EVENTS:
NZSA Northland Branch meeting
Tuesday 15 April 2025 at 7.30 pm, via Zoom.
Secretary, Trish Fenton, will send the Zoom link with the agenda.
POETS@ONEONESIX
5.30 – 7.30pm, Wednesday16 April, 116 Bank Street Whangārei.
Gold coin donations to cover cost of room hire are very much appreciated.
Workshop:
HOW TO WRITE GREAT SHORT STORIES
Our workshop leader, Caroline Barron, holds a Masters in Creative Writing from University of Auckland (2015) plus a journalism degree. Her memoir, RIPIRO BEACH (Bateman, New Zealand), won the 2020 New Zealand Heritage Literary Award for Best Nonfiction Book, and her debut novel GOLDEN DAYS was published by Affirm Press, Australia, in 2022.
Join Caroline at the Whangarei Central Library for a short story writing workshop where she will explore turning ideas into stories, beginnings/endings/structure, characters in short forms, genre vs literary, and how to edit and polish.
Saturday 24 MAY 9.30am – 12.30pm
COST: $40.00
Places limited – please register at Whangareilibrary3.30flash@gmail.com
NZSA Northland AGM
At our recent AGM all office-holders were unanimously re-elected. See our website for names and responsibilities of committee members: https://northlandauthors.co.nz/
As always, THE FOOD was a popular feature, along with an informative session from SHERRYL CLARK on the effective use of Instagram!
CONGRATULATIONS!
We’re delighted to announce that NZSA Northland member, KRISTIN KELLY, has won a BOOKLOVERS AWARD:
The Squeakling by Kristin Kelly, illustrated by Ronja Schipper wins the NZ Booklovers Award for Best Children’s Picture Book 2025, published by Scholastic NZ. Sponsored by Duckling Publishing.
The judges say, ‘As in previous years, the variety and quality of entries in the picture book section made selecting a winner a difficult task. However, the judges’ final choice was The Squeakling.
IN A FLASH!
March 2025: WINDOWS | NGĀ MATAPIHI
Your language, your window
Keeping up the Northland tradition, the latest edition of Flash Frontier features three NZSA Northland members:
Seeing the light – Sherryl Clark
Code of honour – Deb Jowitt
Windows to the soul – Susan Barker
ABOUT: “Flash Frontier had its start in 2012, in the far north of New Zealand. We have been building a community of short fiction writers, one small story at a time, ever since.”
TE MOANA O REO
OCEANS OF LANGUAGE
Our own Sue Barker has a short Italian/English piece in this wonderful anthology!
Edited by Michelle Elvy and Vaughn Rapatahana, it was released in February 2025.
“Revel in the many foam-tossed stories within, dive deep, follow the taniwha sounds, play in the oceans of languages.”
- Witi Ihimaera
NORTHTEC CREATIVE WRITING EXCELLENCE AWARD
It’s our pleasure to announce that NorthTec Creative Writing graduate, ALICE FAIRLEY, is the recipient of this year’s Excellence Award, sponsored by NZSA Northland, NorthTec and NZSA (PEN inc). Along with her $500 prize, Alice will receive one year’s complimentary NZSA membership. A well-deserved recognition of her accomplishment!
OPPORTUNITIES:
Copyright NZ offers a free online workshop for NZSA members, all about aspects of copyright and your rights, and our Northland branch has decided to take advantage of this and schedule a workshop for this year, possibly June or July.
If you would be interested in attending, please email us at northlandauthors@gmail.com and let us know whether you would prefer a daytime, evening or weekend session.
National Flash Fiction Day 2025 – Submit this month!
| The competition closes April 30 at midnight The 2025 NFFD judges are Brannavan Gnanalingam and Vana Manasiadis The 2025 NFFD youth judge is Shilo Kino Details at nationalflash.org/competition |
SHARING NZSA NORTHLAND BRANCH NEWS AND EVENTS:
Share with us on our Facebook Pages for NZSA Northland
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1618171775233622 (Private members’ group)
https://www.facebook.com/NZSANorthlandBranch (Public)
Submit your news, including events, awards, recent publications and book launches to: northlandauthors[at]gmail.com for inclusion in our monthly newsletter.
Free for financial members. 50 cents per word for non-members.
Check for further updates on: https://northlandauthors.co.nz/
“It’s okay to be a late bloomer, as long as you don’t miss the flower show.”
– Jane Fonda
Northland Branch 