Congratulations to all the authors on the 2017 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards longlist, especially to those who have honoured the Pantograph Punch with their writing over the last couple of years. And that turns out to be a reasonably long list in itself…

Actual bits of the actual longlisted books

It was nice to see Catherine Chidgey’s novel The Wish Child (Victoria University Press) up the top of the official longlist – thanks, alphabetical order – because we published an extract of this very book only this week. Enjoy your trip to Berlin 1941!

And here’s Kriselle Baker’s essay from longlisted illustrated non-fiction tome A Beautiful Hesitation (Victoria University Press) which accompanied Fiona Pardington’s exhibition of the same name.

Actual longlisted author actually writing about her actual longlisted book

Emma Neale has written for us about censored teenage reading and recently talked to Pantograph Punch literature editor Sarah Jane Barnett about the inspirations for her longlisted novel Billy Bird, (Penguin Random House).

Actual longlisted authors actually writing (about other stuff)

We’re extremely proud that Hera Lindsay Bird is a regular Pantograph Punch writer; and here is Sarah Jane Barnett’s review of Hera’s longlisted poetry collection Hera Lindsay Bird (Victoria University Press).

We recently published a conversation between Tusiata Avia (longlisted poetry collection: Fale Aitu/Spirit House, Victoria University Press) and playwright Victor Rodger.

Last year, Courtney Sina Meredith (short story collection: Tail of the Taniwha, Beatnik Publishing) told us what inspires her in this Loose Canons piece – and we’re looking forward to publishing more of her writing very soon.

We have published poems, Loose Canon inspirations and a Joan Fleming interview by Ashleigh Young (Can You Tolerate This? [essays], Victoria University Press), as well as Ashleigh herself being interviewed by Hera Lindsay Bird, who calls Ashleigh a “literary triathlete”.

Brannavan Gnanalingam (A Briefcase, Two Pies and a Penthouse, Lawrence & Gibson) writes for us on film.

And watch this space… we'll soon also be publishing new work by graphic artist Sarah Laing (Mansfield and Me: A Graphic Memoir, Victoria University Press).

Actual reviews of the actual longlisted works

Airini Beautrais reviewed Nick Ascroft’s Back with the Human Condition (Victoria University Press), and pointed out the poetry collection includes the felicious line “Like a weasel, violently fellated”.

And Simon Palenski reviewed Bloomsbury South: The Arts in Christchurch 1933-1953 by Peter Simpson (Auckland University Press), and found out how to plant an artistic scene: in Simon’s words, “[Ursula] Bethell needs help gardening and a friend from her church recommends a penniless, young art student she knows. And so [Toss] Woollaston turns up…”

What a turn up for the books! Ka rawe, everyone. Enjoy those bubbles tonight.