Hagley Writers' Institute

Hagley Writers’ Institute will be well represented at the Readers and Writers Week at the International Festival of the Arts in Wellington from 9- 14 March. Jane Higgins (right) who was among our first graduates will be appearing in two sessions – she will appear with Patrick Evans and Fiona Farrell, a former Institute tutor in a session about the Chch Quakes and she will also be part of their Schools’ day on a panel with Bernard Beckett.

Year 2 student, Vida Zelenka, is one of three NZ poets to have a poem selected by Bill Manhire to be workshopped at his Poetry Masterclass which is a real coup. She will be there to participate and hear Bill critique her work.

We are looking forward to welcoming all new and returning students on Saturday 11 February at 9.30am at the Writers’ Block. We will start with morning tea and then students will join their tutors for their first class.

Marissa Cappetta and Paul McGuigan, winners of the Margaret Mahy Award for 2011 pictured above with their mentor, John Dixon celebrating their success at the Hagley Writers’ Institute  graduation on Tuesday 6 December.

Those graduating Cum Laude from Year 1 were Marisa Cappetta, Tracy Chollet, Jeni Curtis, Vida Zelenka, Sean Joyce, Robyn Anderson, Fiona Tyson. The winner of the Margaret Mahy Award for Year 1 was Marisa Cappetta with Vida Zelenka and Jeni Curtis, second equal and Tracy Chollet, third.

Paul McGuigan won the Margaret Mahy Award for Year 2. John Ewen was second and Emma Currie and Cathleen Lewis were third equal.

Pictured above – Kerrin Sharpe  (tutor) Tracy Chollet, Marisa Cappetta, Paul McGuigan, John Ewen, Frankie Mcmillan (tutor), Cathleen Lewis and Emma Currie

Congratulations to Writers’ Institute graduate Gayle Cook who has been shortlisted for this prestigious award in the non fiction section. Her entry is entitled Being Blue and the winners will be announced in November.

Jeni Curtis and Emma Currie have poems coming out in future editions of the online journal, Blackmail.

And Marissa Cappetta has had poems accepted for another online journal, Snorkel.

Last Saturday students gathered at the Writers’ Block for morning tea with tutors and supervisors to celebrate the completion and handing-in of their portfolios. We farewelled those from Year 2 and Year 1 who wont be returning and look forward to those continuing on in 2012. This year’s students have been remarkable for their resilience and enthusiasm in light of what has been an extraordinary year.

Congratulations to Hagley graduate Deborah Rogers for winning the 2011 Takahe Short Story Competition. This is a significant success for Deborah who was one of our top three graduates in 2010.

Good news for two Hagley students – Maria Hansen who graduated last year was placed 3rd in the Dan Davin Open Short Story competition with “Her Son’ and Sean Joyce has had his poem ‘ The Municipal Gallery’ chosen for inclusion in the 2011 NZ Poetry Society Anthology. Well done Maria and Sean.

Here is Marisa Cappetta’s poem which was published in the Press recently:

You are the dirt beneath my fingernails

an itch of compassion

the pad of your index finger

has wee hooks

like a spider’s foot

you climb up my chin

grip the edge of my lower lip

and meticulously pull it down

exposing my lower teeth

Marisa Cappetta

Tutor Kerrin Sharpe received the welcome news last week that Victoria University Press is to publish her first collection of poems. This is a great coup for Kerrin as VUP is considered one of the premier NZ poetry publishing houses. Students and tutors celebrated with Kerrin last weekend at our highly successful Open Day. We are eagerly awaiting a publishing date and congratulate Kerrin on her well-deserved success.