IN THE HUNT: Writer Stephen Daisley, pictured with his first novel, is in the running for a New Zealand Book Award with his second novel.
A writer with strong Whanganui ties is in the running for the fiction prize at the Ockham New Zealand Book Awards. Stephen Daisley's second novel Coming Rain is down to the last four with the winner to be announced in May.
A former Raetihi boy and Parapara shepherd, Daisley won
the $80,000 Prime Minster's Literary Award in Australia in 2011 for his first novel, Traitor.
Daisley now lives near Perth but said being short-listed for a national prize in his home country was something special.
"It's a huge honour and I'm really really thrilled about it," Daisley said. "It's a massive, massive thrill to be recognised in New Zealand because it's very dear to my heart."
Coming Rain is set on rural Western Australia and follows a young shearer's journey into the wheat belt where he falls in love with the station owner's daughter.
