Ockham New Zealand Book Awards
2 appearances
-
Edition 14 (2009) Winner
-
Edition 28 (2024) Winner
Emily Perkins
エミリー・パーキンス
Emirī Pāk'insu
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1970-01-01 （Christchurch, New Zealand）
- Nationality
- New Zealand
- Languages
- English
- Residence History
- Christchurch, New Zealand → Auckland, New Zealand → Wellington, New Zealand → London, United Kingdom
Career
- Occupations
- Novelist, Short story writer, Playwright, University lecturer
- Active Years
- 1996-2024
- Affiliations
- University of Auckland, Auckland University of Technology, International Institute of Modern Letters
- Influenced By
- Bill Manhire
- Nominations
- John Llewellyn Rhys Prize shortlist (The New Girl), New Zealand Post Book Awards fiction shortlist (The Forrests), Women's Prize for Fiction longlist (The Forrests)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toi Whakaari | — | Acting | Diploma in acting | — | New Zealand |
| Victoria University of Wellington | — | Creative Writing | — | 1993 | New Zealand |
| University of Auckland | — | Creative Writing | Master of Creative Writing (MCW) | — | New Zealand |
Toi Whakaari
Acting
Degree:
Diploma in acting
Year of Graduation:
1989
Country:
New Zealand
Graduated in 1989.
Victoria University of Wellington
Creative Writing
Period:
1993
Country:
New Zealand
Studied writing under Bill Manhire, did not complete degree.
University of Auckland
Creative Writing
Degree:
Master of Creative Writing (MCW)
Country:
New Zealand
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Geoffrey Faber Memorial Prize | Not Her Real Name and Other Stories | — | Faber and Faber | winner |
| 1997 | New Zealand Book Awards Best First Book of Fiction | Not Her Real Name and Other Stories | — | New Zealand Book Awards | winner |
| 2009 | Montana Book Award for Fiction | Novel About My Wife | — | Montana New Zealand Book Awards | winner |
| 2009 | Believer Book Award | Novel About My Wife | — | The Believer | winner |
| 2011 | Arts Foundation of New Zealand Laureate Award | — | — | Arts Foundation of New Zealand | winner |
| 2024 | Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction | Lioness | — | Ockham New Zealand Book Awards | winner |
Geoffrey Faber Memorial Prize
1998
Work:
Not Her Real Name and Other Stories
Organization:
Faber and Faber
Result:
winner
New Zealand Book Awards Best First Book of Fiction
1997
Work:
Not Her Real Name and Other Stories
Organization:
New Zealand Book Awards
Result:
winner
Montana Book Award for Fiction
2009
Work:
Novel About My Wife
Organization:
Montana New Zealand Book Awards
Result:
winner
Believer Book Award
2009
Work:
Novel About My Wife
Organization:
The Believer
Result:
winner
Arts Foundation of New Zealand Laureate Award
2011
Organization:
Arts Foundation of New Zealand
Result:
winner
Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction
2024
Work:
Lioness
Organization:
Ockham New Zealand Book Awards
Result:
winner
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Not Her Real Name and Other Stories
1996 Short story collectionHer debut collection of short stories.
Human relationshipsIdentity
Novel About My Wife
2008 NovelA novel about a wife, brilliantly portraying dismal yet compelling characters.
MarriageDespairHumor
The Forrests
2012 NovelA novel following the lives of the Forrest family.
FamilyLossGrowth
Lioness
2023 NovelA novel about the life and choices of a middle-aged woman married to a wealthy property developer.
ChoiceWealthMiddle ageDance
Bibliography
- Not Her Real Name and Other Stories
- Leave Before You Go
- The New Girl
- Novel About My Wife
- The Forrests
- Lioness
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Brilliantly writes about dismal peopleAccomplished, clever, rather sadPungently observed, suspenseful and often funnyDisturbing, deep, smart, and funny as hell
- Recurring Motifs
- Middle-aged women's lives and choicesLives of the wealthyFamily and relationships
Legacy
A leading New Zealand novelist and playwright who has won the top fiction prize at the New Zealand Book Awards twice (2009 and 2024), along with other major awards. Contributes to literary education and was appointed MNZM for services to literature.
Trivia
- As a teenager, acted as Fran in the 1980s New Zealand TV series Open House.
- Married to painter Karl Maughan with three children.
- Appointed Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) in the 2017 Queen's Birthday Honours.