Waitaki writer's collection wins NZSA prize
Oamaru writer Susanna Elliffe has received an "outpouring of love" after winning the New Zealand Society of Authors (NZSA) Laura Solomon Cuba Press Prize, awarded for new writing with a "unique and original vision".
The prize was established by the NZSA and the Solomon family to honour novelist, poet, and playwright Laura Solomon, who died in 2019 at the age of 48.
Ms Elliffe's winning manuscript, Relic Party, is a short-story collection exploring themes of loss — intimate and global, human and non-human. The stories journey through eerie ghosts, false relics, dysfunctional family homes, and speculative futures affected by climate change.
The award includes a $2000 cash prize and a publishing contract with The Cuba Press, with the book set for release in 2026.
Elliffe, 29, said she was "so excited" to finally share the news after keeping it secret for two weeks.
"It was very difficult but very rewarding when I could tell everyone. I had such an outpouring of love. It's very exciting," she said.
She described the win as "deeply honouring" and "surreal".
The prize judges — Mary McCallum of The Cuba Press, Nicky Solomon from the Solomon family, and award-winning writer Cassie Hart — praised Relic Party for its originality and unique voice.
Hart said the quality of entries was exceptional, but Elliffe's work stood out.
"I know readers will fall in love with Susanna Elliffe's prose and storytelling just like we did," she said.
The runner-up was Christchurch writer Belinda O'Keefe, who won $1000 for her manuscript Trespassers Will Be Baked, Scrambled, Fried and Eaten.
Elliffe's writing has previously been shortlisted for competitions including the Sargeson Prize and the International Bridport Prize.
She describes her style as experimental, "throwing away the rules" to create stories that are strange, surreal, but deeply human.
Now in the final year of her master's degree in creative writing at Massey University, she said Relic Party was written over five years.
The collection includes tales of generational worship of possibly false relics, a future where only one shark remains alive in New Zealand, and a story about inheritance that blends body image struggles with ghostly presence.
Her studies in eco-fiction have inspired her to write about the natural world, often with nautical or ocean themes, blending speculative fiction about the future with both fear and hope.
Born and raised in Oamaru, Elliffe attended Waitaki Girls' High School before earning a Bachelor of Arts in English literature from Victoria University of Wellington.
She has worked as a librarian and teacher's aide in Oamaru and remains involved in local musical theatre, though writing is her "main love".
Elliffe credits Massey University's supportive faculty and her family — including her mother and sister who helped edit her work — for their encouragement.
Influential authors for her included Max Porter, K-Ming Chang, and New Zealand writer Louise Wallace.
With a new novel in mind, Ms Elliffe dreams of one day opening her own bookstore, but is focused now on building her writing career.
jules.chin@odt.co.nz
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Otago Daily Times
4 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
Waitaki writer's collection wins NZSA prize
Oamaru writer Susanna Elliffe will have her winning collection of short stories published in 2026. PHOTO: JULES CHIN Oamaru writer Susanna Elliffe has received an "outpouring of love" after winning the New Zealand Society of Authors (NZSA) Laura Solomon Cuba Press Prize, awarded for new writing with a "unique and original vision". The prize was established by the NZSA and the Solomon family to honour novelist, poet, and playwright Laura Solomon, who died in 2019 at the age of 48. Ms Elliffe's winning manuscript, Relic Party, is a short-story collection exploring themes of loss — intimate and global, human and non-human. The stories journey through eerie ghosts, false relics, dysfunctional family homes, and speculative futures affected by climate change. The award includes a $2000 cash prize and a publishing contract with The Cuba Press, with the book set for release in 2026. Elliffe, 29, said she was "so excited" to finally share the news after keeping it secret for two weeks. "It was very difficult but very rewarding when I could tell everyone. I had such an outpouring of love. It's very exciting," she said. She described the win as "deeply honouring" and "surreal". The prize judges — Mary McCallum of The Cuba Press, Nicky Solomon from the Solomon family, and award-winning writer Cassie Hart — praised Relic Party for its originality and unique voice. Hart said the quality of entries was exceptional, but Elliffe's work stood out. "I know readers will fall in love with Susanna Elliffe's prose and storytelling just like we did," she said. The runner-up was Christchurch writer Belinda O'Keefe, who won $1000 for her manuscript Trespassers Will Be Baked, Scrambled, Fried and Eaten. Elliffe's writing has previously been shortlisted for competitions including the Sargeson Prize and the International Bridport Prize. She describes her style as experimental, "throwing away the rules" to create stories that are strange, surreal, but deeply human. Now in the final year of her master's degree in creative writing at Massey University, she said Relic Party was written over five years. The collection includes tales of generational worship of possibly false relics, a future where only one shark remains alive in New Zealand, and a story about inheritance that blends body image struggles with ghostly presence. Her studies in eco-fiction have inspired her to write about the natural world, often with nautical or ocean themes, blending speculative fiction about the future with both fear and hope. Born and raised in Oamaru, Elliffe attended Waitaki Girls' High School before earning a Bachelor of Arts in English literature from Victoria University of Wellington. She has worked as a librarian and teacher's aide in Oamaru and remains involved in local musical theatre, though writing is her "main love". Elliffe credits Massey University's supportive faculty and her family — including her mother and sister who helped edit her work — for their encouragement. Influential authors for her included Max Porter, K-Ming Chang, and New Zealand writer Louise Wallace. With a new novel in mind, Ms Elliffe dreams of one day opening her own bookstore, but is focused now on building her writing career.
Scoop
25-07-2025
- Scoop
Susanna Elliffe Is Winner Of The 2025 NZSA Laura Solomon Cuba Press Prize!
The New Zealand Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi O Aotearoa (PEN NZ Inc) congratulates Susanna Elliffe on winning the 2025 NZSA Laura Solomon Cuba Press Prize with her manuscript Relic Party. The prize was created by the NZSA and the Solomon family to fulfil the wishes of Laura Solomon, a novelist, poet and playwright who was a longstanding member of the NZSA and a beloved member of the Solomon family. It awards new writing of ' unique and original vision ' with a cash prize of $2,000 and a publishing contract with The Cuba Press. Publication will be in 2026. The winning manuscript, Relic Party, is a short story collection that studies loss, both intimate and global, human and nonhuman, ranging through ugly ghosts, false relics, and desperate pilgrimages, to a dysfunctional 80's farmhouse and the speculative worlds of climate affected futures. We also congratulate Belinda O'Keefe who is the runner-up, winning a cash prize of $1,000 with her manuscript Trespassers Will Be Baked, Scrambled, Fried and Eaten. Susanna Elliffe's manuscript was selected by a final judging panel of Mary McCallum (The Cuba Press), Nicky Solomon (Solomon Family) and panel convenor and award-winning writer Cassie Hart. Cassie Hart, convenor of the judges, says: 'The quality of entries this year was amazing - choosing the finalists was not an easy task, and then selecting just one winner? A huge challenge. I so appreciate the writers of New Zealand for not making this easy! 'The final four were all so different from each other, spanning from a very lyrical collection of short stories to a humorous contemporary novel, a middle grade adventure, through to a memoiresque non-fiction book exploring the experience of immigrants! There is almost no way to compare the four, as they are each such a success in their own right. The winner, Relic Party, stood out as being the most unique and original of the three though, and I know that readers will fall in love with Susannah Elliffe's prose and storytelling just like we did.' Nicky Solomon says: 'It is so wonderful to see interest in the prize continue to grow, as we mark its fifth year. We are extremely grateful to the NZSA and The Cuba Press for taking Laura's idea and turning it into a true legacy. She would be absolutely delighted by the calibre of the work and I know that she would echo me in congratulating all of the finalists, and in fact all of the entrants. The judges are continually challenged, in a good way, by such high quality writing in such a diverse range of genres, and our family extends its heartfelt congratulations to Susanna and Belinda.' The Cuba Press director Mary McCallum says her team is delighted to be publishing another NZSA Laura Solomon Cuba Press Prize winner. 'It's like Christmas when the shortlisted authors for the prize come through for us to read,' she says. 'We have no idea what to expect. They are all very good and rock the unique and original vision that characterised Laura's own work.' Mary says Susanna Elliffe is a writer who creates vivid and beguiling worlds in her short fiction that spark with energy and take readers in unexpected directions. Susanna Elliffe has this to say about her win: 'Winning the Laura Solomon Cuba Press Prize is momentous for me. Creative writing has long been the lifeblood that runs beneath everything I do, my life's passion. I love to play with language, to unstitch it, pull at the seams, weave it anew, to create something that doesn't always fit traditional publishing moulds. So to have my work recognized in this way feels nothing short of surreal. I am deeply honoured - especially to receive a prize connected to Laura Solomon. Her short stories were also surreal and strange, but also dwelled in uncanny corners of the human heart. I am grateful, moved, and more inspired than ever to keep pushing language and narrative to its edges.' Susanna Elliffe is an experimental writer whose short fiction has been shortlisted for competitions including The Sunday Star Times, the Sargeson Prize, and the International Bridport Prize. Susanna is currently completing a Master's in Creative Writing at Massey University, where her work focuses on defamiliarisation and linguistic deviation in fiction. She lives in Oamaru with her sisters and cats, and spends her spare time when not writing, on the stage with Musical Theatre Oamaru. Congratulations to runner-up Belinda O'Keefe, with her manuscript Trespassers Will Be Baked, Scrambled, Fried and Eaten! A discretionary prize of $1,000 has been offered by the Solomon family to both winner Susanna Elliffe and runner-up Belinda O'Keefe. Congratulations also to shortlisted writers Ann Beaglehole (How to be an alien: A memoir of sorts), and Frances Duncan and Raewyn Hewitt (Call It Hope).
RNZ News
23-07-2025
- RNZ News
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