New Zealand Society of Authors (PEN NZ Inc) Te Puni Kaituhi O Aotearoa

After an extended judges’ deliberation, due to the high quality and diverse range of entrants this year, The Ngaio Marsh Awards are stoked to at last reveal our longlist for the 2026 Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Novel.

12 terrific stories from 12 terrific Kiwi storytellers. Congratulations to:

Lucky Thing by Tom Baragwanath Carved In Blood by Michael Bennett Softly ...

19 Aug 2026

Popular picture book author and illustrator team Sacha Cotter and Josh Morgan (Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Rongowhakaata) have claimed the top prize at the 2026 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults for the second time in their careers.

Their vibrantly illustrated A Guide to Rocks, which deals with difficult feelings and was des...

The Randell Cottage Trust is delighted to advise that author essa may ranapiri has now taken up their writer-in-residence position at Wellington’s historic Randell Cottage, where they will be working on their first novel, Te Rama Tuna | Eeling by Torchlight, a coming of age story about two young trans Maaori friends/lovers.

essa may ranapiri (Ngaati Raukawa, N...

The prize money, courtesy of generous patrons Jude and Dick Frizzell, has been doubled from $5,000 to $10,000 and the residency at the Surrey is now a fortnight.

There are now two destinations and two first prizes to choose from: the Surrey Hotel, in Grey Lynn, Auckland, or the Apple Pickers’ Cottages in Māpua, Nelson. Each winner receives $3000. Second prize at each ...

Long-time NZSA member Riemke Ensing died aged 87 on 10th of August 2026 in Muriwai with family, books, paintings and poems. An oak tree will be planted in spring amongst the natives in Muriwai to celebrate Riemke’s life and work.

She authored 10 volumes of poetry, works on art, and edited pioneering collections of NZ women’s poetry. A regular attendee at Auckland bran...