POETRY ON POSTERS RECLAIMING THE WORLD.

Giving poetry the street visibility of punk and rock’n roll, Phantom Billstickers is once again launching a new series of poem posters in late April 2010. Placing poems on the walls of cities across New Zealand, the United States and towns and cities everywhere, the intent is to bring poetry to the attention of the world. This will be Phantom Billstickers fourth run of Poem Posters.

THE LAUNCH

The ten new poems will be launched at a ceremony on the 28th of April at the old Government House, University of Auckland, Princess Street and Waterloo Quadrant, Auckland, New Zealand. The event will take place from 5pm until 7pm. All are welcome.

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THE TANIWHA’S TEAR
BY DAVID HAIR

HarperCollinsPublishers(NZ) | NZ RRP $19.99 | April 2010

In THE BONE TIKI, David Hair began a cycle of compelling, action-packed fantasy novels; THE TANIWHA’S TEAR is the second book in this series. New Zealand myth and history intertwines our modern world with a magical land of ancient Maori/settler New Zealand. It is fast-paced, full of tension and fear, while balanced with humour and moments of wonder.

For all those who, as children, used to fantasise that taniwha lurked beneath the mud pools of Rotorua, and that the carved faces in Maori meeting-rooms were alive, this series brings these childhood fantasies to life.

This story was primarily inspired by the legends surrounding Gisborne, a region which has a longstanding presence of Maori culture.

Matiu Douglas has promised to help the storyteller’s daughter, but there are a few problems . . . The daughter is dead – she’s been petrified in stone for centuries. And she’s no longer human . . . she’s a taniwha.

When Matiu and his friends defeated Puarata, the tohunga makutu, they thought they’d won the war. Instead they started one. Now his warlocks are fighting for supremacy in a violent struggle spreading across the magical land of Aotearoa and into our world. The outcome will be determined by the taniwha Mat has promised to save.

David Hair says:
I used to devour all the myths and legends books I could find, both New Zealand and overseas. I think stories about the real and mythic past are important in understanding where we’ve come from and who we are, and in the story I had a lot of fun blending the real and the mythic to make it a very New Zealand fantasy.

David Hair was raised in the Hawkes Bay and after the traditional Kiwi OE, settled in Wellington. He currently lives in India with his wife, who is with the New Zealand High Commission in New Delhi. While he worked for many years in the financial services industry, his focus is now on writing. The Bone Tiki was his first book.

What the media said about THE BONE TIKI:

“A debut novel of unusual interest, specifically the blend of Maori mythology with a fast-paced fantasy thriller… I look forward to his next book.” – Tessa Duder, Australian Women’s Weekly

“Maori myth and modern life combine in this ambitious fantasy debut… There’s plenty of action (some violent) and excitement along the way.” – New Zealand Herald

“A first rate fantasy adventure… A fun read.” – New Zealand Listener

HODDER BOOK NEWS

We have a fabulous selection of books for you for May with two touring authors, and other great fiction and non-fiction titles to choose from.

Our first author tour of the month is with Chris Laidlaw and his new book Somebody Stole My Game. In his book Chris explores a single, pointed question: can rugby’s soul be saved from the relentless commercial pressures that are bearing down on it? Chris will start his tour with an appearance at the Auckland Writers and Readers Festival on the 15th May, and then continue around the country.

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PENGUIN TO LAUNCH GLOBAL BUSINESS BOOK IMPRINT

Portfolio Penguin, already successful in the US, to roll out in the UK,
Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa

London, 12th April 2010… Penguin is to launch a global business book imprint by rolling out its Portfolio imprint this autumn in the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa. Portfolio is a market-leading business imprint in the US, and has expanded to India in the last few years.

Penguin Chairman and CEO John Makinson said: “Business publishing is increasingly global in reach, and in Portfolio we have one of the world’s strongest and fastest-growing business book imprints. So we are delighted to launch Portfolio Penguin in the UK and our other major English language markets this year. It will enable us to develop authors and serve the demands of readers both locally and globally, across all print and digital formats.”

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Release

Poet and academic John Newton new JD Stout Fellow

Victoria University’s 2010 JD Stout Fellow will explore the contribution of Jewish refugees from Hitler’s Germany, among other war-time immigrants, to New Zealand’s national identity and culture.

Dr John Newton is a poet, critic and academic as well as the author of the highly‐acclaimed book, The Double Rainbow: James K. Baxter, Ngati Hau and the Jerusalem Commune published last year by Victoria University Press.

As the JD Stout Fellow, Dr Newton will be based at Victoria’s Stout Research Centre for New Zealand Studies where he will conduct research for a new book about immigration to New Zealand at the time of World War Two.

He plans to explore the contribution made by such immigration to the development of New Zealand culture.

“War‐time immigrants, including Jewish refugees from Hitler’s Germany, played a key role in the growth of national culture from the mid‐1930s to the late‐1960s,” says Dr Newton.

Until this year Dr Newton has been based in the English Department at the University of Canterbury, where he has taught New Zealand and American Literature, Poetry and Reading Culture.

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A new book is set to uncover the secrets of John Key and National’s success in the 2008 general election.

Key to Victory: The New Zealand General Election of 2008 is a series of insiders’ views on our most recent general election, showing how John Key became New Zealand’s 38th Prime Minister.

Edited by Victoria University Professors Stephen Levine and Nigel S. Roberts and published by Victoria University Press, the book offers accounts from politicians, campaign advisors and media commentators who reveal insights into how John Key successfully rode a popular mood for change to overthrow Helen Clark’s Labour Government after three terms.
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The 2009 issue of online literary journal Turbine (www.vuw.ac.nz/turbine) is now live, featuring the best and freshest in New Zealand writing.

Turbine 09 includes the title essay from Can You Tolerate This? the personal essay collection by newly-announced Adam Foundation Prize winner Ashleigh Young, alongside work by 2009 Montana Best First Book of Poetry recipient, Sam Sampson, award-winning ex-pat New Zealand writer Kirsty Gunn and leading UK poet Christopher Reid.

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New Publishing Award Announced

The New Zealand Society of Authors (PEN NZ Inc.), in association with Pindar NZ, Whitcoulls, Astra Print Group, the New Zealand Herald and Creative New Zealand are proud to announce the launch of the “NZSA Pindar Publishing Prize”.

This competition offers budding New Zealand authors the opportunity to be professionally edited, produced, marketed and distributed throughout New Zealand. The total package is worth around $35,000 to a talented new author. Full details and application forms are available on www.authors.org.nz

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Media Release
The Michael King Writers’ Centre is calling for applications for the first Maori writer’s residency at the centre in 2010.

The residency is being offered with the support of Te Waka Toi, the Maori Arts Board of Creative New Zealand.

The residency is for eight weeks from 14 May next year. The selected author will have free accommodation at the writers’ centre in Devonport, use of its writing studio and will receive a stipend of $8,000.

It is the first time the centre has been able to offer a residency especially for a Maori writer. It has had 10 writers in residence since it was established in 2005. Next year, it will have two short residencies and a six-month residency, as well as the residency especially for a Maori writer.

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Press Release

New book examines global winds of change blowing through Samoa and the Pacific

From fales to fridges, coconut palms to cell phones, Samoa is a country in the midst of globalisation and technological change.

The Warm Winds of Change: Globalisation in Contemporary Samoa (Auckland University Press), an absorbing study of the impact of this worldwide phenomenon on a small island nation by Cluny and La‘avasa Macpherson, was launched last night at the 11th Pacific Islands Political Studies Association Conference in Auckland, New Zealand.
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