Just a quick, dashing-between-things post to say UnConventional in Auckland has been fabulous. Thank you to the con organisers and to all my wonderful, welcoming fellow writers and fans in the NZ Specfic community… Trudi Canavan, Helen Lowe, Russell Kirkpatrick, and so many others, I had the best time thanks to you all.
The award news: ‘Samiha’s Song’ took away the prize for Best Novel. ‘Oracle’s Fire’ took away the one for Best Artwork. I lost it when accepting the spikiest statue in fandom and became incoherent and teary.
I promise a real post about this, complete with descriptions and photos, when I return home and have a moment to stick my brain back together. In the meantime… I’m just happy.
Yay! “Samiha’s Song” is well deserving. (I say, having read no other NZ novels ever.)
🙂 NZ novels are well worth the time to investigate. But thank you!
I liked ‘Samiha’ too. The subject was very close to my heart, glad to see the book finding fans!
This is the best possible news. Samiha deserves every inch of that spiky statue and the cover of ‘Oracle’ is magic. What an affirmation, well done!!!! And what discerning judges. It restores my faith in book awards.
Thank you. This award is close to my heart as it is voted on by NZ readers, for NZ writers. It’s good to know people close to home are picking up the book and enjoying it.
First NZ, next the world. Because NZ is, after all the centre of the world. How lucky you’ve been to live there.
“Samiha’s Song” is entirely deserving! I have always loved Samiha’s “voice” and am thrilled this book took the award–and to ‘be there’ to see you receive it in person, Mary.:)
Thank you Helen… that’s a wonderful compliment. 🙂