Todd New Writer’s Bursary goes to Amy McDaid
13 September 2021
Amy McDaid has been awarded the 2021 Todd New Writer’s Bursary towards the completion of a first draft of ‘Black Kite’, a new dark comedy novel.
Following the news, we chatted to Amy who shared what this bursary means to her, her writing process and a sneak peek into the exciting, darkly comedic world of her new novel.
“I’ve worked as a new-born intensive care nurse for thirteen years. Reading is my life, and I always wanted to write a novel, but my efforts came in fits and starts,” says Amy. That all changed in 2017; Amy did a Masters of Creative Writing at the University of Auckland with Dr Paula Morris and won the Wallace Foundation Prize.
“The novel I worked on over that year – ‘Fake Baby’ - was published in 2020 and writing went from something I did on the side, to a central part of my life.”
Malcolm Burgess, Creative New Zealand Arts Practice Director - Literature says, “We’re really happy to be able to offer this year’s bursary to an emerging writer of Amy’s potential, and who is working in an unusual genre. This is a prestigious prize that can make a significant difference to writers, especially those at a crucial stage of their careers, such a writing their second novel”.