2 JUNE 2009 - Auckland University Press has seven finalist authors of six finalist books - more finalists than any other single publisher - in the 2009 Montana New Zealand Book Awards shortlist announced today.

This is the second year that Auckland University Press has had the most nominations of any publisher in the shortlist field.

"At Auckland University Press, we are enormously proud to have published another great crop of Montana Book Award finalists. From poetry to biography, history to reference, it's a big bag of outstanding titles," said Auckland University Press Director Sam Elworthy.

"I'm grateful to our wonderful authors and to the Press team who excel at the editorial, design, and publicity work that turns a good idea into a truly great book."

The AUP finalists are spread across Montana NZ Book Award categories: Get Some by Sonja Yelich (Poetry); The Lakes of Mars by Chris Orsman (Poetry); Heaphy by Iain Sharp (Biography); First Catch Your Weka: A Story of New Zealand Cooking by David Veart (History); Peter Peryer: Photographer by Peter Simpson and Peter Peryer (Illustrative Arts); and Collected Poems 1951-2006 by C K Stead (Reference and Anthology).

Auckland University Press also has two finalists in the NZ Society of Authors (NZSA) Best First Book Awards; the winners of which will be announced as part of the Montana NZ Book Awards ceremony: Everything Talks by Sam Sampson (Poetry) and First Catch Your Weka by David Veart (Non-Fiction)

"Finding talented new writers is one of our key aims at Auckland University Press and it's a great achievement for Sam Sampson and David Veart to have their first books recognised in the Awards," said Dr Elworthy.

The winner of the Montana New Zealand Book Award poetry category will be announced on Montana Poetry Day, Friday 24 July 2009. All other winners will be announced at a gala dinner to be held at the Auckland Museum on Monday 27 July 2009.

The winner in each category of the Montana NZ Book Awards receives a prize of $5,000. Each category winner is eligible for the Montana Medal for Non-Fiction or the Montana Medal for Poetry or Fiction, both of which carry a prize of $10,000. Each Winner of the NZSA Best First Book Awards receives $2,500.