April 2016
Storylines Tessa Duder YA Award
to exciting new writer
The 2016 Storylines Tessa Duder Award for an original young adult manuscript was presented to Havelock North bookseller and magician Gareth Ward at the Storylines national awards ceremony in Auckland in April.
'His manuscript, for a "steampunk" sci-fi novel set in Victorian England, was a clear winner,' says Tessa, 'and will be published by the sponsoring publisher Walker Books Australia in August 2017. The judges, two Walker books editors, two experts in YA books appointed by Storylines, and myself, were particularly delighted that our winner was a new and unpublished writer, even though this year the award was opened up to all New Zealand writers.'
August 2015
Sarah Mathew: Explorer, Journalist and Auckland's 'First Lady'
Tessa Duder's latest book is the biography of one of New Zealand's founding pioneers, whose contribution to the founding of Auckland (and New Zealand) has never been fully and rightfully acknowledged.
'I am grateful to the Auckland Council, staff at Auckland Libraries and publisher David Ling for their support in making sure Sarah Mathew's fascinating and poignant story is brought back into the public record in this 175th anniversary year of the founding of New Zealand and specifically, Auckland,' says Tessa.
'Much of the information, resulting from some "lucky breaks" in my researching, tracking down Mathew family members in both UK and New Zealand, is completely new. I'm very happy to be adding a strong woman's voice to the historical record which, frankly, has traditionally side-lined or ignored the female experience.'
The book is being launched by Mayor Len Brown at the Auckland Public Library on 18 September, the anniversary of the very day Auckland was proclaimed the capital of the new British colony.
November 2014
Out on the Water – Twelve Tales of the Sea
For her first children's fiction in ten years, Out on the Water – Twelve Tales of the Sea, Tessa Duder takes readers on a variety of exciting (and sometimes scary) experiences out on the waters around New Zealand's coasts. This brand-new collection of original sea stories, illustrated by leading illustrator Bruce Potter and published by Peter Dowling of Libro International (an imprint of Oratia Press), is on sale nationwide from November 7.
A Treasury of New Zealand Poems for Children, edited by Paula Green, illustrated by Jenny Cooper
Noted Auckland poet Paula Green has edited a marvellous new Treasury for Random House New Zealand, A Treasury of New Zealand Poems for Children – and it includes Tessa Duder's narrative verse ‘The Cat who's Known as Flea’, about a cat who feels unwanted by his family.
November 2013
Across the Tasman in a tall ship Spirit of New Zealand
In October 2013 Tessa Duder sailed across the Tasman Sea in the tall ship Spirit of New Zealand, taking part in the very first Tall Ships Race from Sydney to Opua.
For an account of her voyage - four days' battling through a 40 knot gale, ghosting around North Cape and enjoying socialising with ships from other nations (Australia, UK, Holland etc) go to the Resource pages.
June 2012
The Story of Sir Peter Blake
The Story of Sir Peter Blake by Tessa Duder – this new biography of New Zealand's most famous long-distance sailor is being published in July by Libro International, an imprint of Oratia Media.
