Commonwealth Writers’ Prize Opens New Chapter for 12 Authors of the South East Asia and Pacific.

Two Auckland-based authors on shortlist.

Internationally recognised for propelling authors into the literary spotlight, the shortlist for the regional winners from South East Asia and Pacific has been unveiled in the race to win the influential 2010 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize.

Offering an exceptional opportunity for new writers to demonstrate their talent and for authors already on the literary scene to strengthen their reputation – writers across the region - are in pole position to compete with the best authors from, Africa, Caribbean and Canada and South Asia and Europe to win the coveted prizes of the Commonwealth’s Best Book and Best First Book.

The shortlisted writers for South East Asia and Pacific Best Book are:

Summertime by J.M Coetzee (Australia)
A Good Land by Nada Awar Jarrar (Australia)
The Adventures of Vela by Albert Wendt (Samoa)
Singularity by Charlotte Grimshaw (New Zealand)
The People's Train by Thomas Keneally (Australia)
Parrot and Oliver in America by Peter Carey (Australia)



The shortlisted writers for South East Asia and Pacific Best First Book are:

The Ice Age by Kirsten Reed (Australia)
After the fire, a still small voice by Evie Wyld (Australia)
Look Who's Morphing by Tom Cho (Australia)
Document Z by Andrew Croome (Australia)
Come Inside Foundation by Glenys Osborne (Australia)
Siddon Rock by Glenda Guest (Australia)

The final programme, starting on 7 April in Delhi, India will bring together the finalists from the different regions of the Commonwealth, and the two overall winners will be announced there on 12 April.

The critically acclaimed Commonwealth Writers’ Prize is in its 24th year and has a strong track record of discovering new international stars.
The Prize is presented by the Commonwealth Foundation with support from the Macquarie Group