WORD Christchurch Writers & Readers Festival 24 - 28 August

SPOTLIGHT ON LUCY HONE            Dr Lucy Hone, author of What Abi Taught Us, about a mother's struggle to come to terms with her daughter's death, has promised us that her session won’t be morbid or miserable at all! Instead she plans to use her considerable experience in the field of wellbeing science to share simple and effective strategies proven to increase personal wellbeing and resilience. Whether you’re 16 or 60 Lucy promises to provide an engaging talk, peppered with personal anecdotes, truisms of family life and 21st century social media culture, and just enough science to convince you the tools will actually work. Given Lucy is currently working with several schools across Christchurch to promote student wellbeing, this session is definitely one we recommend parents encourage their teenagers to attend. With a special ticket price of just $12 for under-18s. LISTEN & WATCH: Lucy on Nine to Noon READ: a recent interview with Lucy in Sunday magazine  WHAT ABI TAUGHT US Sunday 28 August, 11am The Piano, 156 Armagh St More information & tickets   Presented by       NGAIO MARSH AWARD FINALISTS ANNOUNCED!     Congratulations to all the finalists in the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Crime Novel and the Best First Novel award, which were announced last week. For the full list of finalists for both awards go, here. Listen to awards convenor Craig Sisterson on Sunday Mornings on RNZ National. Catch some of the finalists reading from their work in the free Murder in the Gallery session on Saturday, 27 August, before the big announcement that night at the Great New Zealand Crime Debate.   Often funny, sometimes shocking and always entertaining, the Great New Zealand Crime Debate has become a WORD Christchurch festival institution. Featuring some of Christchurch's funniest and sharpest debaters, Marcus Elliott, Kathryn Dalziel and Andrew Gunn, joined by journalist Paula Penfold, murder expert Jarrod Gilbert and American TV comedy writer Steve Hely, and MCed by the infamous Joe Bennett, this night is not to be missed.   THE GREAT NZ CRIME DEBATE AND NGAIO MARSH AWARD Saturday 27 August, 7.30pm The Piano, 156 Armagh St Book here       MARGARET MAHY MEMORIAL LECTURE        Check out today's issue of Your Weekend in The Press for an an interview with American writer David Levithan. We are thrilled to welcome David to give this year's Margaret Mahy Memorial Lecture, which will focus on the importance of diversity in literature. David's books feature a wide range of characters, and his bestselling YA novel Every Day follows the story of a person who wakes in a different body every day: male, female, gay, straight, black, white. David is a huge fan of Margaret Mahy and was honoured to be invited.   MARGARET MAHY MEMORIAL LECTURE Saturday, 27 August. 9.30am The Piano, 156 Armagh St Buy tickets      FESTIVAL PASS and MULTI-TICKET SAVING Don't forget! Buy six festival tickets and pay for five (conditions apply)! And if you're really stuck for choice, why not buy a FESTIVAL PASS and go to as many sessions as you like? Buy a pass by 12 August and go in the draw to win a $200 book voucher courtesy of University Bookshop to use at the festival! More details here.