The expanding bookshelf

NEWS FROM THE IIML

Gigi Fenster's first novel The Intentions Book has been getting some great press, including the Sunday Star-Times review which used the happy phrase '’an altogether stunning debut’. Damien Wilkins launched the book at Unity recently and called it his ‘find of the year’.  You can read his launch speech, via pdf.

Another first book is Helen Heath's collection of poetry, Graft, which will be launched by Harry Ricketts at Unity at 6.00 pm on May 3rd.   More here.

Lynn Davidson is also about to launch a new book of poetry, Common Land.

Lynn and Helen are having a joint celebration of their books in Paekakariki. Among other things, they'll read their work, and be in conversation with Dinah Hawken about poetry, writing, family, and loss. Also drinks and music! Saturday May 5, St Peter's Hall, Paekakariki, from 6.30. Free entry.

Emily Perkin’s The Forrests  is getting a dream run in terms of pre-publication buzz. Most notable was the Hay Festival’s tip that the novel will win this year’s Man Booker Prize.  Emily has a fine new webite, where you can get some sense of just how busy she’s going to be over the next couple of months.

And Rachael King has a new book, for children, coming in June.


And in other news:


The IIML's Chris Price is the latest of a long list of New Zealand writers to have completed the coveted overseas residency that goes with the Mansfield Prize.  On Thursday 17 May Chris will present the inaugural Katherine Mansfield Menton Lecture at City Gallery Wellington.
She will read from work written at the Villa Isola Bella - including her book on poet and anatomist Thomas Lovell Beddoes - and talk about her experiences in Menton, France, as the 2011 New Zealand Post Mansfield Prize recipient. 
Chris promises a mix of poetry, prose, photographs, and even live music: her partner Robbie Duncan will play guitar pieces composed in Menton between 5.15 and 5.30pm, as a scene setter for the lecture, which starts at 5.30. Entry is free, but please note that seating is limited. 

Jenny Bornholdt, James Brown, Lynn Davidson, Dinah Hawken, Ingrid Horrocks, Anna Jackson, Bill Manhire, Chris Price, Helen Rickerby, Harry Ricketts, Chris Tse – quite a bunch of poets reading at Meow Café, 6pm Wednesday 9 May, to celebrate the publication of Dear Heart: 150 New Zealand Love Poems, edited by Paula Green.