack competition."

David Kirk believes that, "Sporting success has always played a big part in defining what it is to be a New Zealander, and still does. But just as important is the contribution our writers make to our national life. They stir our feelings and imagination and they make us think. That's why I am excited to be supporting NZ Book Month by judging the competition.”

Project Director of New Zealand Book Month Phil Twyford encourages everyone to get online and vote, “The call for entries has attracted some some serious writing talent. The reading public choosing one of the winners makes it like a ‘NZ Book Idol.’ I hope everyone enjoys reading the entries and takes the time to check out these talented voices. Your vote counts – it could launch a new Kiwi author’s career."

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