Four Books to Watch from New Zealand

« Global Trade Talk via Publishing Perspectives

October 12, 2012 - By Alex Mutter

Left to right: Jenny Hellen, Tracey Borgfeldt, Sarah Bennett, Kevin Chapman and Debra Millar, from the New Zealand Editors Buzz Panel

“We’re generalists,” said Kevin Chapman, the President of the Publishers Association of New Zealand, during a Hall 8 SPARKS stage event showcasing select new titles from four different New Zealand publishers. “We publish all sorts of books, very successfully.”

1. Sarah Bennett, Associate Publisher and Production Manager at Awa Press, showcased Vinacular: A Wine Lover’s A-Z, by Scott Kennedy and John Saker. Vinacular is an intelligent, fun guide to the wine-drinking world.
2. Debra Millar, General Manager of Publishing with Penguin New Zealand, presented Lives We Leave Behind, by Maxine Alterio. Alterio’s tale tells of two young New Zealand women who volunteer as nurses in World War I, and serve on the front lines in North Africa and France.
3. Jenny Hellen, Deputy Publishing Director of Random House New Zealand, discussed ACB with Honora Lee, by Kate de Goldi. The story, which is meant for children but can easily appeal to adults, is about an eccentric, quirky nine year-old who bonds with her declining, dementia-suffering grandmother.
4. Tracey Borgfeldt of David Bateman Limited, displayed Pure Vanilla: The Essence of Exquisite Cooking from the World’s Best Chefs, by Natasha MacAller. Pure Vanilla’s recipes all feature the titular spice, which is one of the most common flavors in the world, yet comes from an orchid found only in Mexico. The book highlights both the sweet and savory aspects of vanilla.