Senior writers glad for the cash

Prime Minister Helen Clark (left) with Margaret Mahy, one of three writers honoured for sustained literary achievement.

Children's writer Margaret Mahy reacted with unabashed frankness at the news she has received $60,000, no strings attached, in this year's round of the Prime Minister's Awards for Literary Achievement.

"I love getting money," said Mahy, who was presented with the award last night at Premier House in Wellington, along with poet Alistair Te Ariki Campbell and writer Philip Temple.

Mahy, who earlier this year was made a Living Icon by the Arts Foundation of New Zealand, said at first she was astonished, then "utterly thrilled ... radiant, partly because of the occasion, partly because I'm drinking a glass of wine".

"I've gone through hard times and receiving money has been such a blessing and it still seems like that," said the 69-year-old Banks Peninsula author, whose first book was published in 1969, followed by dozens more in a range of genres for a variety of age groups.

Mahy said she was not sure what she would do with the money. "I do hope some of it can give a variety of support to families, and my daughter's family, and it would be nice to think that you can be generous ... without reducing yourself in any way."

Alistair Te Ariki Campbell, of Pukerua Bay, also said his initial reaction was astonishment, "then after a while, pleasure".

"I'm going to invest most of it so I have money coming in in my old age," added the 80-year-old, who has been writing poetry for 60 years and whose recent collection, The Dark Lord of Savaiki, has been highly praised.

"I'm using some of it to do the house up, too. My wife Meg has failing kidneys and she may be on dialysis treatment so we've got to get the house hygienic for her. So it won't go that far but it will be very useful."

Philip Temple, who lives in Dunedin, said the award had allowed him to fulfill a long-held dream.

"I've coveted it for 20 years - a nice, classy leather recliner chair."

Sixty-six-year-old Temple's career spans 40 years and more than 40 books, including biography, fiction, history and travel.

"The award is a wonderful affirmation of a career," he said.

"When I was told I had it, it was a kind of a relief, not just the recognition, but the money. It's pretty hard to make a living as a full-time writer - it's been quite good the last few years but this is the icing on the cake. It will help me pay off the mortgage. It's the largest amount of money I've received in one whack."

Mahy could have been speaking for all three when she said: "In terms of vanity, this is a great occasion for me, but it's also a celebration of the progress we've made over the years."

The awards were established by Prime Minister Helen Clark in 2003 to reward senior writers with a sustained body of excellent work. However, said Elizabeth Alley, who was on the panel of judges, "They are never to be seen as end-of-career awards." 
 

The awards

What: Prime Minister's Awards for Literary Achievements, established in 2003 in association with Creative New Zealand.

How much: $60,000 for each recipient, no strings attached.

For what: The winners are selected for their lifelong body of work. They must be a New Zealand resident.

Who chooses: First round of nominees by public vote, then a panel of three judges chaired by CNZ chair Peter Biggs makes the final evaluation.

Previous winners: Janet Frame, Michael King, Hone Tuwhare, 2003; Kevin Ireland, Dame Anne Salmond, Maurice Gee, 2004.

This year: Margaret Mahy, for fiction; Alistair Te Ariki Campbell, for poetry; Philip Temple, for non-fiction.