Hagley Writers' Institute

There is no mystery in who won the short short story competition –  Sue Kingham’s story won and the runners-up were Nod Ghosh and Zoe Meager – all Hagley writers. Congratulations to you all. Buy this Feb’s edition to read these remarkable stories.

We were delighted to see our patron and mentor, Bernadette Hall named as a Member of the NZ Order of Merit in this year’s New Year’s Honours list for her contribution to NZ literature. We know, from our experience with having her so involved in the Institute how much time and wisdom she has given to our students and how revered her writing is amongst the literary community.

Congratulation to tutor, Frankie Mcmillan for being named in the long list for this year’s Ockham Book Awards,
Her book, My Mother and the Hungarians,
has had glowing reviews and even, resulted in her being invited to Hungary to take part in the anniversary of the 1957 uprising.

Classes have begun for 2017 and this term we welcome back our longtime patron, tutor and mentor Bernadette Hall who is filling in for Frankie Macmillan. Frankie is spending 6 months in Auckland at the Michael King Centre doing what she loves best, writing. It is wonderful to have Bernie back with us – she is a wise and wonderfully experienced teacher. We are also fortunate to have Christina Stachurski back as our other tutor, another inspired teacher.

Applications for 2017 are now being sought – forms are available from the Hagley College site – http://www.hagley.school.nz/study-options/writers-institute/

Congratulations to graduate, Leslie McKay for winning the 2016 Caselberg Trust Poetry Prize – a great month for Hagley with Gail Ingram taking out the NZPS poetry prize as well.

We had a fantastic turnout, over 90 people, at our Phantom Billstickers National Poetry Day celebrations at Scorpio Bookshop on Friday 26 August. Thanks to our wonderful readers, Frankie McMillan, Bernadette Hall, Owen Marshall, Christina Stachurski, Rose Collins, Teoti Jardine, Jeni Curtis and Marisa Cappetta. And huge congratulations to the winner of our competition, Danielle O’Halloran and Sile Mannion, the runner – up. James Norcliffe did a great job of judging with over 120 poems submitted. A marvellous response all round. Photos  show the crowd at Scorpio and winner Danielle O’Halloran and
director, Morrin Rout with the winning poem which has been published as a poster by Phantom Billstickers

Congratulations to all the Hagley writers who triumphed at the National Flash Fiction Day celebrations. Nod Ghosh and Linda Moser who were second and third respectively in the competition, Sam Averis highly commended for his 2 stores, Gail Ingram commended for hers and Wade Bishop, Sue Kingham, Tracey Peterson, Marie McGuigan all in the long list. There were also Hagley writers in the SIWA competition – Lucy Jane Walsh won and Celine Gibson was third. And of course I need to acknowledge the wonderful work of Hagley graduate, Brindi Joy with Sam Averis and others in organising such an entertaining and enjoyable evening