Entries in Wānaka’s annual NZ Mountain Book Competition closed last month and festival organisers have reported their highest ever number of submissions. 

The book competition is part of the NZ Mountain Film & Book Festival which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. 

The nine-day event is a celebration of adventurous sports and lifestyles presented for adventurers, film and book enthusiasts and armchair adventurers.

The book competition was added to the festival in 2017 and has attracted high standards of entry. Awards are offered across three categories including Mountain and Adventure Narrative, Mountain and Adventure Heritage, and the overall Nankervis/Bamford NZ Mountain Book of the Year - which offers a $2,000 prize. 

The calibre of entries was so high that organisers have added a new 'highly commended' list, book competition coordinator Dan Clearwater said.

He said only a handful of points separated the top 10 books in the pre-judging.

“Those books that just missed out on being finalists this year would have certainly been shortlist contenders in previous years’ competitions,” Dan said. “It's a wonderful example of the depth of NZ authors and publishers, and the way the industry is bouncing back strongly from Covid disruptions.”

Sarah Bennett, who has worked as an editor and publisher at Awa Press and Bridget Williams Books, has joined the judging panel for this year’s book competition. She said Covid has almost certainly affected the number of entries.

“In talking with booksellers and fellow publishers over the last year or so, it seems that the pandemic has boosted the market for books about New Zealand.”

“To some extent this will be driven by New Zealanders being forced to stay home, slow down, and travel more widely and deeply around the motu. Perhaps this has made us appreciate Aotearoa more, and be more curious about our people and places, and about the incredible natural world that inspires us in so many different ways.”

Festival founder and director Mark Sedon completed his own book during the pandemic: What Could Possibly Go Wrong is an account of his adventures across the globe. Mark will share more of his adventures at this year’s festival.

Festival director Mark Sedon took advantage of the pandemic to finish his own book.

The book competition category winners will be announced on June 7 with the grand prize winner announced on opening night (June 24). 

The festival will run from June 24-29 in Wānaka, June 30 to July 2 in Queenstown, and online in NZ and Australia from June 24 to July 24. 

Find out more here.