Awa Press - News & Events

Standing room only for Steve Braunias
The audience at an overflowing Greytown Town Hall on June 9 enjoyed a hilarious talk by Steve Braunias, author of Roosters I Have Known and How to Watch a Bird. The event was part of the Yarns in Barns literary festival, hosted by the ever-smiling David Hedley of Hedley's Bookstore.

How to Look at a Painting to hit TV screens
Justin Paton's engaging guide to art, How to Look at a Painting, is to become a 12-part series on Television New Zealand. Fronted by Paton himself, it will screen on TV1 on Sunday evenings in the first half of 2009. How to Look at a Painting won a 2006 Montana Book Award. A special hardback edition will be released in September 2008.

Montana Awards
Transit of Venus, our exciting collection of essays on the rare astronomical alignment that changed the world, has been shortlisted for a 2008 Montana Book Award. The contributors include historian Anne Salmond, scientists Hamish Campbell, Paul Callaghan and Duncan Steel, astronomer Richard Hall, Maori Studies lecturer Peter Adds and science journalist Marilyn Head. The winner will be announced on July 21.

Three courses of Steve Braunias at Auckland Writers and Readers Festival
May 14: Come and hear Steve Braunias in conversation with Finlay Macdonald at 'An Hour with Steve Braunias', the opening event of the Auckland Writers and Readers Festival (4:30pm, ASB Theatre, Aotea Centre). This event also marks the release of Steve's third book, Roosters I Have Known. Tickets available from www.writersfestival.co.nz.
May 15: Steve Braunias takes part in a discussion with James Griffin and Tapu Misa about life as a columnist, chaired by Linda Burgess. 6:00pm, Lower NZI Room, Aotea Centre. Tickets available from www.writersfestival.co.nz
May 18: Steve Braunias confesses to the most shameful books he has loved in 'Books Left on Buses' (7:00pm, ASB Theatre, Aotea Centre), a panel discussion with Junot Díaz, Sarah Hall, Kate de Goldi, Heather O'Neill and Luke Davies. Tickets available from www.writersfestival.co.nz

Yarns in Barns festival to host a session with Steve Braunias Steve Braunias will appear at the Yarns in Barns festival at Greytown Town Hall, 3pm, to discuss roosters he has known and other wildlife. For further details contact Hedleys Booksellers on 06 378 2875

Five stars for finance guide
Our new guide to personal finance, "Your Money Personality", has been awarded top five-star rating by Good Returns, an online bookstore specialising in finance and investing. The store's reviewer says: "I highly recommend this title to anyone interested in getting on with achieving their life's ambitions and creating wealth. This little gem just might be all you need to make it happen."

Bestsellerdom for Bird
Steve Braunias's much praised book How to Watch a Bird has hit the Bookscan bestseller list. The book has also received plaudits from leading author James McNeish, who told The Sunday Star-Times that he likes the book so much he's buying another copy to give a friend who needs to be encouraged to watch birds!

New Distributor
As of November 1, Awa Press books are being distributed in New Zealand and Australia through Penguin Group. For more information, contact sales@awapress.com or phone +64 4 385-0740.

Listener accolades
Awa Press is the standout publisher in the Listener picks for The Best Books of 2007.The Listener's reviewers selected How to Watch a Bird by Steve Braunias, How to Catch a Cricket Match by Harry Ricketts and The Transit of Venus - contributors Peter Adds, Paul Callaghan, Hamish Campbell, Richard Hall, Marilyn Head, Anne Salmond and Duncan Steel.

John Daniell on Campbell Live
"A thoroughly ripping yarn". "A wonderful account of playing rugby in France." High praise from TV3's John Campbell for Inside French Rugby by John Daniell. Watch the interview here.

Awa Press features on The Arts on Sunday
Our publishing director, Mary Varnham, was interviewed on Radio New Zealand's Arts on Sunday, August 26. To listen, go to Radio New Zealand

Cricket Scores!
How to Catch a Cricket Match has won Highly Commended in the Spectrum Design Awards, announced on July 29. The cover illustration for this book, and all others in the series, is by the talented and individualistic Wellington artist Scott Kennedy, with overall series design by Sarah Maxey. The judges particularly liked the book's "eye-catching chapter headings and diverting line drawings of umpires in odd postures'. The awards attracted 168 entries, with only 14 reaching the finals.

Awa authors Taranaki festival bound
Steve Braunias, Sunday Star-Times columnist and author of How to Watch a Bird, and Judith Bell, author of I See Red: The shocking story of a battle against The Warehouse, spoke to full houses at the Taranaki International Festival of the Arts in July. Festival details at www.artsfest.co.nz.

2007 Rugby World Cup book a 'tour de force'
Spiro Zavos's new book Watching the Rugby World Cup, released 1 May, has attracted strong advance reviews. Former All Black captain David Kirk says: 'From one of the great rugby journalists, a superb book for those who love the sport, the drama, and the thrill of victory.' Best-selling author Peter FitzSimons calls it 'a tour de force, as comprehensive and entertaining a book on the World Cup as has ever been written'. The Rugby World Cup starts in Paris on 7 September and climaxes with the final on 20 October.

Spiro Zavos
Spiro Zavos's new book Watching the Rugby World Cup, released 1 May, has attracted strong advance reviews. Former All Black captain David Kirk says: 'From one of the great rugby journalists, a superb book for those who love the sport, the drama, and the thrill of victory.' Best-selling author Peter FitzSimons calls it 'a tour de force, as comprehensive and entertaining a book on the World Cup as has ever been written'. The Rugby World Cup starts in Paris on 7 September and climaxes with the final on 20 October.

Valentino Rossi - We have the book!
Attention motor-racing fans. Celebrate Italian superstar Valentino Rossi's participation in the Rally of New Zealand, Mystery Creek, November 17-19, with our fully illustrated book on the champion. Simply click on 'Gribaudo books' in the lefthand column of this page to purchase this fabulous book - and other stunning titles from Italian publisher Gribaudo Books.

We release one of the year's most important books
Awa Press proudly announces the release of the landmark book I See Red - the searingly honest story of Judith Bell, a woman who boldly dared to expose the business practices of New Zealand's biggest retail chain, The Warehouse. You will never look at shopping the same way again.

Well done, Justin!
Awa Press congratulates Justin Paton, whose book How to Look at a Painting won the Lifestyle and Contempary Culture category of the 2006 Montana New Zealand Book Awards. The judges said, 'Paton has found the perfect voice - assured yet never patronising, enthusiastic yet never gushing ... [we] would like to commend him for the quality of his writing, which we found quite extraordinary.' The love for this book - from critics, art lovers and general readers - has been overwhelming.

Gerry Evans becomes writer-in-residence at Michael King Centre
Awa Press author Gerry Evans is the new writer-in-residence at the Michael King Writers' Centre in Devonport, Auckland. Evans' latest book Killing Your Darlings will be published by Awa Press in February 2007.

Awa Press author wins major literary prize
Kelly Ana Morey has won the inaugural Janet Frame Literary Award for Fiction. Awa Press published Morey's latest book and first non-fiction title, How to Read a Book.

New art book 'masterpiece'
How to Look at a Painting by acclaimed art writer Justin Paton was selected by the Listener as one of the best books of 2005.