Finalists Announced for National Literature Awards

Media Release
9 August 2010

FINALISTS ANNOUNCED FOR NATIONAL LITERATURE AWARDS
-Ashton Wylie Charitable Trust Unpublished Manuscript and Book Awards 2010-

The finalists for the 2010 Ashton Wylie Charitable Trust Literature Awards have been announced, with five finalists in the book, and three in the unpublished manuscript category.

The Ashton Wylie Charitable Trust in conjunction with the New Zealand Society of Authors (NZSA), offers one of the largest monetary prizes for literature in the country with two awards of $10,000.

Now celebrating its seventh year, the Ashton Wylie Charitable Trust Unpublished Manuscript Award, and the Ashton Wylie Charitable Trust Book Award recognise outstanding writers who have made a significant contribution to the mind, body, spirit genre.

In the book category, author Robyn Salisbury is a finalist for her work ‘Staying in Love’, and is joined by Jane Carswell with ‘Under the Huang Jiao Tree’, Jay Ray with ‘The Way Through’, Lloyd Geering with ‘Such is Life’ and Jessica Le Base with ‘Walking to Africa’.

The three finalists in the unpublished manuscript category are writer Hugh Major for his work entitled ‘Notes on the Mysterium’, Jennifer McIntosh with ‘Pearls’ and Warwick Harvey with ‘Compost’.

Tina Shaw, Programme Manager, New Zealand Society of Authors, says she was pleased by both the variety and quality of works submitted by New Zealand writers for the 2010 awards.

“The judging panel were extremely impressed by the diversity of the literature and the calibre of the writing entered into the awards,” says Ms Shaw.

“The mind, body, spirit genre is a growing category for New Zealand writers and we were pleased to see the effort, understanding and passion that went into each of the finalists’ work.”

Judges for the 2010 awards include Bob Ross, Gillian Tewsley and Ashton Wylie Charitable Trust trustee, Adonia Wylie.

The Ashton Wylie Charitable Trust was set up following the death of Auckland businessman Ashton Wylie in 1999 with the mandate of having human relationships as its focus, and its main intent being to promote more loving relationships.

The awards will be presented at a ceremony at the Ashton Wylie Charitable Trust’s venue, the Hopetoun Alpha in Auckland on Friday 20 August 2010.

ENDS

ABOUT THE ASHTON WYLIE CHARITABLE TRUST

The late Auckland businessman Ashton Wylie was a philanthropist with a wide range of interests particularly in the area of personal development and positive relationships. The Ashton Wylie Charitable Trust was set up at Ashton's request and was named after him.

Ashton Wylie believed that if one wanted to change the world, one had to first change oneself. Changes are then made by example as ultimately, one can change for the better others that reside within one’s sphere of influence.

As well as promoting up-and-coming New Zealand writers, the purpose of the two Ashton Wylie Charitable Trust awards is to reward excellence in writing that encompasses a wide range of beliefs, and has the power to enlighten, amuse and educate the reader, while having a profound impact on the reader’s spiritual thoughts and opinions.

For further information visit: www.hopetounalpha.co.nz.

ABOUT THE NEW ZEALAND SOCIETY OF AUTHORS

The New Zealand Society of Authors (PEN NZ Inc) is the principal representative for the professional interests of authors in New Zealand. It began as the NZ PEN Centre in 1934 in Wellington. >From 1934 onwards the organisation campaigned for a public lending right, and in 1973 the Authors' Fund was established. In 1975 PEN initiated the NZ Writers' Guild to represent writers in their dealings with broadcasting and professional theatres.

The NZSA runs a range of programmes, which encourage emerging writers, and actively represents writers’ interests on a number of fronts with publishers and others.

The Society's major goals are the full representation and support of writers; an ongoing interest in writers being rewarded and recognised for their professional work; the protecting of freedom of expression and cultural diversity celebrated through literature.

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