Vanda Symon has a nice review of North Pole South Pole by Gillian Turner – sounds like a great non-fiction read.

The Well Read Kitty has another review up for The Nile – and this sounds like an amazing read.

The Vicbooks blog has a great post about the news that Hodder want to update Enid Blyton. And why did I not know about the Vicbooks website – it’s fantastic, people!

So why don’t you tell me what you’re reading? I’d love to know! Are you enjoying it, hating it, loving it, or just blah? Are you reading a book, an e-book, blogs, newspapers, magazines, email - or just the latest junk mail that’s arrived in your letterbox?

Please share!

Something about these really appeals to me. I think this is an amazing project – I love that technology can be used to reach people and that we can change our way of thinking about “obsolescence”.

ENTRIES OPEN 1ST DAY OF SPRING (1ST OF SEPTEMBER) AND CLOSE ON CHRISTMAS EVE

Proudly supported by: Astra Print, the Auckland Writers and Readers Festival, Federation Media & Ngatarawa Winery

You might ask, why?
And we might answer:

‘This competition is designed to get people excited, to encourage new fingers to bang different keys: this is for the small, the strange, the beautiful, the bountiful and above all, the best.’
—Lily Richards, Brand Manager for Unity Books Auckland

‘We want to eliminate boring “competition stories” and challenge writers to work in the territories that produce so much of the best contemporary fiction, by writers like Lydia Davis or Alice Munro.’
— Fergus Barrowman, Editor and Publisher of SPORT

//

WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED AT THE 2011 AUCKLAND WRITERS AND READERS FESTIVAL
WHERE WE CAN ALL CELEBRATE WITH A NICE GLASS OF NGATARAWA WINE…Mmmmmm.

VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO ENTER (FROM 1ST SEPTEMBER)

Unity Books<http://www.unitybooks.co.nz/>

Click the thumbnail below for the full press release!

I’ll email you shortly!

And the loser is… me. For not announcing this on Tuesday night like I was supposed to. No excuses – epic fail on my part.

I’m so sorry you guys!

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

Entries Open for New Zealand’s Leading Short Story Awards

Etched into the New Zealand literary calendar, the Sunday Star-Times Short Story Awards have showcased some of New Zealand’s leading writers including Linda Olsson, Sarah Quigley, Norman Bilbrough, Andre Ngapo and Sarah Laing.

The 2010 awards welcome a new literary judging panel including award-winning authors Joy Cowley (Hunter, Mrs Wishy Washy, Snake & Lizard) and Charlotte Grimshaw (Singularity, Opportunity, Provocation) who will be selecting ten finalists from the entries.

The four categories include the Open Division (judged by Charlotte Grimshaw), Secondary School Division (judged by Joy Cowley), Best Unpublished Writer and the popular People’s Choice Awards.

The People’s Choice Award allows the public to read excerpts of the ten finalists’ stories and vote for their favourite short story online.  The winner of this category is decided entirely by public vote and wins $750 cash, publication of their story in Sunday Star-Times and $250 worth of books from Random House.

Entries to the 2010 awards close 27 August 2010 with winners announced at an awards ceremony on 28 October 2010. 

The Awards were launched in 1984 with a vision to recognise and encourage the talent of aspiring New Zealand writers and are now in their 26^th year. 

Last year, over 1400 entries to the awards were received.  The supreme award for the Open Division went to Waimate writer Sue Francis for ‘The Concentrators’, a small town New Zealand story about an unlikely friendship between two young women who meet every Friday night over a game of tennis.

For more information about the 2010 awards visit www.shortstory.co.nz

 Editors Notes:

Open Division

1st prize: $5000 cash, story published in the Sunday Star-Times and $500 worth of books from Random House

2nd prize: $2000 cash, story published in the Sunday Star-Times and $300 worth of books from Random House

3rd prize: $1000 cash, story published in the Sunday Star-Times and $200 worth of books from Random House

 
Secondary School Division

1st prize: $1000 cash, story published in the Sunday Star-Times, work experience day at Random House (day immediately after awards ceremony) PLUS $500 worth of Random House books and a $500 Whitcoulls gift card for the finalist’s school.

2nd prize: $500 cash, story published in the Sunday Star-Times PLUS $300 worth of Random House books and a $300 Whitcoulls gift card for the finalist’s school

3rd prize: $250 cash, story published in the Sunday Star-Times PLUS $200 worth of Random House books and a $200 Whitcoulls gift card for the finalist’s school.

BEST UNPUBLISHED WRITER

A Random House experience with key members of the company, including time with fiction publisher Harriet Allan and $200 worth of books from Random House.

PEOPLES’ CHOICE AWARD

$750 cash, story published in Sunday Star-Times and $250 worth of books from Random House.

Chris is the winner of Shadow Sister

Sandra is the winner of Thief

Marcushobson is the winner of A Matter of Life and Death

I’ll email all of you for your postal addresses. Thanks again everyone, and don’t forget you can still win Gunshot Road or The Crime of Huey Dunstan.

CAN IT TEXT?

BLOG?

SCROLL?

WI-FI?

TWEET?

No . . . It’s a book.

For lovers and defenders of book culture of all ages – arm yourselves with this book and unite!

 

A new technological breakthrough! It doesn’t involve tangled cords, won’t  require the upload of apps and never needs charging.

Who can deny the simple appeal of a good book?

Playful and lighthearted with a subversive twist that is signature Lane Smith, IT’S A BOOK is a delightful manifesto on behalf of print in the digital age. This satisfying, perfectly executed picture book has something to say to all readers of all ages.

Monkey is reading a book, but his friend wants to know what the book can do. Does it have a mouse like his computer? Can you make the characters fight? And does it make loud noises? No, it’s a book. Monkey’s friend has a delightful epiphany when he discovers that a good book doesn’t need fancy electronic accessories.

From New York Times bestselling author Lane Smith.

‘A must read for every publisher concerned about the impact of electronic publishing issues and every child who wants to enjoy more of their childhood and Lane Smith’s arch style. A devilish ending may scare a few . . . if it’s you? Lighten up.’

Publisher’s Weekly Staff Picks 2010

There was a bidding war over this book when it was presented at Bologna earlier this year and Walker scooped the ANZ rights! So far, It’s a Book is going to be published in Australia, New Zealand, England, Netherlands, France, Italy, Japan, Korea and Sweden!

Published: September 2010

AUD$27.95   NZD$29.99

Hardback Picture Book

Isbn: 9781921720147

For more information:  http://www.walkerbooks.com.au

It’s A Book! I love it!

And because I’m totally immature…

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

*titter*

Because I have a problem.

These are just my library books, these aren’t the books I own that I have to read or the books I’ve got that I have to review! Why did I go to the library and get MORE books out? I was just returning books! I don’t have time to read all the books in the world, or even just in the library!

Why? Why?

I think we all know what needs to be done.

Someone needs to pay me to read.