News Archive

AUCKLAND, 3 May 2010. New Zealand’s exceptional book design talent is showcased in the shortlist announced today for the 2010 Publishers Association of New Zealand (PANZ) Book Design Awards.

Designers “shape the way readers experience a book,” says Peter Gilderdale, one of the judges. “Authors provide the content, but the designer can either enhance or inhibit the way the book functions.”

The depth of talent made it difficult for Gilderdale, along with the other judges, Graham Beattie and Sharon Grace, to select 2010’s contenders Gilderdale adds, “The standard was very high and even — a wonderful mix of the vibrant and restrained, clever and crafted, quirky and traditional — this is great for book buyers but tough on judges!”

A new award for young designers introduced last year has proved spot on, with this year’s main category shortlist featuring all three 2009 Awa Press Young Designer of the Year finalists: Spencer Levine (winner), Keely O’Shannessy and Carolyn Lewis. Finalists for the 2010 Awa Press Young Designer of the Year Award will be announced on Thursday 3 June.

Levine is one of the designers who feature multiple times,  along with Kate Barraclough, and Sarah Laing, who has not only designed two of the books in the shortlist, but is also the author of one of them.

Ranging from the commercially successful New Zealand titles like The Wonky Donkey and A Treasury of New Zealand Baking to beautiful international titles The Life & Love of Trees and A Beautiful Game, this year’s shortlist illustrates the diversity of the New Zealand literary landscape.

The 2010 judging panel is Peter Gilderdale, Head of Graphic Design at AUT University, Graham Beattie, a fulltime book reviewer and book blogger, and designer Sharon Grace.

The awards are run by the Publishers Association of New Zealand (PANZ) to promote excellence in, and provide recognition for, the best book design in New Zealand. The competition is judged in six categories, with a winner for the highly coveted Best Book chosen from the shortlist and sponsored by Nielsen Book Services.

Winners will be announced at a ceremony in Auckland on 22 July, along with the Awa Press Young Designer of the Year. The awards are sponsored by a range of publishers, along with North & South magazine and Kalamazoo Wyatt & Wilson printers.

Finalists for the 201­0 PANZ Book Design Awards are as follows:

Scholastic New Zealand Award for Best Children’s Book

Anita Mcleod, Book Design Ltd and Katz Cowley

The Wonky Donkey by Craig Smith  Scholastic New Zealand

Michael Greenfield

Old Hu-Hu by Kyle Mewburn Scholastic New Zealand

Anna Seabrook

Ben and Mark: Boys of the High Country by Christine Fernyhough and John Bougen

Random House New Zealand

Hachette New Zealand Award for Best Non-illustrated Book

Sarah Laing (cover), Kate Barraclough (interior)

Dead People’s Music by Sarah Laing Random House New Zealand

Spencer Levine (cover and interior) Dee Murch (layout)

In a Word: The Essential Tool for Finding the Perfect Word by Mark Broatch

New Holland Publishers (NZ)

Keely O’Shannessy (cover), Katrina Duncan(interior)

Mirabile Dictu by Michele Leggott    Auckland University Press

Random House New Zealand Award for Best Illustrated Book

Fiona Lascelles

Villa: From Heritage to Contemporary by Patrick Reynolds, Jeremy Hansen and

Jeremy Salmond Random House New Zealand

Spencer Levine (cover) and Katrina Duncan (interior)

Marti Friedlander by Leonard Bell     Auckland University Press

Cameron Gibb

The Life & Love of Trees by Lewis Blackwell PQ Blackwell

Pearson Award for Best Educational Book

Anna Seabrook

Get Growing: A New Zealand Step-by-step Guide to Growing Your Own Vegetables

and Fruit by Helen Cook  Random House New Zealand

Cheryl Rowe, Macarn Design

Geography on the Edge by Justin Peat and John Lockyear Cengage Learning

Book Design Ltd

Year 9 Graphics by Pail Bourdiot Cengage Learning

Pindar Award for Best Typography

Mission Hall (interior), Afineline (additional design and typesetting)

Art at Te Papa by William McAloon Te Papa Press

Kate Barraclough

A Treasury of New Zealand Baking edited by Lauraine Jacobs Random House New Zealand

Kate Barraclough

Wine Class: All You Need to Know about Wine in New Zealand by Jo Burzynska

Random House New Zealand

HarperCollins Publishers Award for Best Cover

Keely O’Shannessy

As the Earth Turns Silver by Alison Wong    Penguin Group (NZ)

Sarah Laing

Magpie Hall by Rachael King Random House New Zealand

Carolyn Lewis

A Beautiful Game by Tom Watt PQ Blackwell

A new book industry action group the New Zealand Book Trade Liaison Committee has been formed by New Zealand publishers and booksellers to co-ordinate book promotions and represent the trade on common issues.The committee has been formed by the Publishers Association of New Zealand (PANZ) and Booksellers New Zealand (BSNZ) as the latest step in a series of moves over the past twelve months designed to strengthen the New Zealand book trade’s focus on key issues.

Hamish Wright, of Wright’s Bookshop in Cambridge and Chairman of BSNZ, is to chair the committee.  Other members representing booksellers are, Peter Kalan Managing Director of Red Group Retail in NZ and Rob Smith CEO of PaperPlus Group.

PANZ representatives on the committee are Kevin Chapman, Managing Director of Hachette NZ,  Tony Fisk Managing Director of HarperCollins NZ and Sam Elworthy, Director of  Auckland University Press.

“Publishers and retailers have both been members of Booksellers NZ since 1992 but it was a mutual decision last year to restrict the membership of BSNZ to retailers and allow publishers to focus their activities on their own membership organisation, PANZ,” explained Mr Wright.

“The formation of the liaison committee will allow both groups to co-ordinate activities when there are common interests,” he said.

“There are some key issues facing the trade such as the impact of digitisation, tax avoidance by offshore online retailers and the level of literacy in New Zealand. The liaison committee will be able to combine the efforts of bookseller and publishers in dealing with these effectively to the ultimate benefit of readers in New Zealand. “

“This is a time of great change but great potential for the book trade,” said PANZ representative Kevin Chapman. “Our ability to take advantage of the opportunities open to us is greatly enhanced by the creation of this liaison committee, and both publishers and booksellers see it as a major step forward in strategic planning for the trade.”

The Book Trade Liaison Committee will meet quarterly.

….//……

For further information Contact Hamish Wright, Chairman Book Trade Liaison Committee on 07 827 4360

 

Long-time and highly respected book trade figure Gerard Reid was honoured last Tuesday 26 January at a function organised by PANZ to celebrate his significant contribution to the world of books.

PANZ thanks Graham Beattie for allowing us to reproduce these notes so we can share them more widely. Originally posted  by Bookman Beattie at http://beattiesbookblog.blogspot.com/

A look at the following brief extract from Gerard’s CV gives some idea of his career in the book world over the past 35 years:
Work History
Jan 2007-2009, – Pindar NZ, Managing Director
June 1991-Dec 2006, – Egan-Reid Ltd, Joint proprietor and Chief Executive
May 1979-May 1991, -Book Publishers Association of New Zealand Inc., Executive Director
Jan 1975-Apr 1979, – All Things Catholic (bookseller), Proprietor

Positions held
Councillor, Book Publishers Association of New Zealand Inc. (2 years)
Chairman (founder), New Zealand Copyright Council, (4 years)
Executive Director (founder), Copyright Licensing Ltd, (4 years)
Councillor, Book Marketing Council, (10 years)
Deputy Chairman (cofounder), Publishers’ Promotional Fund, (2 years)
NZ delegate, International Publishers Association, (13 years)
NZ delegate, International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organisations, (13 years)
Alternate Chairman, Education Department/Publishers Liaison Committee, (12 years)
Chairman, Point Chevalier School Board of Trustees, (5 years)
Councillor, NZ Market Research Society, (3 years)
Councillor, Sales & Marketing Executives, (2 years)

The large crowd that gathered in the most attractive Pearson-Penguin offices on Auckland’s North Shore included many PANZ past presidents and former board members.
After being welcomed by the current President, and Pearson NZ CEO, Adrian Keane, tributes were then paid to Gerard by four former PANZ presidents – Rosemary Stagg, Bob Ross, Elizabeth Caffin, and Graham Beattie followed by senior publisher (Penguin) Geoff Walker.

Rosemary Stagg said in part:
Gerard made himself into an expert on copyright, especially as it pertained to the educational world, and he believed passionately – as I am sure he still does – in the importance of intellectual property, and that the work of authors and publishers should not be unfairly exploited, and nor should its integrity should be compromised by others. We did some brave – and expensive – things in those years, such as suing Carrington polytech, now Unitec, when we discovered a substantial booklet for students of technical drawing at that institutions consisted entirely of whole pages copied from a variety of textbooks published by established educational publishers. Even though we were asking, if my memory serves me correctly, for a declaratory judgement rather than damages, we were still taking on the full might of the Department of Education. I can still remember my terror when the case was listed as Longman (and others) vs Carrington polytech, as I was very afraid that we might be blacklisted by these institutions.

On the other hand, Gerard was a realist, and as he followed international trends he came to see, and to convince the rest of us, that licensing schools and other educational institutions to use appropriate amounts of copyright material in the course of instruction was the way to go. He never lost heart in the many years it took us to actually achieve that goal and was able to convince the members of Publishers Association, year after year, that it should continue to support CLL and that we would ultimately prevail, as indeed we did.

While Bob Ross spoke of interviewing Gerard that day in 1979 part of the panel that interviewed applicants for the position at the Publishers Association. He was of course the successful applicant and he held the job from 1979 to 1991.
Bob said that Gerard has contributed more to BPANZ than any other person ever.
And that it was Gerard who brought the association up to date and in line with the rest of the world.
Through his research and initiative he created a publishers Association that was active in many new areas.
Among the matters Bob gave Gerard credit for initiating:
· founder of CLL
· Chair of NZ copyright Council
· NZ rep on International Publishing Association
· Introduced publishing statistics
· Set up NZ at Frankfurt =- initiative
· Lobbied government on a number of political issues
· Gave personal counselling to individual publishers
· Helped organise the South Africa book trade into one organisation from a number of fragmented

When Elizabeth Caffin spoke she said, among other things, that she would particularly like to mention the way Gerard was never afraid of having ideas or taking initiatives. He wasn’t one of those people who just did the job – he always took it further. I remember with pleasure his annual visits to BPANZ members, listening to our concerns, noting our suggestions.

As a businessman at Egan Reid and later Pindar, along with Mary, he has always had big plans, large ambitions – and carried them off too, by hard work, determination and persistence. He twice tried to pinch one of my staff members – he may not have given up yet – but of course I am now very happy to forgive him. He embraced the new technology fearlessly and fruitfully, sharing his knowledge generously.

Gerard is committed to quality. Every job you sent to him and Mary was impeccably done in every respect. I never hesitated in sending aspiring self-publishers or organizations keen to publish their histories straight to Egan Reid for a result that could be totally relied on.

Gerard, the publishing world owes you are huge debt of gratitude and affection. I know I speak for many in expressing this and in saying that our warmest thoughts are with you.

Graham Beattie said that for his sins he was President of the BPANZ for three years whereas traditionally the post was held for two years. My longer term came about because while he was President of the Association Brian Phillips left the NZ publishing scene to take up a position in London. As I was Vice President I took over as President to cover Brian’s second year and then later did the normal two year stint.
I found it an interesting and at times demanding job that I could really only carry out A because I was MD of Penguin Books NZ and therefore had resources available to me and B and especially because Gerard Reid was the Executive Director. This was a post Gerard filled with great distinction from May 1979 until May 1991 and I shall ever be grateful for the friendship, colleagueship, the wise counsel and sage advice he always generously extended to me over the three years that I was in the Chair. I might add that our friendship has continued ever since.

Gerard and I both came to the book publishing industry via bookselling and it is interesting that both of us have gone on into other aspects of the industry – myself into book reviewing and book blogging and Gerard into book design and other publishing-related services while in short time making himself one of the most knowledgeable people in the industry on the subject of the electronic future of the book.

I could talk all night about Gerard’s achievements and interests in the book world, of the literary nature of his young years living at home with his father Professor John Reid the noted scholar of Victorian literature, his 5 years as a bookseller, especially of his work in the area of copyright having been the founding chair of the Copyright Council, the founding executive director of Copyright Licensing Ltd, and of course the business, Pindar NZ, that he and his wife Mary have grown together into a worldwide leader in the field, but actually you know I’d rather go and have a drink and a chat with him so I’ll leave it at that.
Bravo, I salute you Gerard.

The publishing director at Penguin Books NZ, Geoff Walker, talked warmly of Gerard’s days at Egan-Reid which has become Pindar NZ and of his leadership in the book design world in this electronic age and of the enormous value he was to Penguin Books and other publishing companies around the world.

The evening concluded with Gerard thanking everyone for attending, for the kind words that had been spoken, he said he felt honoured and humbled.
Gerard was supported by his wife Mary and their two daughters, Sophia and Anna, all of whom work at Pindar NZ.

Footnote.
Gerard is suffering from a terminal illness and in a nice move PANZ decided that he should be honoured in this way while he was still alive rather than it being left to obituaries to record his huge contribution to our industry.
A wonderful evening which provided the opportunity for many retired publishers to meet up with Gerard and each other. It was a nostalgia-filled occasion.

Dunedin publisher Barbara Larson is the 2010 winner of a top New Zealand award in children’s literature, the Storylines Margaret Mahy Medal.

Given annually by the Storylines Children’s Literature Trust, the award recognises Barbara Larson’s specific and outstanding contribution to the important genre of young adult fiction.

“Barbara’s continuing personal commitment to publishing high quality novels for teenagers for more than a decade has been remarkable,” says Storylines Trust chair, Dr Libby Limbrick. 

“Her company Longacre Press has attracted not only some of the best established authors in the country – among them William Taylor, Jack Lasenby, Joanna Orwin and Kate De Goldi – but solidly put its faith in nurturing a generation of new writers.

“These have included Bernard Beckett, Ella West, Anna MacKenzie, Sandy MacKay, Fleur Beale, Penelope Todd, Lorraine Orman, Ted Dawe and Tania Roxborogh. Novels by this extraordinary stable of authors have figured prominently in children’s literature awards for the past 15 years. Many have also been published, and won acclaim, internationally.”

Established in 1994, Longacre Press quickly became recognised as a leading independent publisher, producing at least six works for young readers a year as well as award-winning high-quality non-fiction. In late 2009 the company was purchased by Random House New Zealand.

“We are pleased that Barbara, though based in Dunedin, will become a roving commissioner of new fiction for Random,” says Dr Limbrick, “so that her extraordinary instinct for spotting and nurturing new talent will continue.”

Barbara Larson is the second publisher to win the Margaret Mahy Medal since its inception in 1992, joining Ann Mallinson, Wellington-based publisher of Lynley Dodd’s Hairy Maclary books. Other winners have included writers Joy Cowley, Maurice Gee and Dorothy Butler, and illustrators Gavin Bishop and Robyn Belton.

Barbara Larson will be presented with the Margaret Mahy Medal, and deliver the annual Margaret Mahy lecture, at Storylines’ annual Margaret Mahy Day in Auckland on Saturday 27 March 2010.

For more information, including background information on the Margaret Mahy Award and Storylines, and/or to arrange an interview with Barbara Larson, please contact: Tessa Duder, Storylines Trustee, phone 021-667670 or email tessa.duder@ihug.co.nz

News Release: Tuesday 26 January 2010

Experienced Judging Panel Leads New Chapter in New Zealand Post Book Awards

The judges selected for the inaugural New Zealand Post Book Awards bring with them a wealth of literary expertise as they set about choosing the country’s best books published in 2009.

This year sees an increase from three to five judges as part of a new, streamlined structure of the country’s premier book awards.

Judging panel convenor, Stephen Stratford, author and editor, brings vast experience to the role. He was judge for the last Goodman Fielder Wattie Book Awards in 1993, convenor of the first Montana Book Awards in 1994, judge for the Montana New Zealand Book Awards in 1999 and the convenor in 2000.  He is joined by poet, short story writer and novelist, Elizabeth Smither; writer, educationalist and broadcaster, Charmaine Pountney; writer, historian and broadcaster, Paul Diamond; and nature writer, biographer and photographer, Neville Peat.

Booksellers NZ Chief Executive Officer, Lincoln Gould, is delighted with the calibre of judges appointed to mark this, a new chapter in the history of these Awards.

“Each judge was selected for the broad range of skills they bring to the judging process. Individually and collectively, the judging panel represents a wide range and depth of knowledge in different subject areas. They each have very diverse writing styles and reading preferences, which I am sure will result in very interesting discussions and critique of the books submitted.”

Stephen Stratford says the New Zealand Post Book Awards 2010 has a clear emphasis on excellence.
“Excellence in writing, of course, but also excellence in all the other areas that make a book. The judges are very conscious that a book is an object, not just a manuscript that has found its way between hard (or soft) covers. The text is the main element, in almost all cases, but when two books are neck-and-neck on literary grounds, it could well be the better-produced object that nudges ahead.

“The really difficult decision will be the overall Book of the Year Award, where a slim volume of poetry could be up against a heavyweight history, a challenging novel, or a beautiful illustrated book. I can’t think of another four judges I’d rather attempt it with.”

As part of the Awards restructure, there will be four judging categories this year, reduced from a previous list of eight. The four categories are; Poetry, Fiction, Illustrated Non-fiction and General Non-fiction. There will be 16 finalist books in total (three finalists in the Fiction and Poetry categories and five in the Illustrated Non-Fiction and General Non-Fiction categories).

With fewer categories, the prize pool has been substantially increased, with the overall New Zealand Post Book of the Year Award winner receiving $15,000. Winners of the four Category Awards will each receive $10,000, the M?ori Language Award $10,000, Readers’ Choice Award $5,000, and the winners of the three New Zealand Society of Authors (NZSA) Best First Book Awards $2,500 each.

“The judges agree that the move to four rather than eight categories was helpful – it brings greater clarity and focus,” says Stratford.

The judges will read more than 160 submitted books published in 2009 before selecting the finalists and, ultimately the winners.

The New Zealand Post Book Awards 2010 finalists will be announced on Tuesday 22 June 2010. On that day, winners of the M?ori Language Award and of the three NZSA Best First Book Awards for Fiction, Poetry and Non-fiction will also be announced.

The winners will be announced at a gala dinner held in Auckland on 27 August 2010.

New Zealand Post Group’s sponsorship of the New Zealand Book Awards is symbolic of their strong and active support of the country’s literature. As sponsor of the New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards for 15 years, this new sponsorship highlights the company’s commitment to promoting literary excellence. Working closely with Booksellers NZ, New Zealand Post and other dedicated segments of the community actively encourage New Zealanders to read and enjoy books.

The New Zealand Post Book Awards 2010 are also sponsored by Creative New Zealand.  The Awards are managed by Booksellers NZ and supported by the New Zealand Society of Authors and Book Tokens (NZ) Ltd.

KEY DATES

• 22 June 2010 New Zealand Post Book Awards finalists announced
• 22 June 2010 M?ori Language Award winner announced
• 22 June 2010 NZSA Best First Book Awards for Fiction, Poetry, Non-fiction announced
• 22 June 2010 Readers’ Choice Award voting opens
• 30 July 2010 National Poetry Day
• 13 August 2010 Readers’ Choice Award voting closes, 5pm.
• 27 August 2010 New Zealand Post Book Awards winners announced.

For further information please contact: Penny Hartill, Hartill Communications Ltd, 09 445 7525, 021 721 424, phartill@xtra.co.nz

http://www.nzpostbookawards.co.nz/

http://www.booksellers.co.nz/

PANZ received a record number of publisher applications for the Intern Programme 2010. We are delighted that the success of the programme is attracting such a high calibre of positions available to the Whitireia Publishing Programme graduates and thank all applicants and the selection panel too. We work closely with Rachel Lawson, the Publishing Programme Leader at Whitireia to match the successful publishers and graduates to ensure the internship is productive and happy for both parties.

PANZ is delighted to announce the following placements for the internships next year:

Learning Media – Denise  Cadigan

Penguin Group NZ (marketing)- Leanne McGregor

South Pacific Press  – Pieta Pemberton

We congratulate you all and thank Creative NZ once again for the funding of this programme.

The Publishers Association of New Zealand welcomes the decision by Booksellers NZ to adopt a new constitution focusing on retail booksellers.  Since 1992, membership of the organisation has been a combination of booksellers and publishers. Following a decision by publishers and booksellers at the Annual General Meeting of Booksellers NZ in July, a new constitution was ratified on 25 November at a Special General meeting in Wellington.The new constitution will come into effect on 1 April 2010. During the transition period PANZ will hold discussions with Booksellers NZ with a view to forming a new structure whereby the two groups can discuss matters of mutual interest.

“This is a good move for the world of books,” says Sam Elworthy PANZ Vice President.  “The decision will enable Booksellers NZ to concentrate on representing book retailers’ interests.  PANZ will continue to be the organisation which represents publishers and acts as an advocate for its publisher members.  We look forward to maintaining a close working relationship with Booksellers NZ to enhance the culture of reading and writing in New Zealand.”

Booksellers Chairman Hamish Wright said that the change to the Booksellers NZ constitution had been a very amicable arrangement between booksellers and publishers. “The new structure will allow Booksellers to focus on the retail trade while still being able to participate in cooperative discussions and actions with the publishers.”

It was certainly a quieter fair this year but this hasn’t meant fewer meetings or lack of positive outcomes.Business was brisk on and off the NZ stand and our team of publishers certainly didn’t have time to spare. Five days of meetings, seminars and chasing up those potential buyers from last year too.Our site was much better at the end of Row B and the collegial aspect of the stand was once more evident as all shared experiences, recommended leads for the first timers and generally advanced the NZ publishing profile. A few pics now and more to follow.

Copyright Licensing Ltd has formed a venture to digitise New Zealand books and make them available to the New Zealand reading public on new digital reading devices, including ebook readers and smartphones,  Apple’s iPhone and the forthcoming Google Android phones.

Thirty publishers have already submitted more than 300 of New Zealand’s most renowned books to include in the project.

CLL, the non-profit copyright collective representing book publishers and authors, will be seeking rights from publishers and authors to digitise further works which would be made available under licence to libraries, booksellers and the educational sector.

CLL’s Chairman, Chris Else, Chairman said they had been looking for ways to develop an infrastructure that would assist in the development of digital publishing in New Zealand.

‘The digitisation of books is one of the most exciting business opportunities the publishing industry has seen and New Zealand must embrace it in order to move forward.’

CLL has formed the venture in conjunction with Digital Strategies Limited and InfoGrid Pacific Pte Limited following on from the formation of the Digital Publishing Forum last year. Forum Director Martin Taylor will manage the new venture through his company Digital Strategies Limited

The proposed public launch of the project will be in the second quarter of 2010.

‘The project is scheduled to run for 12 months before being developed further. Its goal is to see a significant percentage of New Zealanders reading books digitally in the next two years.

‘Our plan is to use some of New Zealand’s great works as ebooks to encourage companies like Sony, Asus and others to enter the New Zealand market early and help to grow it,”   Mr Taylor said.

InfoGrid Pacific Pte Limited will provide the XML publishing and distribution platform required to digitise and distribute the works.

CLL is a non-profit copyright collective that provides centralised licensing services for the reproduction of extracts from published works and looks after the interests of publishers and authors in New Zealand.

We invite all PANZ members, designers and all those who are interested in book design to attend a cocktail event at the Auckland Art Gallery. This will be an evening to celebrate excellence in book design, to learn who the award winners are in each category and to celebrate our new award, the Young Designer of the Year.

DATE: Thursday 3 September

TIME: 6 – 8pm

VENUE: Auckland Art Gallery’s Art Lounge, Cnr Wellesley & Lorne St Auckland

TICKETS: $25 per person which includes wine and finger food

Please send payment to Anne de Lautour, PANZ, P O Box 102 006, North Shore 0745, Auckland and tickets will be forwarded to you.

Winners in the following categories will be announced:

• Nielsen Award for Best Book
• HarperCollins Publishers Award for Best Cover
• Awa Press Young Designer of the Year
• G.A. Pindar & Son Award for Best Typography
• Random House New Zealand Award for Best Illustrated Book
• Hachette New Zealand Award for Best Non-illustrated Book
• Scholastic New Zealand Award for Best Children’s Book
• Pearson Award for Best Educational Book