Unleash Your Inner Critic - Book Awards Seek Judges

Media Release – for immediate release

Wednesday, 5 October 2010

Unleash Your Inner Critic - New Zealand Post Book Awards Seek Judges

If the thought of reading up to 200 books doesn’t make you swoon, it could be time to unleash your inner critic and put your hat in the ring to be a judge for this year’s New Zealand Post Book Awards.

Expressions of interest are welcomed from passionate and critical readers to reviewers, authors, publishers, academics, booksellers and beyond to judge the country’s premier book awards.

Five judges are sought to select the country’s best books and be part of an event celebrating our finest writers and their books.

Last year’s New Zealand Post Book Awards convenor of judges, Paul Diamond considered the role an honour and a privilege.

“Being a judge of the New Zealand Post Book Awards is an exceptional opportunity to engage with the breadth and depth of books published in this country. I enjoyed engaging with my fellow judges, who brought a wealth of expertise and experience to the table, and a generosity of spirit.”

Chairman of the NZ Book Awards Governance Group, Dr Sam Elworthy said it was important that the judging panel covered a wide range of skills and expertise.

‘It is the variety of voices and perspectives around the judging table that makes for some wonderful discussion and debate.

“As is fitting for these awards, some of this country’s most highly respected authors, academics, reviewers, publishers and booksellers have sat on the panel of judges in previous years as well as some leading New Zealanders who are just plain passionate about the written word,”said Dr Elworthy.

Those wishing to apply must complete the application form available on http://bit.ly/be-a-judge, and provide a brief curriculum vitae to the Awards Executive.

If additional Te Reo skills are required to judge the Māori Language Award, an advisor will be appointed. Equally, if the panel requires expert assistance in any given subject area, it will be sought.

Applications close at 5pm on Friday, 28 October 2011. The judging panel will be selected by the Book Awards Governance Group, comprising stakeholder representatives.

ENDS

Background Information

The principal sponsors of the New Zealand Post Book Awards are the New Zealand Post Group and Creative New Zealand. The awards are managed by Booksellers New Zealand and supported by the
New Zealand Society of Authors and Book Tokens (NZ) Ltd.

New Zealand Post Group assumed sponsorship of the awards in 2010.

Book Awards Governance Group
Carole Beu (Booksellers NZ Board Representative, The Women’s Bookshop)
Nicola Airey (Group Sponsorship Manager, New Zealand Post)
Catriona Ferguson (Creative NZ Representative)
Sam Elworthy (Publishing Association of New Zealand Representative)
Rosemary Wildblood (New Zealand Society of Authors Representative)

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