New Zealand novelist longlisted for a Miles Franklin Literary Award

Fremantle Press author Tracy Farr is celebrating today after her debut novel The Life and Loves of Lena Gaunt was longlisted for the prestigious Miles Franklin Literary Award.

Farr said making the longlist was a massive confidence boost while slogging away at the difficult early stages of writing her second novel.

‘It feels like being enveloped in a big, warm, literary and very Australian embrace,’ said Farr.

Farr who comes from Perth but has lived in Wellington for twenty years said it felt like concrete validation that her novel had a place in Australian literature.

‘It’s like being invited to join the gang, after lurking for years on the fringes as an observer,’ she said.

‘I wonder if my long-listing might contribute, in even a small way, to bridging the gap between the Australian and New Zealand literary scenes, or at least providing a talking point about it,’ said Farr.

This is the second consecutive year that a Fremantle Press title has made the Miles Franklin longlist and the third time since 2011.

Fremantle Press publisher Georgia Richter said it was always a thrill to have novels by new and emerging Western Australian authors receive recognition in Australia’s best-known award.

‘We believe deeply in the books we publish and in the talent of our authors. It’s lovely to see our own belief confirmed by the Miles Franklin, and to enjoy the validation it gives the recipients,’ said Richter.

The judges will announce the shortlist on 15 May. To celebrate the longlist announcement, the Miles Franklin administrators are launching a ‘You be the judge’ poll. This campaign invites readers to don a judge’s hat and select their own shortlist. The poll will be open for the six weeks between longlist and shortlist with novels extracts, synopsis and bio of authors available to help with the readers’ decisions.

For more information go to http://www.milesfranklin.com.au/news or tweet your comments @_milesfranklin

The Life and Loves of Lena Gaunt by Tracy Farr is available online and from all good bookstores.

To congratulate Tracy send her a tweet @hissingswan or @FremantlePress, hashtag #milesfranklin.

ENDS

Mt Eden’s Time Out Bookstore Launched Man Booker Prize Winner 2013

On Thursday, 1 August, 2013 at 6:00pm Time Out Bookstore in Auckland’s Mt Eden were proud to host the Auckland launch of the 2013 Man Booker Prize winner, The Luminaries (Victoria University Press). Launched in style by her New Zealand publisher, Fergus Barrowman of Victoria University Press the launch was a total sell out of hardback copies of the book available on the night. Time Out Bookstore went on to sell 87 copies of the hardback in total, nearly a tenth of the total print run of 1000 which is now out of print.

A capacity crowd turned out in force to support the growing buzz around Eleanor Catton’s second novel, after 2008’s widely acclaimed The Rehearsal. Eleanor spoke eloquently about the twin importance of pounamu and gold to the novel’s plot.

The youngest Man Booker winner in the prize’s 45-year history (she is 28 but completed The Luminaries aged 27) has triumphed with the longest ever Man Booker winning novel (832 pages). Catton is just the second New Zealander to win the prize, the first being Keri Hulme with The Bone People in 1985 (the year Eleanor Catton was born).

The Man Booker Prize promotes the finest in fiction by rewarding the very best book of the year. The prize is the world’s most important literary award and has the power to transform the fortunes of authors and publishers.

The Luminaries is available in-store at $35, paperback.

For further information contact:
Nevena Nikolic
Book Buyer
Time Out Bookstore
09-6303331 / nevena@timeout.co.nz