A Wellington writer’s first novel will go head-to-head with works by two of our most acclaimed authors as finalists in the country’s most prestigious literary honours.

Alison Wong’s As the Earth Turns Silver was selected for the Fiction category shortlist, along with award-winning author Fiona Farrell, for her novel Limestone, and award-winning short-story writer Owen Marshall for his collection, Living as a Moon.

View the full shortlist below.

What a festival! Our gratitude to the writers, the audience and the volunteers knows no bounds.

We feel proud to have honoured our valued sponsors, funders, patrons and supporters.

Our heartfelt thanks to all of them, as always.

The tenth Festival boasts record numbers with attendances of 25,500, including a 23% increase in bookings for the Schools Programme.

Did you miss anything at the Festival? An author you weren't able to see, or a session that clashed with another?

Thanks to the fantastic coverage we received from the media, you can read about the Festival online.

We've pulled together a comprehensive list of Festival coverage, from reviews and summaries of different sessions to interviews with most of the festival guests.

Click through to keep reading.

We've put together a guide to having a great experience at the 2010 Festival. Click here for answers to frequently asked questions including:

Where's the best place to park?
Can I reserve seats?
How much time should I allow to pick up tickets?
Is there really a 50% student discount?
Can I get coffee at the Festival?
Will I be able to have my book signed?
Can I buy tickets at the last minute?

 
Food lover? Current affairs whiz? Poetry addict? There's something in our 2010 programme for you.

We've brought together top international and local writers to talk about subjects as diverse as art, war, religion, the novel, and rugby.

Take a look at the list of Festival events by topic, or view the programme day by day here.

Take high tea with four of New Zealand's top foodies. Be part of the live audience for The Good Word Debate. Linger over lunch with Rick Gekoski.

Spend an evening with top international storytellers William Dalrymple and Elizabeth Gilbert, or find out why the New Zealand Listener Opening Night is so popular.

There's a smorgasbord of special events on offer in 2010. Book now to secure your place - earlybird specials are available.

Join as a Festival Club Member before the 26th February and go in the draw to win a complete set of “Faber Firsts”.

“Faber Firsts” are stylish reprints of first novels by famous Faber authors. Nine are currently available and feature lovely vintage covers.

The set includes William Golding’s “Lord of the Flies”, an essential read for Festival fans. Upcoming guest John Carey is the author of the first biography of the Nobel Prize-winning William Golding and will be discussing it at the 2010 Festival from 12 – 16 May.

Why do so many local feature films fail at the box office? Where is New Zealand cinema going wrong? In a recent Onfilm opinion piece, producer John Barnett wrote about the general failure of local feature films at the box office.

Script to Screen and the NZ Writers Guild are presenting a conversation between Graeme Mason, CEO of the NZ Film Commission and former head of projects for Channel Four UK, veteran exhibitor Joe Moodabe, and indie distributor John Davies. Local writer / director / producer Vanessa Alexander will MC the event.

The discussion “will focus on the importance of writers, directors and producers identifying an audience wh

Read full post »

Maurice Gee's novel "Going West" literally comes to life in this gorgeous advertisement for the NZ Book Council.

Auckland agency Colenso BBDO worked with Andersen M Studio in London on the two-minute film, which took eight months to produce.

It was commissioned to inspire New Zealanders to read more books.

New Yorker Festival

I attended the New Yorker Festival in October, thanks in part to the generosity of the New Yorker and especially AWRF09 guest Rhonda Sherman, Director of the Festival.

As a first-time visitor to New York (strange but true), I revelled in the challenge of locating the events in a variety of wonderful venues, including the City Winery, the Directors Guild Theatre and the dining room at Conde Nast’s office.

Wishing I had three or four sentient clones, but only able to be in one place at one time, I left with wonderful memories of stand-out performances...