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The Spinoff
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Spinoff
Welcome to the New Voices of Aotearoa list
A new competition 'aimed at identifying, nurturing and increasing readership and sales for brilliant new emerging writing talent' has arrived. The New Voices of Aotearoa is a just-announced annual competition where 10 writers – either nominated by their publishers, or nominated by themselves – are selected and celebrated as 'the country's ten best upcoming authors to read and follow'. The 10 writers for 2025 were chosen by a 'heavy weight' judging panel including celebrated writer Lee Murray, who said that 'choosing just 10 from over 30 worthy nominations generated some robust discussion.' The new competition was created by The Coalition for Books, a membership organisation 'tasked with delivering strategic initiatives with the aims of reaching and engaging more audiences with a diverse range of New Zealand books and authors, and enhancing the visibility and sales of New Zealand books.' The 10 selected writers do not receive any money but will be the subject of a promotional campaign that begins today, June 12, including interviews, videos, stickers and bookmarks that will go to libraries and booksellers, digital posters and social media assets. There will also be local events with the New Voices writers over the next few months (details to come). Coalition for Books chair Melanie Laville-Moore says 'the initiative shines a spotlight on the 10 best new voices in Aotearoa writing each year, making it easy for readers to know who to look out for in store and online.' The inaugural New Voices of Aotearoa are: Wellington essayist Una Cruickshank (author of The Chthonic Cycle); Raglan journalist, videographer and nature writer Kate Evans (author of Feijoa); Gisborne trapper, environmentalist and author Sam Gibson (author of Sam the Trap Man); Auckland actor, producer, radio host and author Matt Heath (author of A Life Less Punishing); Christchurch editor and writer of techno-thrillers, science fiction, fantasy and non-fiction Judy Mohr (author of Dancing in the Purple Rain); Wellington novelist Olive Nuttall (author of Kitten); Wellington taangata turi-raised anthologist and novelist Michelle Rahurahu (Ngāti Rahurahu, Ngāti Tahu–Ngāti Whaoa) (author of Poorhara); Auckland novelist and reviewer Josie Shapiro (Author of Everything is Beautiful and Everything Hurts); Auckland novelist and podcaster Saraid de Silva (author of AMMA); and Auckland television screen writer and producer and author Gavin Strawhan (author of The Call). All of the 10 writers are authors of adult fiction or nonfiction (the competition excludes writers of children's books). New Voices of Aotearoa 2025 was judged by reviewer and former books editor of The Dominion Post and books and culture editor of the New Zealand Listener Guy Somerset; author, editor, podcaster, and curator of the Nelson Arts Festival's literary programme Pukapuka Talks Kerry Sunderland; fiction writer, and mentor for the Māori Literature Trust's Te Papa Tupu programme and the NZ Society of Authors Jacquie McRae (Tainui and Ngāti Koata); editor, manuscript assessor, mentor and revered former publisher Harriet Allan; Unity Books Wellington buyer and writer Melissa Oliver; and five-time Bram Stoker Award-winner and recipient of the New Zealand Prime Minister's Award for Literary Achievement in Fiction, Lee Murray. To qualify for New Voices of Aotearoa, authors nominated must have published their first book in print between March 2024 and June 2025, or have their second book scheduled for publication before December 2025. They must be either New Zealanders by birth, have New Zealand citizenship or be long-term residents of Aotearoa. The Coalition for Books expects that the New Voices of Aotearoa brand will grow over time and will become known and trusted. They're comparing the campaign to the Granta Best Young British Novelists which, in 2023, included New Zealand writer Eleanor Catton. The Granta list comes only every 10 years and includes 20 authors under the age of 40. Granta publishes an anthology of the writers' work and has been running the campaign since 1983. New Voices of Aotearoa has no upper age cap and will happen every year. Nomination details for the 2026 competition are not yet available.
Daily Record
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
The Scottish hotel that won 'Four in a Bed' you can stay in at major discount
A Scottish hotel is currently available to book at a significant discount. It previously featured in the series Four in a Bed. The Laurel Bank Hotel is a boutique hotel and bar located in the village of Markinch near Glenrothes . In November 2024, it triumphed in the hit Channel 4 reality competition. Four in a Bed sees four bed and breakfast owners battle it out in an effort to prove their accommodation is value for money. Over the course of a week, the competitors take turns staying in each other's offerings and rating them before a winner is decided at the end. Lee Murray and Emma Heard of the Laurel Bank Hotel placed first, and were praised by other contestants on the show for the hotel's breakfast offerings. The three other competitors all stated that they would return for a repeat stay . At the moment, a two-night stay at the Laurel Bank Hotel can be booked for £159 through Wowcher . The usual price for two nights at the hotel is £209, equating to a discount of 24 per cent. According to Wowcher, the hotel features "cosy" double bedrooms with flatscreen televisions . The Laurel Bank Hotel is also home to an on-site restaurant, bar, and beer garden. Included in the Wowcher deal is breakfast on each morning of your stay, as well as a two-course dinner at the restaurant. Its menu is "simple and Scottish", with everything from baked potatoes to fish and chips available. In terms of things to do during your stay, Glenrothes offers a wide variety of activities and beauty spots. The town is home to scenic parks such as Balbirnie and Riverside, while the Balbirnie Stone Circle is like a miniature Stonehenge. Elsewhere, visitors can check out Balgonie Castle or wander around The Kingdom Centre. The latter features more than 100 shops and restaurants, as well as a cinema and theatre. Further afield, Glen Vale is a popular spot for hiking. The hotel also isn't far from the spectacular Silver Sands Beach, as well as Aberdour Castle and Gardens. On travel website Tripadvisor , the Laurel Bank Hotel has received mostly positive reviews. It has an average rating of 3.1 out of five based on 159 reviews. One recent guest wrote: "Arrived at hotel a little before check in, decided to try light bites menu, steak pie is amazing. Check in starts at 3PM and is super quick, didn't catch the ladies name who checked us in but she was very helpful. "Room was modern, fresh and cozy. Slept like a log at this hotel." A second posted: "Fab overnight stay! Comfy bed, soft towels. Superb friendly staff! Tea/coffee. "Fabulous fish and chips! The batter was superb and the fish just magic. Then a superb breakfast the following morning! "Worth a visit! And it was on Four in a Bed!" On the hand, a less positive review reads: "Absolutely awful stay! The noise from the function room was horrific!" For those who are interested in a staycation near Glenrothes but are not interested in the Laurel Bank Hotel, there are plenty of other options available. These include the four-star Fig Tree Markinch and the award-winning Balbirnie House .
