Inaugural NZ Book Month Produces A Bestseller

Inaugural New Zealand Book Month Produces A Bestseller

After only being on sale for two weeks, the inaugural NZ Book Month publication The Six Pack is the number one bestseller on the Booksellers New Zealand Bestsellers List for New Zealand Fiction.

Reaching the number one spot is an achievement that has thrilled Project Director Phil Twyford, “For the very first NZ Book Month we wanted to create a literary snapshot of our nation – the fact that it has so quickly become a bestseller is fantastic. It’s a real a vote of confidence in NZ Book Month and New Zealand writing by the New Zealand public.”

Booksellers New Zealand CEO Linda Henderson says, “Such strong sales are a clear indication of the interest in New Zealand fiction and the enthusiasm of the whole book industry which has really supported this first NZ Book Month.”

The Booksellers New Zealand Bestsellers List represents the best selling books in New Zealand for the two weeks up to the date given.

The Six Pack has beaten books by literary luminary Maurice Gee and best-selling writer Jenny Pattrick to the number one position.

30,000 copies of The Six Pack, an anthology of new New Zealand writing, were published to celebrate the launch of New Zealand’s first ever Book Month.

Booksellers around the country have reported strong sales and exceptional public interest in the book and the six winners: renowned NZ poet Brian Turner, playwright Briar Grace-Smith, author Kingi McKinnon, landscape architect and journalist Philippa Swan, young writer Henry Feltham and 15-year-old high school student Phoebe Wright.

An inaugural NZ Book Month competition led to the selection of the six winning pieces in the anthology. The authors each received $5,000 prize money for winning. Their identities were kept secret as their entries were judged by a public online poll and a panel of judges including CEO of John Fairfax Holdings Ltd, David Kirk, broadcaster Maggie Barry, bookseller Tom Beran, author Sarah-Kate Lynch and current affairs host John Campbell.

As part of the celebrations three complimentary copies of The Six Pack were donated to every secondary school and public library in the country, and it is available from all good bookstores for only $6.

NZ Book Month, from September 18th to October 15th 2006, is a national celebration of New Zealand books and New Zealand writers. It is supported by booksellers, publishers, writers, librarians and book lovers of all descriptions and is inspired by the exceptional literary talent found in Aotearoa. See http://www.nzbookmonth.co.nz to explore how NZ Book Month has something for everyone.

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