One of New Zealand’s most acclaimed novelists Catherine Chidgey will be first in the spotlight for a new national campaign celebrating homegrown books.
Te Herenga Waka University Press is thrilled that Chidgey’s newly minted novel The Starving Bride has been selected as the inaugural title for Aotearoa NZ Book of the Month and proud to support the launch of a project that promises to connect readers to excellent New Zealand writing.
Launching on 1 November, the initiative brings together booksellers, libraries and publishers to celebrate one New Zealand title each month, making it easier for readers to discover local authors and their books.
Catherine Chidgey says she is delighted that The Starving Bride has been selected as the inaugural Aotearoa NZ Book of the Month title.
“I love the idea of New Zealand readers being encouraged to seek out local writing and find stories they might not otherwise have encountered. It’s wonderful to be part of a campaign celebrating the books and authors we have here in Aotearoa.”
Published in October, The Starving Bride is Chidgey’s tenth book. A gripping and provocative novel set in a near-future England, it explores society’s obsession with women’s bodies through the story of Hazel Whitlock, who signs up to become a sideshow attraction in Blackpool, lying in a glass coffin while a ravenous lion prowls nearby.
The selection comes at a busy time for Chidgey, who has just returned from the Brisbane Writers Festival and an events tour in Sydney, and is currently attending Vancouver Writers Fest. She has also recently been named one of eight Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi Laureates in recognition of her outstanding contribution to literature.
Chidgey’s previous novel, The Book of Guilt, was New Zealand’s number one fiction bestseller in 2025, remaining in the top 10 of the national fiction bestseller charts for a year, including 15 weeks at number one.
Te Herenga Waka University Press publisher Fergus Barrowman says the campaign is an exciting opportunity to bring New Zealand books to a wider audience.
“We’re thrilled that The Starving Bride has been chosen to launch Aotearoa NZ Book of the Month. New Zealand has an extraordinary wealth of literary talent, and this initiative offers a collaborative way to connect readers with our authors and their work.”
The Aotearoa NZ Book of the Month is made possible by the support of Libby, the library reading app from OverDrive, used by library borrowers across the country.
ENDS
Media contact: Penny Hartill – hPR, 021 721 424, penny@hartillpr.co.nz
Events contact (please note Catherine Chidgey’s availability for events is limited) : Caoimhe McKeogh - Te Herenga Waka University Press, caoimhe.mckeogh@vuw.ac.nz
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Campaign assets featuring ‘Buy Local. Read Local.’
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Campaign assets featuring ‘Read on Libby’
Best for libraries - access digital, printable, and video assets here.
