Tim Upperton's first book of poems, A House on Fire, is being launched by Roger Steele of Steele-Roberts on National Poetry Day at the Palmerston North City Library, 7.00pm.

Sample poems are available at the Boston literary journal Agni's website (http://www.bu.edu/agni/authors/T/Tim-Upperton.html) and at Best NZ Poems 2008 (http://www.nzetc.org/iiml/bestnzpoems/BNZP08/t1-g1-t22-body1-d1.html).

"Tim Upperton's poetry and fiction have appeared or are forthcoming in Agni (US), Bravado, Dreamcatcher (UK), Landfall, New Zealand Books, New Zealand Listener, North & South, Reconfigurations (US), Sport, Takahe, Turbine and Best New Zealand Poems 2008. He is a former poetry editor for Bravado, and judged its International Poetry Competition in 2008. He has won first prizes in the NZ Listener's National Poetry Day competition, Takahe magazine's poetry competition, and the Northland and Manawatu Short Story competitions.

Tim teaches creative writing, poetry, New Zealand literature, and travel writing at Massey University."