Signals 2019 Launched

Signals 2019 Launched

Signals 2019 Launched 150 150 Michael King Writers Centre

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Media Release

9 December 2019

 Signals 2019 Launched

The Michael King Writers Centre launched the eighth issue of Signals, its literary journal for young writers, on Saturday 7 December at the National Library in Parnell.

The journal features the work of senior secondary students who took part in this year’s Young Writers Programme, as well as its alumni. The editors received over 200 submissions.

This year, as in 2018, we are very grateful to have received the support of Penguin Random House.

Winners of the $150 Chris Cole Catley Prizes for the year, judged by Jenny Bornholdt and Paula Morris were Pilar Cruz (Rangitoto College) and Gina Holden (Auckland University).

Poetry

Winner: School Lunches – Pilar Cruz

Second: Hapū Wānanga – Maria Yeonhee Ji

Third: In the end – Pippi Jean

Highly Commended: Tinder – Phoebe Rolfe

Prose

Winner: Year of the Rat – Gina Holden

Second: Hide your Lunchbox – Andrea Ponsaran

Third: Conversations with Immortals – Ruby Macomber

Highly Commended: The Rains That Fall – Ana Rokuroda

The 2019 Programme attracted over 200 senior students, representing schools from all over Auckland, Waikato and Christchurch.

Leading writers contributed to workshops and master classes in collaboration with tutors Ros Ali, Jo Emeney and Carrie Rudzinski. Guest-writers included Rosetta Allan, Hannah August, Alex Casey, Catherine Chidgey, Fiona Farrell, Stuart Hoar, Paula Morris, Kerrin P. Sharpe, Helen Sissons, Tracey Slaughter and Grace Taylor.

Copies of Signals will be distributed to participating secondary schools. The journal will be available from the Michael King Writers Centre, Arcadia Bookshop, Paradox Books, Time Out, Unity Books and Scorpio Books.

The Young Writers Programme thanks Creative New Zealand, Joyce Fisher Charitable Trust and Penguin Random House for their support.