NEW PROJECT DIRECTOR APPOINTED
TO NEW ZEALAND BOOK MONTH

New Zealand Book Month announces today that Nikki Crowther is appointed as Project Director for New Zealand Book Month 2010.

Nikki has over 15 years’ experience in bookselling and publishing. A recent migrant from the UK, she has most recently worked with REDgroup, advising on promotional strategies for Whitcoulls. Prior to that she was fiction trading controller at WHSmith and has worked as an international book buyer for Scholastic UK and Books Are Fun. Nikki started her career in books with Readathon, the UKsponsored reading campaign to get children reading for pleasure whilst raising money for the Roald Dahl Foundation for sick children.

Now in its fifth year, New Zealand Book Month is an annual cultural campaign that celebrates reading, stories and books. New Zealand Book Month 2009 focussed on grass roots participation and delivered hundreds of local events build energy, participation and awareness of NZ books and NZ Book Month.

New Zealand Book Month 2010 aims to further build on that celebration with a wider campaign to encompass all books, and literacy.

“I’m thrilled to step into this role that has as its central theme the simple joy of reading, of story telling and story sharing.  New Zealand Book Month is coming into its own and I look forward to making October a month that all book lovers will long remember,” says Nikki.

New Zealand Book Month Chair Mary Robbins acknowledges the vast experience Nikki brings with her.  “Last year was pivotal for New Zealand Book Month – and the Board is pleased that Nikki accepted the role. Her global experience is unique and NZ Book Month also gains a huge advocate of literacy.  She has many exciting ideas we look forward to seeing put into place.”