Last Chance for NZ Writers to Enter $10,000 Award

For immediate release: 8 March 2007

Last Chance for New Zealand Writers to Enter $10,000 Award

-Ashton Wylie Charitable Trust Unpublished Manuscript Award closes 31 March-

New Zealand writers have just three weeks left to enter their work in the 2007 Ashton Wylie Charitable Trust Unpublished Manuscript Award.

The Ashton Wyle Charitable Trust, in association with the New Zealand Society of Authors (NZSA), offers two national awards that aim to recognise excellence in writing in the mind, body, spirit genre.

The Unpublished Manuscript Award, a single award of $10,000, is one of the largest prizes awarded for literature in New Zealand. Entries for the award must be submitted by 31 March 2007, and be between 20,000 and 100,000 words in length.

Tina Shaw, Programme Manager, NZ Society of Authors, says that a number of quality entries have already been received for the 2007 Ashton Wylie Charitable Trust Unpublished Manuscript Award.

“We have had a great response to the Unpublished Manuscript Award so far this year which emphasises the growing popularity of the mind, body, spirit genre.

“There are still three weeks left until entries close and I would strongly encourage New Zealand writers to enter. The Unpublished Manuscript Award offers huge encouragement and recognition to writers and previous winners have found that the award significantly raises the profile of their work.”

In addition to the Unpublished Manuscript Award, the Ashton Wylie Charitable Trust and the New Zealand Society of Authors are also calling for entries for the Ashton Wylie Charitable Trust Book Award, another single award of $10,000. Published books must be submitted by 31 May 2007, should be 48 pages or longer, and must have been published between 1 April 2006 and 31 March 2007.

Judges for the awards include author and editor Stephen Stratford, author Richard Webster, Ashton Wylie Charitable Trust trustee Adonia Wylie and Jennifer Eddington, owner of Pathfinder Bookshop.

The awards will be presented at a ceremony at the Ashton Wylie Charitable Trust’s own venue, Hopetoun Alpha in Auckland in August.

To be eligible for the awards, authors must be New Zealand citizens residing here. Submission forms and entry details are available from The New Zealand Society of Authors national office programmes@nzauthors.org.nz or via post, PO Box 67-013, Mt Eden, Auckland 1349.

ENDS

NOTES:

ABOUT THE ASHTON WYLIE CHARITABLE TRUST

The late Auckland businessman Ashton Wylie was a philanthropist with a wide range of interests particularly in the area of personal development and positive relationships. The Ashton Wylie Charitable Trust was set up at Ashton's request and was named after him.

Ashton Wylie believed that if one wanted to change the world, one had to first change oneself. Changes are then made by example as ultimately, one can change for the better others that reside within one’s sphere of influence.

The Ashton Wylie Charitable Trust was set up following Ashton Wylie’s death in 1999 with the mandate of having human relationships as its focus, and its main intent being to promote more loving relationships.

As well as promoting up-and-coming New Zealand writers, the purpose of the two Ashton Wylie Charitable Trust awards is to reward excellence in writing that encompasses a wide range of beliefs, and has the power to enlighten, amuse and educate the reader, while having a profound impact on the reader’s spiritual thoughts and opinions.

For further information visit: www.hopetounalpha.co.nz.

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