The 2024 winner for the John O’Connor Award for Best First Book is Philomena Johnson. Congratulations Mena!

Judge Harry Ricketts describes it as “an extremely resonant, well-turned collection, quick with observation and insight… These are poems which will make you pause and reflect as you read, and will continue to work on you long after you’ve closed the book.”

The Sudden Valley Press John O’Connor Best First Book Award is awarded to a Te Waipounamu South Island resident poet who has not previously published a full-length collection of poetry. Johnson’s collection will be published on National Poetry Day, 23 August 2024.

PHILOMENA JOHNSON graduated from The Hagley Writers’ Institute in 2017, where her portfolio was short-listed for the Margaret Mahy Award. Her poetry has appeared in The Quick Brown Dog, The London Grip, takahē, Fuego, a fine line, and in the anthologies broken lines / in charcoal and Voiceprints 4. Philomena tutors at WRITE ON: School for Young Writers.