Another Report From the Montanas ...

Jill Rawnsley writes......

It was a night of many return visits to the stage for “seconds”, humility, and good will towards all the writers in the room...

Winning over the audience, the elegant octogenarian Audrey Eagle, author/illustrator of Eagle’s Complete Trees and Shrubs of New Zealand, confessed on her return visit to the stage, that her skirt had nearly come down as she walked up the stairs - the first time.

The Penguin table was positively whooping for joy when Lloyd Jones was announced as the supreme winner of the Montana Medal for Fiction or Poetry – having already received the prize for the fiction category with Mister Pip. Lloyd said he really hadn’t felt that Mister Pip was any more special than his other books when he was writing it!

William Cottrell, author of Furniture of the New Zealand Colonial Era, visited the stage twice, too. It was lovely to hear him talk about what an inspiring experience it was to take part in this year's Auckland Writers & Readers Festival , and he told the audience a heartwarming story of having been handed some lost treasures the night before, by the granddaughter of one of the designers featured in his book. He showed, yet again, his infectious enthusiasm for his topic. William’s busy working on other books, having been bitten by the bug, and seemed genuinely awed to be receiving quite so much attention. Many winners admitted they’d not prepared speeches – having never expected to win.

Having been involved in the cringe-making task of having to choose winners this year (for the Book Publishers Association of New Zealand Review Awards - the New Zealand Listener and David Eggleton (Reviewer of the Year) were the winners), I now have an inkling of the challenge the Montana judges face.

When you're like me and just want everyone to win, you can't help feeling for those who miss out on the final prize – so hats off to all of the gracious finalists in the room! Also, sincere thanks to Pernod Ricard and Montana for their generous support of this major celebration of New Zealand books and writers.

Oh, and publishers - note to self - it was clear that books needed high production values in order to win, particularly in the age of the internet. A book is an artefact, a piece of art in its own right, and high standards of presentation and design clearly influenced the judges’ overall decision in many categories.

Cheers,

Jill Rawnsley

Auckland Writers & Readers Festival Director