Elspeth Sandys
Elspeth Sandys | |
---|---|
Born | 1940 (age 83–84) Timaru, New Zealand |
Occupation | Writer |
Alma mater | University of Auckland Trinity College London |
Website | |
elspethsandys |
Elspeth Somerville Sandys ONZM (born 1940) is a New Zealand author and script writer.
Background
Born in Timaru in 1940, she grew up in Dunedin. She was adopted by the Alley family and was exposed to literature from a young age by Rewi Alley. She uses the surname Sandys as a pseudonym.[1]
Sandys received an MA (First Class Honours) in English from the University of Auckland, an Associate Diploma (FTCL) in Speech & Drama and a Fellowship Diploma (LTCL) in Music, both from Trinity College London.[2]
Works
Sandys's fiction often focuses on personal, social, and political relationships. While some of her novels are historical fiction their motivating themes remain contemporary. In addition to her published works, Sandys has taught creative writing and worked as an editor at Oxford University Press.[2]
Novels
- Obsession (Upstart Press, 2017)
- A Passing Guest (Flamino, 2002)
- Enemy Territory (Hodder Moa Beckett, 1997)
- Riding to Jerusalem (in New Zealand: Hodder Moa-Beckett, 1997, and in the UK: Hodder & Stoughton,1997 )
- River Lines (in New Zealand: Hodder Moa-Beckett, 1995, and in the UK: Hodder & Stoughton, 1995)
- Finding Out (Vintage, 1991), also published in French as Découvertes (Actes Sud, 1997)
- Love and War (William Collins, 1982)
- The Broken Tree (Hutchinson, 1981), published in the United States under the title The Burning Dawn (Dell, 1981)
- Catch a Falling Star (Blond and Briggs, 1978)
Short story collections
- Standing in Line (published in English and Spanish, in Mexico by the Secretariat of Culture, 2005)
- Best Friends (David Ling, 1993)
Poetry
Sandys has had poems and short fiction published in several journals including in: Landfall (multiple pieces including short story 'The Postman', 2012); PEN (UK);[2] New Zealand Listener;[3] and New Zealand Books Pukapuka Aotearoa.[4]
Non-fiction
- What Lies Beneath: a memoir (Otago University Press, 2014)
- Casting Off: a memoir (Otago University Press, 2017)
- A Communist in the Family: Searching for Rewi Alley (Otago University Press, 2019)
With John Man, Sandys has ghostwritten several non-fiction works including The Survival of Jan Little (Penguin Books, 1986).[2]
Sandys has written for both the BBC and Radio New Zealand including original plays and adaptations, and scripts for film and television, with performances taking place in the United Kingdom and New Zealand.[2]
Honours and awards
Her novel, River Lines, was longlisted for the 1996 Orange Prize and her unpublished collection of short stories, Standing in Line, won the Elena Garro Prize in 2003.[2][1]
In 2005, her play Vagabonds (previously titled Masquerade) was selected for the International Playwriting Festival in London. It was also shortlisted in 2006 in the Columbus State Theatre Playwriting Competition.[5]
In the 2006 New Year Honours, Sandys was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to literature.[6]
Residencies and fellowships
In 1992 Sandys was awarded the Grimshaw Sargeson Fellowship with Gaelyn Gordon.[7] She was awarded the Robert Burns Fellowship, in 1995, a literary residency at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand.[8] In 2016 she received a residency at the Michael King Writers Centre.[1]
References
- ^ a b c "Elspeth Sandys". Read NZ Te Pou Muramura. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f "Elspeth Sandys". Academy of New Zealand Literature. Retrieved 5 November 2017.
- ^ "Requiem for my Mother, by Elspeth Sandys". The Listener. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
- ^ "Elspeth Sandys". New Zealand Books Pukapuka Aotearoa. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
- ^ "Elspeth Sandys". MBA Literary Agents. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
- ^ "New Year honours list 2006". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 31 December 2005. Retrieved 9 June 2019.
- ^ "Grimshaw Sargeson Fellowship". Grimshaw. Retrieved 5 November 2017.
- ^ "The Robert Burns Fellowship". Otago Fellows, University of Otago, New Zealand. Archived from the original on 10 February 2013. Retrieved 5 November 2017.
External links
- Official homepage
- Profile at Read NZ Te Pou Muramura
- v
- t
- e
- 1959 Ian Cross
- 1960 Maurice Duggan
- 1961 John Caselberg
- 1962 R.A.K. Mason
- 1963 Maurice Shadbolt
- 1964 Maurice Gee
- 1965 Janet Frame
- 1966–67 James K. Baxter
- 1968 Ruth Dallas
- 1969 Warren Dibble
- 1970 O. E. Middleton
- 1971 Noel Hilliard
- 1972 Ian Wedde
- 1973 Graham Billing
- 1974 Hone Tuwhare
- 1975 Witi Ihimaera
- 1976 Sam Hunt
- 1977 Keri Hulme
- 1977–78 Roger Hall
- 1978 Peter Olds
- 1979 Michael A. Noonan
- 1980 Philip Temple
- 1981–82 William Sewell
- 1983 Rawiri Paratene
- 1984 Brian Turner
- 1985–86 Cilla McQueen
- 1987 Robert Lord
- 1988 John Dickson
- 1989 Renée
- 1990 David Eggleton
- 1991 Lynley Hood
- 1992 Owen Marshall
- 1993 Stuart Hoar
- 1994 Christine Johnston
- 1995 Elspeth Sandys
- 1996 Bernadette Hall
- 1997 Paddy Richardson
- 1998–99 Michael King
- 1999 Paula Boock
- 2000 James Norcliffe
- 2001 Jo Randerson
- 2002 Alison Wong
- 2003 Nick Ascroft
- 2003 Sarah Quigley
- 2004 Kate Duignan
- 2005–06 Catherine Chidgey
- 2006 Dianne Ruth Pettis
- 2007 Laurence Fearnley
- 2008 Sue Wootton
- 2009 Michael Harlow
- 2010 Michele Powles
- 2011 Fiona Farrell
- 2012 Emma Neale
- 2013 David Howard
- 2014 Majella Cullinane
- 2015 Louise Wallace
- 2016 Victor Rodger
- 2017 Craig Cliff
- 2018 Rhian Gallagher
- 2019 Emily Duncan
- 2020 John Newton
- 2021 Becky Manawatu
- 2022 Albert Belz
- 2023 Kathryn van Beek
- 2024 Mikaela Nyman