I'm back from New Zealand, and in a fug of Olympics sports - particularly my new favourites, Rhythmic Gymnastics and Sychronized Swimming - plus the usual endless to-do list. I've managed to write a blog post for the Frankfurt Book Fair on the awards ceremony itself. This is what my family looked like on the evening:
For those of you not intimate with the Morris and Hill families, this is: my brother-in-law, Stephen Hill; my brother, Stephen Morris; me; my father, Kiri Morris; and my sister, Lynn-Elisabeth Hill, standing at the front. The photo was taken at my sister's house before we headed off to the Auckland Museum for the awards.
That last picture is of me with the very glamorous Annie Beattie, wife of the Bookman.
A number of people in the UK and the US are telling me they've ordered copies of RANGATIRA from Amazon. But the book isn't published in either of these markets, and the only version being sold on Amazon is the large-print edition, so if someone you know outside NZ wants to buy the book, please encourage them to buy online from a NZ seller (like Time Out, Unity, the Women's Bookshop, etc).
RANGATIRA has been abridged and recorded by Radio New Zealand, and instalments will be broadcast every week day over two weeks, starting on Monday, August 13th. It's read by George Henare, my mother's all-time favourite actor from the Mercury Theatre days. I think you can listen online at the RNZ site after broadcast.
Meanwhile, in more important news, TMiddy finally gave in and allowed me to buy bunting. TMiddy's life is one long struggle against my desire to decorate; mine is a struggle to keep Christmas lights up as long as possible, and to sneak small/strange items onto our shelves:
During a well-timed trip to John Lewis, TMiddy finally gave in to my constant badgering. It's Union Jack bunting (of course! We live in Team GB-land). And now it's in our window, fading in the searing Scottish sun.
And now: handball? Diving? Celebrating New Zealand's 13 medals?
The author, no doubt from an excess of modesty, neglects to mention that she won the fiction award.
Posted by: Barry Ahearn | August 11, 2012 at 11:46 PM
How can I get in touch with Paula Morris? I grew up in the Garden District in New Orleans > My best friend & I rode our bikes through Lafayette Cemetary often. I'm enjoying
"Ruined" and would like to chat with Paula.
- G. Watson Tebo, Jr.
Baton Rouge, LA
(225)344-6320 Home
(225)337-4686 Cell
[email protected]
Posted by: G. Watson Tebo, Jr. | September 06, 2012 at 12:29 PM