Prime Minister’s Literary Awards

Have a look at this lovely article on the Unity Books website about the event they hosted on Friday 24 October (the day after the official award ceremony at Premier House) for the winners of the 2014 Prime Minister's Literary Awards: Jock Phillips (non fiction), Ian Wedde (poetry) and our very own WCBA patron, Jack Lasenby (fiction); as well as Elizabeth Knox, winner of the 2014 Michael King Fellowship.

Unity Books Wellington owner Tilly Lloyd & Jack Lasenby

Creative New Zealand Literature Review Draft Report

Many of you may already have received an email from Creative NZ about their Literature Review Draft Report. If not, you can download the report from here.

The deadline for submissions is 9am on 3 November and we would encourage you all to have a look and fill out the online questionnaire. Pg 20 of the report explains how you can do this by email, letter or on surveymonkey. 

The report is 46 pgs long so it is not a quick read, but it contains important questions about (amongst other things) what genres CNZ should fund, whether they should fund self publishing, whether they have the balance right between awards/residencies/individual writing grants, the New Zealand Post Book Awards and much more. 

You might need to allow at least 15-30  mins to complete the questionnaire part. It is also suggested (by someone who has already completed it!) that you double-check the 1-5 ranking and be sure which means "Most important" and which is "Least important". 

This is an important opportunity to voice your concerns about issues that affect writers for children and young adults, so don't miss it!

Dear WCBA members,

We are delighted to spread the news that our Patron, Jack Lasenby, has been awarded the Prime Minister's Award for Literary Achievement in the Fiction section. You can read more on Beattie's book blog here. 

Jack will be presented with this award at a ceremony at Premier House on Thursday. 

This Friday (24th), Unity Bookshop in Wellington is having a lunchtime event to celebrate the three winners of the Prime Minister's Awards as well as the winner of the Michael King Fellowship, Elizabeth Knox. (See details below.)

We thought that members might like to come along to support and celebrate our Patron, and possibly go out to lunch afterwards.

Please RSVP to us by Thursday morning if you are interested in going out for lunch. Email: the.wcba@gmail.com

Creative New Zealand and Unity Books invite you to a free literary event

Four of New Zealand’s finest writers: Jack Lasenby, Ian Wedde, Jock Phillips and Elizabeth Knox, will read and discuss their work with writer, broadcast journalist and historian, Paul Diamond. 

This is a free event at Unity Books, 57 Willis Street, Wellington on Friday 24^th October, 12-12.45 pm. All welcome.

Storylines seminar with Gary Crew : Tuesday 26 August at The Children's Bookshop - book now!

Don't forget Storylines, Sunday 24 August 10am-3pm at the Michael Fowler Centre!

Wellington Children's Book Assn AGM

Our AGM is coming up in just over two weeks. 

For a change, the committee has decided to hold the meeting on a weekend afternoon in the convivial atmosphere of a cafe:

Time:2:00pm, 

Dare: Sunday July 27th

Place: Mediterranean Food Warehouse

42 Constable St, Newtown

The AGM will be brief, and everyone is welcome to stay afterwards for coffee and a chat. 

In order to know numbers for the cafe, we would be grateful for RSVPs (to the.wcba@gmail.com) by July 20th.

Thanks!

With best wishes

The Committee

Book launch: Snowy the Doganaut

Hi everyone

We've been sent this info about a book launch on Thursday 19 June (more info here):

 

The Embassy of Brazil in Wellington has the pleasure to invite you to the second session of Brazilian Topics at the Embassy for 2014, on Thursday, 19 June.

Brazilian author Diego D’Albuquerque will be visiting New Zealand to launch his book Branquinho, o Dognauta, which has been translated by Peter Dowling and published for the first time in English as Snowy, the Doganaut by Libro International in New Zealand.  Please see in the poster attached all events planned during his visit to Auckland and Wellington.

At the Embassy of Brazil, Diego will do a book reading with kids and also give a presentation about Brazilian children’s literature for adults, together with publisher/translator Peter Dowling.

This special session of Brazilian Topics at the Embassy will be divided into two parts:

1. Reading of the book with kids and book launch. From 4 pm to 5.30 pm. Event suited for children of all ages, but in particular from 5 to 10 years old, and accompanying adults. Reservations: http://goo.gl/wsIbCT

2. Presentation about the Brazilian children's literature market. From 5.30 pm to 7 pm. Event suited for adults and older kids (from 10 years old). Reservations: http://goo.gl/E2Duaq

The book will be available for purchase for NZ$ 20.   

About the book:

Snowy is a dog with a difference — an alien canine with ears where he should have eyes, eyes in the back of his head, a tail on the side of his body. He wears a helmet and walks on two legs. A boy finds him in Earth and decides to take him to a veterinarian. Will he be able to transform him into a normal dog, even if he has to travel to Pluto to do it?

About the author:

Diego D’Albuquerque was only 8 years old when he wrote Branquinho, O Dognauta.  He became the youngest published author when Branquinho was released in 1982. He later graduated in Social Communication from the PUC (Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro) and has pursued a career in television and advertising as a scriptwriter and editor. Diego lives with his wife in Rio de Janeiro.

About the translator and publisher:

Peter Dowling is the director of Oratia Media, a publishing services company that also publishes Libro International books. He has had a long career in book and magazine publishing in New Zealand and overseas. Peter fell under the spell of Brazil when living there in 1990 and has returned as often as possible. Peter is an experienced translator and fluent speaker of Brazilian Portuguese. He now lives west of Auckland with his wife and two children.

###

ATTENTION PLEASE:

The Embassy of Brazil has moved to Level 13, 10 Customhouse Quay, Maritime Tower, Wellington. See map below.

Please keep in mind that building access closes at 6 pm. 

If you have any problems registering through the links above, please send us an email cultural@brazil.org.nz or call (04) 473 3521.

THE ACCESS TO THE EMBASSY WILL BE RESTRICTED TO THOSE WHOSE NAME APPEARS ON THE RESERVATIONS LIST. FOR SECURITY REASONS, YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO PRESENT PHOTO ID BEFORE ENTERING THE EMBASSY.