The judges selected for the inaugural New Zealand Post Book Awards bring with them a wealth of literary expertise as they set about choosing the country's best books published in 2009.

The removal of New Zealand from the proposed Google Book Settlement is welcomed by the New Zealand Society of Authors (PEN NZ Inc.) whose objection to the settlement, filed with the US Court earlier this year, was instrumental in securing New Zealanders' rights.

New Zealand writers Norman Maclean and Gwendolyn Toynton were each awarded $10,000 for literary excellence at tonight's Ashton Wylie Charitable Trust Unpublished Manuscript and Book Awards, at Auckland's Hopetoun Alpha venue.

The New Zealand Society of Authors (PEN NZ Inc.) is concerned that the publishing industry here seems to be ignoring the Google Book Settlement as if it doesn't matter to us. We believe that's because there seems to have been an assumption that it is only relevant to books published in the US.

Emily Perkins has won the 2009 Montana Medal for Fiction or Poetry for her taut and chilling book, Novel About My Wife.

The National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa today announced the appointments to the Public Lending Right Advisory Group.

Eleven poems written by New Zealand secondary school students have been shortlisted as finalists in this year's New Zealand Post National Schools Poetry Awards. The winners will be announced on 28 August 2009 at a ceremony in Wellington.

-Ashton Wylie Charitable Trust Book Award entries close 31 May-

New Zealand mind, body and spirit writers have less than one month left to enter their work in the 2009 Ashton Wylie Charitable Trust Book Awards.

More students get the chance to showcase their writing talents in an expanded New Zealand Post National Schools Poetry Awards this year.

Courage Day will be celebrated this Saturday 15 at the Christchurch Art Gallery.

November 15 marks the International Day of the Imprisoned Writer and the international writers' organisation (PEN) celebrates this day with events held internationally.