The latest issue of Landfall is a vibrant read. Edited by David Eggleton, it includes the results of the Kathleen Grattan Poetry Award with Emma Neale’s Judge’s report (Michael Harlow was the winner with Hannah Mettner, Elizabeth Morton, David Howard, Nick Ascroft, Alice Miller and Victoria Broome Highly Recommended).

The journal continues to showcase the strength of South Island writers, whilst casting a spotlight elsewhere. It is one of the few journals that include a healthy dose of poetry, fiction and nonfiction, along with book reviews, both in print and online. This eclectic reach is praiseworthy in view of our impoverished discussions of local books in print media.

Six high points in my reading so far:

One: This issue includes the results of The Landfall Essay Competition 2015, along with David Eggleton’s Judge’s comments. The top four are included in this issue.

The winner: Tracey Slaughter

Second: Phil Braithwaite

Third: Louise Wallace

Highly Commended: Therese Lloyd

Commended: Ludmila Sakowski and Bernie Coleman

The winning essay, ‘Ashdown Place,’ is astonishing. It utterly hits the mark for me. Memoir as essay, essay as memoir. It is a high-octane, detail compounding, breathtakingly rhythmed reading experience. It drenches you in time and place and then startles you in its revelations. This woman can write!

Two: Emily Karaka’s painting suite along with her eye-catching cover.

Three: Airini Beautrais’s longish poem, ‘Summer’ with its delicious lyrical narrative flow.

Four: Lynley Edmeades’s ‘Some Bodies Make Babies’ with its pitch perfect loop, simplicity and sharpness. A poet to watch.

Five: Hannah Mettner’s prose poem, ‘Reasons Ross Should Be Happy.’ Want to read more. Hits you on a number of writing levels. Do hope that shortlisted manuscript gets published!

Six: Jack Ross’s provocative nonfiction piece, ‘Is is Infrreal or is it Memorex?’ Jack juxtaposes quotes from Roberto Boleraño with a letter to Leicester outlining literary gossip (a scandalous poetry reading).