KEY POINTS:
Literary heavyweights have ripped into the Montana New Zealand Book Awards after a shorter-than-usual fiction shortlist was deemed an "insult" to the country's senior writers.
The fiction judges chose four books rather than the usual five for the influential shortlist, released on Tuesday.
One of the judges, Lynn Freeman, a journalist and art critic, told the Herald that "while there were other great books, we did not want to dilute the Montana (finalist) sticker by promoting a fifth".
Former Penguin New Zealand boss and 2005 Montana judge Graham Beattie says on his popular blog that the decision is "clearly a major blunder and a PR disaster and a significant loss of book sales", as the front-cover sticker can significantly boost interest.
Mr Beattie told the Herald that to suggest a fifth book would dilute the shortlist's quality was an "insult" to high-profile Kiwi writers who penned well-reviewed books in 2007.
Mr Beattie has not actually seen the shortlist; awards publicist Penny Hartill says publishers submit books to the awards on a confidential basis.
However, Mr Beattie says his own assessment suggests at least 12 authors whose recent work would have been entered. Although he admits that arts judging is a subjective process, "you cannot tell me that of those 12, they could not find one that was worthy. That's such a nonsense."
Not so, says Linda Henderson, head of trade association Booksellers NZ and chairperson of the awards management committee.
The judges - Ms Freeman, publisher David Elworthy and fiction writer Tim Corballis, supported by adviser Diane Brown, a poet, novelist and memoirist - use a publicly available, strict set of criteria which include literary merit, overall authorship and quality of editing.
"The judging panel unanimously decided that just four entries met the standards required," says Linda Henderson. Such a decision is not made lightly, she adds.
Management of the awards is transparent, with "all literary interest groups" represented in the governing committee.
The Montana shortlist is well known to provoke "discussion, controversy and excitement" every year.
"With some 220 books submitted, and only 25 shortlisted, it is inevitable that some people will be disappointed," she says.
The authors involved are keeping quiet. But some of our other major writers remain unmoved in their disapproval. Keri Hulme, author of Booker Prize-winning novel The Bone People says: "A lot of people are upset about what is looked at as an egregious blunder on the part of the Montana judges."
Four-time national book awards judge Gordon McLauchlan says that in the United Kingdom, United States or Australia, "the judges would now be required to explain themselves and debate eccentric decisions, but that is not the New Zealand way. They have a bureaucrat stonewall on their behalf."
Among members of the literati who have suggested on Beattie's blog that the awards need to be debated and possibly overhauled are cultural commentator Hamish Keith, novelist Nicky Pellegrino, and writer and maritime historian Joan Druett.
One shortlisted author is just baffled. On his blogsite, Martin Edmund professes himself "confused" that his book of essays, Waimarino County (& other excursions), has been shortlisted in the biography category.
"While delighted at the recognition," he says, "I'm also confused - in what sense is it a biography? ... Most of the book doesn't focus upon particular lives, not even my own."
The winner of the poetry category will be announced on July 18 and the rest on July 21.
The winner of each category receives $5000 and is eligible for the Montana Medal for non-fiction or the Montana Medal for poetry or fiction, which both carry a $10,000 purse.
JUDGING THE JUDGES
Author Keri Hulme: "A lot of people are upset about what is looked at as an egregious blunder on the part of the Montana judges."
Writer and critic Gordon McLauchlan: "They (the Montana judges) have a bureaucrat stonewall on their behalf."
Former Montana judge Graham Beattie: "A PR disaster and a significant loss of book sales. "
THE CONTENDERS
THE MONTANA FICTION LIST
The Blue by Mary McCallum (Penguin Group (NZ))
Edwin & Matilda by Laurence Fearnley (Penguin Group (NZ))
Luminous by Alice Tawhai (Huia Publishers)
Opportunity by Charlotte Grimshaw (Random House NZ)
GRAHAM BEATTIE'S NOMINATIONS FOR THE OVERLOOKED 5TH SPOT
Ask the Posts of the House - Witi Ihimaera
Drybread - Owen Marshall
Playing Friends - Marilyn Duckworth
Lucky Bastard- Peter Wells
Rocking Horse Road - Carl Nixon
Dreamquake- Elizabeth Knox
Mr Allbones' Ferrets - Fiona Farrell
