World-Wide Success For Kapka Kassabova

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WORLD-WIDE SUCCESS FOR LOCAL WRITER

New Zealand author Kapka Kassabova has won the best first book category for the 2000 Commonwealth Writers Prize in the SE Asia and South Pacific region for her novel Reconnaissance.

"I am surprised and delighted to receive this award," says Kapka Kassabova "To me it is a recognition of the work which I put into Reconnaissance."

Kateryna Longley, Commonwealth Writers Trust Regional Chairperson, says "Reconnaissance is an extraordinarily mature and complex book, with the judges decision being unanimous . fascinating storyline, remarkable prose, full of insights into youth culture and immigrant experience, worthy of being read again and again."

"We are delighted the book has received this prestigious international award", says Kapka's Penguin Books NZ publisher Bernice Beachman. "It is worldwide recognition for one of New Zealand's most exciting young writers and it acknowledges a debut novel that is complex and skilful with a truly international perspective."

Kapka will travel to New Delhi, India in April, where Reconnaissance will compete for the overall best first book against the three other regions in the Commonwealth - Caribbean & Canada, Eurasia and Africa.

Kapka is the 1999 winner of the Buddle Findlay Sargenson Fellowship, and is currently in residence in the fellowship apartment in Auckland.

Reconnaissance was published by Penguin Books NZ in February 1999 and received critical acclaim both here and in Britain.

ENDS....

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