Sir Julius Vogel Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 34 (2022) Winner
Lani Wendt Young
ラニ・ウェント・ヤング
Lani Wendt Young
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1973 （Apia, Samoa）
- Nationality
- Samoan, New Zealander
- Languages
- English
- Residence History
- Apia, Samoa
Career
- Occupations
- writer, editor, publisher, journalist
- Active Years
- 2002-2025
- Affiliations
- Samoa Planet
- Nominations
- Shortlisted for New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults, Young Adult Fiction (Fire's Caress)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victoria University of Wellington | — | — | — | — | New Zealand |
Victoria University of Wellington
Country:
New Zealand
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | USP Press Prize for Fiction | Sleepless in Samoa | Fiction | USP Press | Winner |
| 2018 | ACP Pacific Laureate | — | — | Africa, Caribbean, Pacific Group of States | Winner |
| 2019 | New Zealand Society of Authors Waitangi Day Honor | — | — | New Zealand Society of Authors | Winner |
| 2022 | Sir Julius Vogel Award | Fire's Caress | Best Youth Novel | — | Winner |
USP Press Prize for Fiction
2011
Work:
Sleepless in Samoa
Category:
Fiction
Organization:
USP Press
Result:
Winner
ACP Pacific Laureate
2018
Organization:
Africa, Caribbean, Pacific Group of States
Result:
Winner
New Zealand Society of Authors Waitangi Day Honor
2019
Organization:
New Zealand Society of Authors
Result:
Winner
Sir Julius Vogel Award
2022
Work:
Fire's Caress
Category:
Best Youth Novel
Result:
Winner
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Telesa
2011 Young Adult FantasyA young adult fantasy series set in modern Samoa, inspired by ancient mythology, often compared to Twilight in the Pacific.
Samoan mythologyIdentityYouth culture
Fire's Caress
Young AdultMata Oti
2021 Zombie ApocalypseThe first zombie apocalypse story set in Samoa.
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Modern style utilizing digital publishingHumorous narrative voice
- Recurring Motifs
- Pacific cultureFeminismClimate justice
Legacy
Recognized internationally for promoting Pacific literature through her works and digital publishing.
Quotes
-
I wrote the first book because it was the kind of thing I wanted to read as a 14 to 16-year-old growing up in the islands. There were always so many stories set in other parts of the world but never anything I could directly connect with – never anything in Samoa.
Source: NZ Herald interview (2013) -
As a brown woman who writes – oftentimes from the margins and smashing gates as I do so – I have seen the transformative power wrought by stories written by us, about us, and for us... This literary honour is testament of that power...
Source: Waitangi Day Honor acceptance speech (2019)
Trivia
- Samoan-New Zealander. Father from Samoan villages Lefaga, Vaiala, Sapapalii, Malie; mother Māori of Ngāti Kahungunu.
- Mother of 5 children.