Gird your literary loins for the Palmerston North Writers & Readers Winter Series

Dr Cynric Temple-Camp's third book, The Final Diagnosis, covers obscure cases of death, disease and murder.

The days are getting colder. Still, there’s nowt so warming as a good book (and not in a Fahrenheit 451 kind of way, thank you very much). June brings many wonderful things despite the chill.

On Friday, June 28, the public holiday for Matariki/Puanga will be observed. While we celebrate on one day, it is actually a period of days in the lunar month of Pipiri. Matariki/Puanga signifies Te Mātahi o te Tau or the Māori New Year. Nationally, the holiday is generally referred to as Matariki but Rangitāne o Manawatū traditionally gives prominence to Puanga, an important star near the Matariki cluster that can be easier to see in this part of the motu.

It’s a time to remember those who have died, celebrate the present and plan for the future. Check out Palmerston North City Library’s Kaupapa Māori webpage for a great list of resources, information and activities.

Gird your literary loins for the Writers & Readers Winter Series. This will encompass author talks, workshops and all sorts of writerly cool stuff. Some of the featured authors are Cynric Temple-Camp, Minnie Baragwanath, Saige England and Miriam Sharland.

Temple-Camp is launching his new book, The Final Diagnosis, at Central Library on June 14 at 6pm. The bestselling author of The Cause of Death and The Quick and the Dead returns with more stranger-than-fiction stories of death, disease and murder. RSVP to pncl@pncc.govt.nz.

England will be giving a talk on June 21 at 5.30pm and a workshop on writing historical fiction on June 22 at 10.30am.

There will also be a session for authors on how to approach public libraries about your book. On top of that, there’s a Local Author Day at which authors can get to know each other, meet local readers and share knowledge and encouragement. Keep an eye on the City Library website for more information.

If you have a club you want to promote, or you’re looking for a new hobby and want to connect with like-minded people, Club Sandwich is the place to go. It’s a free service that aims to be a one-stop shop for all clubs in Palmerston North. Head to clubsandwich.pncc.govt.nz and browse by category, or click on Add Your Club to create your own listing.

Palmerston North City Library is proud to participate in the annual Out on the Shelves pride display competition, which encourages libraries to actively support and connect rainbow young people with the stories that represent them. Out on the Shelves runs throughout June and ignites a ruthless competitive streak in librarians, who try to outdo each other with colourful displays of wonderful books and resources.

Palmerston North City Library is proud to be a safe space for people of all genders and beliefs, whether they read fiction, non-fiction or both.

The annual First Voice workshop is happening in June. Palmerston North Intermediate Normal School students will write a story in their first language with help from mentors. These precious stories are published and each of the students will receive a copy of the book. What a great way to encourage and celebrate their first language! You can find previous years’ First Voice books in both physical and electronic versions at the library.

See you among the shelves soon.