Strong Words

Judging her first Landfall Essay Competition in 2018, Landfall editor Emma Neale was seriously challenged. The overall high quality of the 90 submissions made it impossible to choose. After a nails-bitten-to-the-quick struggle, she optimistically submitted her "shortlist" of 21 essays. The publisher had some strong words with her. Emma was told a shortlist needed to be shorter than 21. A lot shorter. In the end she pared the list back to 10 but it seemed so wasteful not to be awarding more prizes. The world needed to be able to read these damned fine essays. That’s when this book was born ...Strong Words is a striking collection of essays that celebrates an extraordinary year in New Zealand writing.

Emma Neale has published five novels and five poetry collections, edited several anthologies, and is the editor of Landfall journal. Her latest poetry collection, To the Occupant, was published this year.