Urban Chicks show the way

In what can only be described as a marketing coop, a quirky new book about urban chooks and the people who love them has achieved great coverage. Urban Chicks, from boutique publisher Renaissance, has featured in various media including TV's Close Up, Good Morning, in the Sunday Star-Times magazine and on radio in the week of its publication. (It even rated a mention on Radio NZ's Mediawatch programme, which was slightly sneering about Aucklanders' paltry poultry habits. Perhaps host Colin Peacock [!] should note that his Wellington colleague Kim Hill recently appeared in the Listener with one of her flock.)

Then there's the social media. Posting at Egg Venturous (www.eggventurous.blogspot.com), Claire Gummer offers an account of the colourful launch. A contributor to the book, she was one of several publishing people in attendance. Others with an interest included Andrew Rumbles (author Renee Lang's former colleague at New Holland Publishers - he sold the books), Harriet Allan, Gillian Tewsley, publicist Lorraine Steele, and book designer/poultry photographer Trevor Newman.