The Press Christchurch Writers' Festival 2006
Have you written anything lately? A new poem, perhaps, or the first chapter of a novel?
"I have writer's block," you say.
Soon, we'll all have an excuse to get away from our blank pages and try to recapture that spark by meeting other writers. Winter is almost over, giving way a biennial spring celebration, The Press Christchurch Writers Festival 2006.
Ninth Christchurch Writers' Festival
According to the Festival chair, Felicity Price, "this festival's poetry offering is the most extensive ever" and that we will have "the largest number of international writers to attend a South Island writers' festival."
Featured International Authors
Along with many New Zealand writers, this year's Christchurch Writers' Festival will feature 17 international authors in 40 sessions over the long weekend of 8-10 September 2006.
Here are five people--four writers and an illustrator--which you should meet:
Glen Duncan's latest novel, The Bloodstone Papers (2006), is a "sprawling, ambitious work", fulfilling the early promise he showed in 1997, with his widely acclaimed first novel, Hope. Duncan has six novels and has been hailed as "one of Britain's most talented and confronting young writers."
Living in Berlin as an international lawyer, Australian writer Anna Funder was inspired her to write her first book, Stasiland (2003), a non-fiction work about the Stasi, the secret police in former German Democratic Republic--"a brilliant debut, a remarkable book of travel history and biography."
After leaving The Economist, Chris Riddell has been a political cartoonist for The Observer since 1995. As an illustrator, he has won 2001 Kate Greenaway Medal for the acclaimed non-fiction book Pirate Diary and the 2004 Kate Greenaway Medal for Jonathan Swift's Gulliver (retold by Martin Jenkins).
The current Poet Laureate of Queens, New York, Ishle Yi Park is a young, extraordinary poet. Her work has been published in over 30 anthologies, including The Best American Poetry of 2003. She has a CD entitled Work is Love, with 12 tracks of poems and songs. Her first book, The Temperature of This Water (2003), has won numerous national awards in the USA.
Markus Zusak has been dubbed a "literary phenomenon" with recent publication of The Book Thief (2006). He is also the author of four previous books for young adults, including I Am the Messenger (2005), recipient of a 2006 Printz Honor for Excellence in Young Adult Literature.
Events To Catch - Writers' Festival in New Zealand
The Christchurch writers' festival runs for three days and is full of events, from morning to evening, across venues in three main locations: The Arts Centre, the Christchurch Art Gallery, and the Christchurch Town Hall.
Ticket bookings can be made at the Christchurch writers' festival office and door sales are available at The Arts Centre and the Christchurch Town Hall. Tickets for this writers' festival in New Zealand can also be purchased through Ticketek.
Among the numerous sessions, here are some events that might be of interest.
8 September, Friday
- 10:30 am, conversation with Jenny Pattrick, author of Denniston Rose (Town Hall)
- 1:30 pm, discussion about Pacific literature, with Witi Ihimaera (Town Hall)
- 4:15 pm, discussion about India, with Glen Duncan (Town Hall)
9 September, Saturday
- 9:15 am, discussion about the Artists to Antartica programme, with Bill Manhire (Town Hall)
- 3:00 pm, conversation with Anna Funder, author of Stasiland (Limes Room, Town Hall)
- 8:00 pm, panel discussion and readings, with New Zealand writers based abroad (James Hay Theater, Town Hall)
10 September, Sunday
- 12:00 pm, lunch-time poetry performance, featuring Ishle Yi Park and Bill Manhire (Town Hall)
- 4:15 pm, discussion about writing for young adults, with Margaret Mahy and Markus Zusak (Limes Room, Town Hall)
- 7:30 pm, 2006 Poetry Idol (Dux de Lux lounge bar)
Poetry Idol is a Poetry Slam competition with celebrity performers & judges and part of The Press Christchurch Writers' Festival 2006.
Poetry Idol is Christchurch's biggest-ever Poetry Slam. Anyone can enter as long as you get in quick! Why? Fame! Money! $250.00 NZD cash for the winner and Dux de Lux vouchers for the runners-up. Plus, comedian and performance poet Penny Ashton will emcee the event. She'll open the evening and warm up the audience by performing some of her own brilliant poems.
Special Pre-festival Events - South Island Writers' Festival
- 21 August-9 September - special exhibition of New Zealand children's books, including Gavin Bishop's Mrs McGinty and the Bizarre Plant (Our City O-Tautahi)
- 1 September - conversation with Dava Sobel, author of The Planets (2005)
- 2-3 September - various writing workshops, including writing for children, starting a novel, travel writing and a master class with Owen Marshall
- 3 September - unveiling of new walkway plaque for philosopher Karl Popper (Canterbury University)
You can view more information about accommodation options in Christchurch, as well as Christchurch attractions and activities.
