Finalists announced for the 2024 Ronald Hugh Morrieson Literary Awards

The wait is over! Finalists for the Lysaght-Watt Trust Ronald Hugh Morrieson Literary Awards have been announced.

Over 180 entries have kept this year’s judges busy since the competition closed in August.

There are five categories in the Awards: Poetry (Open and Secondary School), Short Story (Open and Secondary School) and the True Story – Research Article (Secondary School only).

Short Story judge David Hill commented on the number of entries received this year in the Short Story competition. This year the Open category for short story almost doubled in entries.

“The number of short story entries this year shows that many local people appreciate and make use of the opportunity this competition affords,” he says.

Research article judge Matt Rilkoff commented on this year’s entries being relatable and unique compared to previous years.

“The entries in this year’s True Story section were instantly relatable and yet absolutely intimate and unique.”

Short Story judge Tracey Slaughter commented on the entries this year and the Taranaki connection with the theme.

“It was perhaps not surprising that a competition based in Taranaki was dominated by the maunga’s presence in the landscape, and it appeared numerous times,” she says.

Everyone is invited to attend the Awards Ceremony at the TSB Hub, Hāwera on Wednesday 23 October, where the judges will comment on their respective categories and highlight the works that won them over. The doors will open at 6.45pm and the awards will begin at 7pm.

RSVP before Thursday 17 October with numbers attending to entries@stdc.govt.nz.

Finalists (all categories)

Ami Kindler

Bethany Gyde

Brenda Nejme Fawkner

Celia Gribble

Evita Morellon

Evyn Sorenson

Garth Jones

Gerald Torres

Jahnee Walker-Withers

Kaia Silver

Karen Nicholas

Lauren Kalin

Michaela Stoneman

Molly Sears

Monique Hayes

Oliver Marsh

Pip Harrison

Thomas Hooks

Willow Noir

Additional information:

The Awards, sponsored by the Lysaght Watt Trust, honour the work of one of New Zealand’s most preeminent authors, Ronald Hugh Morrieson (1922 – 1972). Morrieson wrote four novels: a coming-of-age tale The Scarecrow (1963), Came a Hot Friday (1964), Predicament (published in 1975) and his only contemporary novel Pallet on the Floor (1976). All have been adapted for the cinema, the only New Zealand writer to have acquired this achievement. Two short stories were published posthumously, in 1974; Cross My Heart and Cut My Throat and The Chimney.

Further information about the Judges can be found here: http://www.rhmorriesonawards.com/the-judges.html