Top NZ authors for Whangārei's NorthWrite 2019 conference

Author Catherine Chidgey, here with her award-winning book The Wish Child, is one of the top New Zealand writers coming to Whangārei for the NorthWrite 2019 conference.

Leading New Zealand writers Catherine Chidgey, Kate de Goldi, and Harry Ricketts and Simon Minto (editor) are coming to Whangārei as part of NorthWrite 2019.

NorthWrite 2019 will be held at Barge Showgrounds Events Centre, Maunu, opening with a meet-and-greet on August 30 with the conference on August 31 and September 1.

Chidgey is a multiple award-winner whose novels have attracted international acclaim. In a Fishbone Church, her debut, won Best First Book at both the New Zealand book awards and the Commonwealth Writers' Prize (South-East Asia and South Pacific region).

Other honours include the Katherine Mansfield Short Story Award, the $60,000 Prize in Modern Letters and the Janet Frame Fiction Prize. She teaches creative writing at University of Waikato.

Chidgey will be presenting Masterclass 2: Novel, as well as a writing technique session on senses and setting at the conference.

De Goldi writes fiction for all ages. She has been a recipient of the Michael King Writer's Fellowship and twice winner of New Zealand Post Children's Book of the Year. Her most recent novel, From the Cutting Room of Barney Kettle, won the Esther Glen Award in 2016.

She will be presenting two sessions on writing for children and will also present the keynote speech on Saturday morning and represent Annual Ink on the publishing panel.

Ricketts teaches English Literature and creative non-fiction at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. He will be presenting Masterclass 3: Poetry, as well as a writing technique session on creative non-fiction.

Minto is an editor and writer, and he teaches publishing students at Whitireia Polytechnic. He will be presenting Masterclass 1: Editing, as well as a writing technique session on self-editing. He will also convene a panel discussion with publishers.

To find out more about the conference and to register go to northwrite.co.nz.