18 Oct 2010

PM's awards to writers Cowley, McNeish and McQueen

8:38 pm on 18 October 2010

Three New Zealand writers have been honoured with this year's Prime Minister's Award for Literary Achievement.

The awards, presented at a function at Premier House in Wellington on Monday evening, went to Joy Cowley, James McNeish and Cilla McQueen.

Each receives $60,000 in recognition of their significant contribution to New Zealand literature.

Joy Cowley is internationally recognised for her hundreds of early- reader books, as well as novels for adults and children. Her memoir Navigation was published recently.

James McNeish has written more than 20 fiction and non-fiction books, notably novels like Lovelock and Mackenzie, and Cilla McQueen is the current New Zealand Poet Laureate.