Thursday, October 02, 2008

Novitz Wins Top Writing Prize

Julian Novitz has confirmed his place as one of the nation’s most talented emerging writers by winning the country’s top short fiction award.
The Christchurch-born and raised writer took the BNZ Katherine Mansfield premier prize of $10,000 for his story, Three Couples, at an awards ceremony held in Te Papa, Wellington tonight.
He joins New Zealand literary heavyweights CK Stead, Frank Sargeson, Vincent O’Sullivan and Keri Hulme and more recently, such critically acclaimed writers as Charlotte Grimshaw and Carl Nixon on the list of award winners.

Wellington creative writing student, Joseph Ryan (pic left) won the novice category for his story Stranger Than Beautiful.

Clare Tanton, a year 13 student at Taikura Rudolf Steiner School in Hastings, won the young writer’s prize for her story, The Hole in the Fence ahead of more than 360 entries from secondary school students around the country.

BNZ General Manager People and Corporate Relations, Bridget O’Shannessey says each of the winners demonstrate the qualities the Awards aspire to foster.
‘All three winners are committed to the discipline of creative writing and have worked hard on their stories to take first prize. It’s a huge pleasure to see writers of this calibre coming through the ranks and I warmly congratulate them.’

Peter Wells, this year’s BNZ Katherine Mansfield Writers’ Awards premier category judge says Julian Novitz’s winning story showed a high degree of observational humour.
‘It cleverly uses black humour with an underlay of sadness or irony. Three Couples has the qualities of an excellent short story - self contained, yet showing all the world 'in a grain of sand'.

Julian Novitz says previous BNZ Katherine Mansfield Award winners are among his favourite writers and considers it a huge honour to be considered alongside them.
‘I am incredibly excited and pleased to have won the award, finally, after having entered every time for the past eight years.’
Julian Novitz proved he was a writer to watch when he won the Hubert Church Award for best first book of fiction for My Real Life and Other Stories in 2005. His novel, Holocaust Tours was published the following year. He is a graduate of the Victoria University of Wellington's creative writing programme and is now in the final stages of completing a PhD in literary studies and creative writing at the University of Melbourne. He is currently working on his second novel.

The Award’s novice category judge, Elspeth Sandys says Joseph Ryan’s story, Stranger Than Beautiful is touching and beautifully crafted.
‘Stranger Than Beautiful skirts territory which, in less capable hands, could have resulted in prurience or sentimentality, the author’s grip on his highly sensitive material never falters.’
Joseph Ryan wins $1,500.

Young Writers’ category judge, Bernard Beckett says Clare Tanton’s story is a sharp piece of writing that rewards a second and third visit.
‘The Hole in the Fence stood out as much for the things it didn’t do as those it did. The control of this writer is impressive; the key details of the story are let out at just the right moment, being neither too heavily signposted nor dwelt upon.
‘This story focuses on doing what it should: letting the narrative gently unfold in a manner that is charming and intriguing.’

The win took Ms Tanton entirely by surprise.
‘I couldn’t believe I’d won. I was stunned. This is the first time I’ve entered any of my stories in a competition. It really gives me confidence to carry on trying.’
She wins $1,500 as does her school.

BNZ has sponsored the awards - which aim to foster the country’s literature - for almost five decades. They are New Zealand’s longest-running short story awards, established in 1959. Plans are underway to celebrate the Awards’ 50th anniversary in 2009.
Katherine Mansfield’s father, Sir Harold Beauchamp, was a director of Bank of New Zealand, a position he held for 38 years. He was also the chairman of the board for 17 years.

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