CLL WRITERS AWARDS 2011 - Marvellous event at Auckland's National Library Headquarters

Hats off to CLL and their savvy CEO Paula Browning for a great evening last night at the National Library in Parnell. The format of the evening with MC Iain Sharp interviewing each of the five shortlisted authors was inspired with those of us in the large audience feeling they had got to know each author and their writing project.
The authors and their projects were:

Lee Davidson - Mountain Feeling
Davidson was warm and effusive and spoke of her Central Otago upbringing and love of the mountains.

Bradford Haami - Ka Mau Te Wehi
An engaging and modest man Haami spoke of the rise of the kapa haka movement and its importance in our cultural life.

Janet Hunt (right) - Dick Henry and the birds
Another excellent communicator who told us how this latest work grew out of her 2003 children's book - A Bird in the Hand. She is also of course author of the award winning Wetlands of New Zealand.

Malcolm McKinnon - The 1930's Depression in New Zealand.
Well known historian and much published author, best known for his New Zealand Historical Atlas. He talked about the importance of diaries when researching his prtesent project.

Melissa Williams - Te Rarawa in the City
Her subject is the story of Maori population migration from Northland to Auckland, something she knows about from personal experience with her mother coming from the Hokianga.

These were five most interesting interviews skilfully conducted by the warm, humorous, well read, always entertaining Iain Sharp (left). CLL could not have made a better choice.
When they had all been interviewed I turned to Annie and said it was such a shame that they could not all have been winners. For the two winners publication is now assured but I truly hope the three runners up also get their work published. All five are most worthy subjects. I noticed several prominent NZ book publishers in the audience so here's hoping!

Interspersed between the Sharp interviews Tony Simpson announced the winners of the Stout Centre Research Grant - Joan Druett - and the Open Grant - Jenny Argante; Stephen Stratford paid tribute to the late Christine Cole Catley, a previous recipient of a CLL Writers Ward and updated progress on her autobiography; and Chris Else, Chair of CLL, spoke of the work of CLL, a joint venture between authors and publishers and said to watch out for greatbooks.co.nz a digital publishing venture to be launched later in the year.

A most enjoyable evening.