Saturday, December 05, 2015

News from IIML

IIML NEWSLETTER - 4 December 2015
Tēnā koutou!
Welcome to the 206th edition of our occasional newsletter. This is our bumper end-of-year wrap-up and thank you edition.
 
1. Highlights
The transformations happening all the time for our writing students form the real highlight of any year at the IIML but here are some other wonderful things that happened: Ken Duncum was promoted to Associate Professor. Emily Perkins made her debut as a playwright. Chris Price went to Germany and the UK for her Research and Study Leave. Damien Wilkins stayed in Wellington for his, though he did travel to Adelaide, Calgary and Vancouver for literary festivals. Cliff Fell came to Wellington to teach the MA workshop and everyone had a splendid time. Irish poet Vona Groarke, US publisher and writer Jonathan Galassi and Australian novelist Michelle de Kretser were our international masterclass visitors. Owen Marshall, Diana Bridge, Elizabeth Knox, John Newton, Tim Corballis, Hinemoana Baker and Airini Loader spoke to the MA classes.
Oh, and Katie Hardwick-Smith had a mid-year holiday for the first time in living memory. Her atmospheric photos from Turkey were a huge boost!
 
2. Book Awards
Among the longlisted writers for the Ockham New Zealand Book Awards, we are delighted to see our graduates Anna Smaill (The Chimes), David Coventry (The Invisible Mile), Laurence Fearnley (Reach), Lynn Jenner (Lost and Gone Away), Chris Tse (How to be Dead in a Year of Snakes) and Airini Beautrais (Dear Neil Roberts).

The shortlist will be announced on 8 March 2016, and the winners (including the four Best First Book Awards and a Māori Language award) will be announced at a ceremony on 10 May 2016, held as the opening night event of the Auckland Writers Festival.
 
3. Writing Fellows
We’re preparing to farewell Tim Corballis and to welcome Anne Kennedy, who begins her residency here in February. Tim’s time travel novel is very advanced but still in the future. Meanwhile his book R.H.I., which brings together two novellas, has received strong reviews.

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