Authors Recognised With Two Of NZ's Largest Literary Prizes

Media release

23 August 2011

Authors Recognised With Two Of New Zealand's Largest Literary Prizes

- Ashton Wylie Charitable Trust Unpublished Manuscript and Book Awards -

New Zealand writers Mary Ballard and Keith Hill were each awarded $10,000 for literary excellence at the Ashton Wylie Charitable Trust Unpublished Manuscript and Book Awards, presented at Auckland's Hopetoun Alpha venue on Friday night (19 August).

The awards, run in association with the New Zealand Society of Authors, are in their eighth year and recognise excellence in writing in the mind, body, spirit genre.

Maggie Tarver, Chief Executive Officer for the NZSA, says the 2011 awards attracted an impressive response from New Zealand writers.

"The 2011 Ashton Wylie Charitable Trust Literature Awards received a remarkable number of written works, with 31 entries in the published book category, and 57 entries in the unpublished manuscript category," says Ms Tarver.

"Entries were of a very high standard and each of the shortlisted finalists has produced work of an excellent quality which demonstrates they have a natural aptitude for writing and possess a true understanding of the mind, body, spirit category."

Keith Hill of Auckland won the $10,000 award in the Book category for his work The God Revolution which explores how the ideas, perceptions and concepts of God have changed over the last 400 years. The book guides readers through the period and finished with a range of different possibilities.

Pokeno resident, Mary Ballard won the $10,000 award in the Unpublished Manuscript category for her work entitled The Snowflake Clouds, providing practical guidelines for people suffering from depression to develop a belief in self and connect with their spirit.

"My book is about communicating from our own spirit to the higher spirit and faith with the goal of peace of mind," says Ms Ballard.

Judges for the 2011 Ashton Wylie Charitable Trust Literature Awards were publisher, Bob Ross, owner and manager of Pepperleaf Publishing, Gillian Tewsley and founder and owner of Pathfinder Book Shop, Jennifer Eddington.

The Ashton Wylie Charitable Trust was set up following the death of Auckland businessman Ashton Wylie in 1999 with the mandate of having relationships as its focus, and its main intent being to promote more loving relationships. The Trust's Book and Unpublished Manuscript Awards were established in 2004 in association with the New Zealand Society of Authors to encourage the expansion of the mind, body and spirit literature genre in New Zealand.

ENDS

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