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NZSA TOP OF THE SOUTH NEWS
2 December 2016
Send news to Chrissie at or phone 03-546-9818. Let me know about meetings, coming events, book launches, new publications, literary successes, etc. Tell me if you change your email address. Past newsletters are archived for a month on our website www.topwriters.co.nz. We are on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/topwritersNZSA
WRITERS AT LUNCHTIME
The next Writers at Lunchtime on Wednesday 7 December will be a purely social event with a raffle and a fun quiz. Bring a wrapped book (pre-loved is fine) for mystery gift exchange.
Writers at Lunchtime takes place at The Prince Albert, 113 Nile Street, Nelson (car parking is accessed from Tasman Street). Come any time from 11.30 am. Everyone is welcome. For more information contact Chrissie on 03-5469818.
WRITE FOR RIGHTS
The Nelson branch of Amnesty International holds its annual letter-writing marathon for human rights abuse victims tomorrow Saturday 3 December,
2 – 3 pm at NMIT S Block, Room 106 (entry from Nile Street, near the pedestrian crossing). For more information phone Karen on 03-548 6241.
Q & A WITH FRENCH WAR CORRESPONDENT
A Q & A session with French war correspondent Olivier Weber will be held in Nelson on Saturday 3 December at 4 pm at NMIT G Block, Room 104 (the Creative Industries building, on Nile Street).
Olivier Weber has covered many of our past and current conflicts in the world. He has won several national and international awards of literature and journalism, in particular for his stories on Afghanistan and for his books on war. His novels, travel writing books and essays have been translated into a dozen languages.
This free event is hosted by Alliance Française Nelson. Weber will be in conversation with Axel de Maupeou, who is Team Leader, Festivals, for Nelson City Council. The talk will be in English. For more information contact , phone 027 389 1692.
BOOK LAUNCH IN TAKAKA
The launch of the much anticipated new pictorial history Waitapu to Waitui: A journey up the Takaka Valley by Carol Dawber will be held in the historic surrounds of the East Takaka Hall on Sunday 4 December at 2 pm.
This Golden Bay photo-history, the fourth to be published by River Press for the Bainham Reunion Committee, is a 192-page book of black and white photographs covering the Takaka Valley from Waitapu and Waikoropupu to Upper Takaka and Waitui. Shipping, sawmilling, farming and marble quarries are featured alongside homes, schools and businesses in a series of images chosen to portray the varied lifestyles of those who lived in the valley from the 1860s to the 1950s.
MP Damien O’Connor will official launch the book, and Carol Dawber will provide some insights into this latest publication in the series. The Takaka Citizens’ Band will be in attendance, and guided tours will be conducted around places of local historical interest. Signed copies of the book with commemorative launch-day bookmark are $59.95; they can be picked up on the day or posted (add $6.50 P&P). To pre-order your book, contact or
WRITERS OF PICTON
The next meeting of Writers of Picton will be on Monday 5 December, 11.30 am at the Red Salt Café, Picton. The writing topic is 200 - 400 words on the topic ‘Earthquake’, or bring a piece of writing of your choice.
Everyone is welcome to listen or participate. If you are interested in coming along, contact Peter and Irene Thomas on 03-573-5501 or 027 2493146 or email for more information.
UNVEILING OF NEW POEM FOR TAYLOR RIVER WRITERS’ WALK
The Taylor River Writers’ Walk features poems written by Marlborough school pupils, which are attached to boulders along the Taylor River in Blenheim. Read about it here: http://www.topwriters.co.nz/taylor-river-writers-walk.html
The eighth poem, selected from Blenheim School, will be unveiled on Wednesday 7 December at 11am. The boulder is located onthe east sideof the river,upstreamfromthe Henry Streetbridge. There is parking at the Henry Streetbridgecarparkoff Nelson Street.
Cathee Wilks from the Springlands SchoolWriters’Walk Group says: ‘We
are really excited to get another school’s poem presented along the Taylor RiverWriters’Walkway,and to see our dream developing as we add theeighthpoem.
‘Over the past few years wehave had lots of positive feedback about theWriters’Walkand have been impressed by the amount of people who havecommentedthat they have stopped to read the poems when they arewalking alongthe Taylor River.
‘Wewould like toacknowledgethe continued support from the Marlborough District Council, Geoffrey T.Sowman and theBlenheimcommunity.’
STEMWRITERS GROUP AT NELSON LIBRARIES
STEMWriters is a small group with widely varying interests in writing, from short fiction to social commentary, social history and poetry. They meet on the second Tuesday of each month, 2 – 4 pm at the Elma Turner Library in Nelson. The next meeting is on Tuesday 13 December. For more information contact Alyson Baker at 03-546 0416 or
PICTON POETS NEXT MEETING
Picton Poetswill be getting together for an end-of-the-year lunch at the Seabreeze Café, 24 London Quay, onWednesday 14 December at 12.30 pm.
The poets will take a break before resuming meetings on 15 February. They usually meet in the Reading Room at Picton Library on the third Wednesday of the month, and welcome new members and visitors. There is a monthly topic for a poem. For more information contact Ruby Roberts on 03-5737 437 or
GOLDEN BAY LIVE POETS
The next meeting of Golden Bay Live Poets on Thursday 15 December features Mark Raffills as guest poet.
A finalist in the NZ Poetry Slam in 2011 and 2015, Mark Raffills has shared the stage with the likes of Hone Tuwhare, Rachel Bush, Glenn Colquhoun, David Eggleton and Sam Hunt. This year he toured NZ with American slam champions Carrie Rudzinski and Ken Arkind.
The evening kinks off at 7.30 pm with local musician Nick Feint, and an open mic session follows. Guest poet Mark Raffills takes the stage around 8.30 pm. After a break, the second open mic session will roll from 9.15 pm.
Everyone is welcome to attend or participate (register on the night). GB Live Poets takes place at the Mussel Inn, Onekaka. Koha entry. For more information contact Rose at
OPEN MIC POETRY NIGHT IN MOTUEKA
An Open Mic Poetry Night for adults, young adults and children will be held at Motueka Library on Friday 16 December, 7 – 8.30 pm. The guest poet and MC will be Leslie McKay, who will read the poem with which she won the Caselberg International Poetry Prize this year, plus two or three other poems. Leslie is a poet and writing teacher from the Maruia Valley who has been living in Motueka this past year.
Bring a poem to read, your own or a favourite, and register on the night. Light refreshments will be provided. Everyone is welcome, koha appreciated. For more information, contact Janine Gillions on 03-543 7248, email .
GET A FREE BOOK!
Pheliceis a new release by Sue Perkins and is the prequel to Book 4 of her ‘Cloud Kingdoms’ series. Best of all, this book is FREE!
Phelice – Prequel to Cloud Kingdoms Book 4
‘Cloud Kingdoms’ are fantasy romances set in an alternate world. The castles of the nobles float in the air. Phelice and her new husband Jariss have an arranged marriage. Now they must learn how to make their union a success and also solve the problems of the spirit creatures that live downside on the planet.
This book will be available in ebook format from 1st December and can only be found at: http://www.desertbreezepublishing.com/cloud-kingdoms-free-read-phelice/
Sue has been writing fantasy for adults, young adults and children for many years. She lives in Richmond and is the current Chair of the Top of the South Branch. For more information please visit Sue's website http://www.sueperkinsauthor.com
FLAT AVAILABLE IN NELSON
Local writer Ro Cambridge is letting her Nelson flat from late December to mid-January. It’s small, humble but homely, sunny and very central – just a short walk to town, Founder’s Park, Centre of New Zealand, and right on the cycleway.
Readers and writers might like to know that it also contains plenty of books, including several shelves devoted solely to books on, and about, writing. You’ll find photos and more information on AirBnb: https://www.airbnb.co.nz/rooms/15677719
If you are interested in booking outside the AirBnB system you could call Ro direct on 027 6882591. However, If caravanning or camping are more your thing, Ro invites you to read her tongue-in-cheek guide to holidaying in the great outdoors –http://tinyurl.com/Zen-and-The-Art-of-Caravaning
COONEY INSURANCE SHORT STORY COMPETITION
The 2017 Cooney Insurance Short Story Competition is now open for entries.
It is organised by the Cambridge Autumn Festival, and prizes will be awarded at a gala event on Thursday 20 April during the Autumn Festival.
Prizes are: First, $1,000; Second, $500; Third, $250.
The theme is ‘A Stranger’. Word limit is 1500 words. Entries close 28 February.
To enter, send your manuscript along with the completed entry form to:
Cooney Insurance Short Story Competition,
c/- Cambridge Autumn Festival,
PO Box 369, Cambridge 3450.
For full details and the entry form, see the website: www.cambridgeautumnfestival.co.nz
POEM IN THE WINDOW
Each month, a poem is displayed in the window of Page & Blackmore Booksellers at 254 Trafalgar Street, Nelson. The poem for December is Falcon by Penny Hall.
The poems for the window are chosen by Carol Ercolano. Poems reflecting the Top of the South are desirable, but submissions on any themeare welcome. The most important criteria is that people passing by and pausing to readcan readilyidentify withit.Length should ideally be not more than 30 lines, but an extract from a longer poem could be displayed as lines from .... If you would like a poem of yours considered for the window, send a selection of up to three as email attachments to Carol at