FINAL CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: VAKA MOANA 2008 : PACIFIC ISLAND WRITING FROM AOTEAROA
Cathie Dunsford writes
“To all Pacific Island writers based in Aotearoa-New Zealand:
I have been invited to edit an anthology of writing for the Asia-Pacific Writers Journal [see http://www.apwn.net ] and have chosen to focus on writing by Pacific Islanders living in Aotearoa-New Zealand so that your work can be published to an international audience. I see this as building on the strengths of Niu Voices and invite you/your friends to contribute work up to 1,000 words in length [to allow for a variety of voices]. This work may be in any genre: fiction, non-fiction, doco, film script, play, poetry, talkstory, children’s stories- you are only limited by your imaginations. This edition will be read by writers, publishers and readers from all over the globe and will be a superb opportunity to get your voices out beyond the shores of Aotearoa. You may use this as an opportunity to prepare work for the next Niu Voices anthology and I see this as complimentary to that series but getting your work to an international audience.”
Please read the criteria and submission dates carefully as work must be submitted within this framework to be eligible.
1] All work must be submitted by email to: (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) between November 5-10th, 2007, no exceptions [not before, not after].
2] Work must be in ms word or rich text format [which allows for conversion]
3] Payment is seeing your work in print to an international audience. Nobody gets paid a cent for the work on preparing the anthology, including the editor.
4] You retain full copyright over your own material by [c] author name, date at the end. Be aware that once work is printed on the net, then it is hard to police copyright. Usually, getting your work out to an international audience is worth the risk as nobody else can imitate your voice and authenticity!
5] You have full freedom over what you write but work that is deemed racist, sexist or offensive to other minority groups will not be accepted. Treat others as you would want to be treated- with respect. I doubt there will be any problems in this regard.
6] Feel free to explore new and inventive literary voices and ways of expression.
7] Remember that humour can be a terrific and powerful tool in dismantling colonisation!
8] Receipt of your text will be emailed then the final anthology will be published February 2008.
9] Feel free to pass this onto other indigenous Pacific authors.
Have fun and use this as a chance to explore new territory in your work. I very much look forward to seeing your contributions. I welcome all suggestions on a title for the final anthology of work - be great if this comes from you, as the writers. Check out the current Water Issue at http://www.apwn.net to see the range and diversity of voices within this network.
Editor’s Biography: Dr. Cathie Koa Dunsford is of Maori [Nga Puhi] and Hawai’ian ancestry, author of 20 books in print and translation in USA, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Germany and Turkey, including the popular Cowrie novel series featuring strong wahine toa from the Pacific region.  She is director of, Dunsford Publishing Consultants, which has brought 184 new and award winning Pacific authors into print internationally: http://www.dunsfordpublishing.com
She is recipient of two literary grants from Creative New Zealand Arts Council and was International Woman of the Year in Publishing in 1997. She tours the world performing from the books with traditional Maori waiata and taonga puoro. Contact:
(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)