Secondary school teacher wins prestigious NZ literary award

CHRISTCHURCH, Today: Christchurch teacher Rebecca Ball, screenwriter Wayne Hotu, and Year 11 student Eassin Wang took top honours in the prestigious Sunday Star-Times Short Story Awards, sharing a $ 20,000 prize pool.

Ball received $ 15,000 for her winning story, How It Is In Dreams, in the open category. The awards’ impressive prize, the largest yet, was backed by the Milford Foundation, Penguin Random House, and Heft Communications.

Sunday Star-Times Editor Tracy Watkins praised the competition’s 40th year, saying, “For 40 years we’ve been offering budding and established authors the opportunity to share their writing with the country.”

“We received an impressive number of entries – almost 600. A huge congratulations to Rebecca, Wayne, and Eassin on their wins this year. Their short stories truly stood tall,” Watkins added.

The winning stories, along with judges’ feedback, will be published in the Sunday Star-Times over summer and on thepost.co.nz, offering readers a taste of these outstanding Kiwi tales.

Wayne Hotu (Ngāti Maniapoto and Ngāti Ruanui) won the Emerging Māori Writer category with Birdwoman, taking home $ 2,500, thanks to Milford Foundation sponsorship.

In the secondary school category, St Cuthbert’s College student Eassin Wang from Auckland won $ 2,500 for The Acquired Taste of Nostalgia, reflecting on the competition’s 40th anniversary with creative insight.

“The winning entries were nothing short of exceptional,” said Milford Foundation Chief Executive Bryce Marsden, applauding the unique Kiwi storytelling displayed in this year’s competition.

“It’s been a pleasure to support an initiative that celebrates the art of storytelling.” – Emily Makere Broadmore

Penguin Random House NZ Director Becky Innes shared her excitement, saying, “As publishers, we are delighted to support emerging talent, and the winning writers sure show talent. We look forward to seeing where your literary journeys take you.”

Emily Makere Broadmore, Heft Communications’ Director, also congratulated the winners, noting, “It’s been a pleasure to support an initiative that celebrates the art of storytelling.”

Judges included novelist and past finalist Eileen Merriman for the open category, author Lauren Keenan (Te Ati Awa ki Taranaki) for emerging Māori or Pasifika writers, and poet Jane Arthur for secondary school writers. All entries were anonymised to ensure unbiased judging.

Sunday Star-Times Short Story Awards 2024 winners:

• Open Award: Rebecca Ball, How It Is In Dreams, $ 15,000 prize sponsored by the Milford Foundation and Penguin Random House.
  Rebecca Ball, a teacher and writer from Ōtautahi Christchurch, has had her work featured in various publications, including Landfall, London Grip, Turbine | Kapohau, Poetry Aotearoa Yearbook, Flash Frontier, and takahē. Her writing also appears in anthologies such as More than a roof (Landing Press), No Other Place to Stand (AUP), and a liminal gathering (Elixir & Star Press).
• Emerging Māori or Pasifika Writer Award: Wayne Hotu, Birdwoman, $ 2,500 prize sponsored by the Milford Foundation.
  Wayne Hotu (Ngāti Maniapoto and Ngāti Ruanui) is a screenwriter and prose writer known for his contributions to Shortland Street and Ahikāroa, as well as short stories, films, and dramas. Raised in Tāmaki Makaurau and Te Kuiti, he holds a Masters in Screenwriting and has received accolades, including the 2021 Ngaio Marsh Short Story Award and the 2023 Australasian Horror Writers Association award for Best Horror Short Story.
• Milford Foundation Secondary School Writer Award: Eassin Wang, St Cuthbert’s College, The Acquired Taste of Nostalgia, $ 2,500 prize.
  Eassin Wang is a Year 11 student at St Cuthbert’s College in Auckland.