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George, James
Writer's File

James George

Auckland - Tāmaki Makaurau
George, James
In brief
James George is a fiction writer of Ngāpuhi, English and Irish descent. His first novel was published in 2000 and his successive books have been nominated for an array of awards and prizes. George’s novel, Ocean Roads, appeared on The 2007 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize Shortlist as one of the Best Books in the South East Asia and South Pacific region. His short fiction has also been anthologised. James George is part of Te Ha, a committee for writers working in English.
Bio

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

George, James (1962- ) is a novelist and short story writer.

James George is of Ngāpuhi, English and Irish descent. He was born in Wellington, has lived most of his life in Auckland but calls Northland his ‘spiritual home.’

George began writing in 1995 and his first published novel was Wooden Horses (Hazard Press, 2000). He then published the story Zeta Orionis, an excerpt from his second novel Hummingbird. Zeta Orionis won the premiere award in the 2001 Maori Literature Awards. Hummingbird was a finalist in the Montana New Zealand Book Awards 2004.

Writing in the NZ Herald, Margie Thomson describes Hummingbird as ‘demanding and ambitious … [and] above all incredibly moving’.

Hummingbird was a finalist in the 2005 Tasmania Pacific Fiction Prize. He has also contributed 'Figures on Ice' to The Best of New Zealand Fiction. Volume Three (Vintage, 2006).

Ocean Roads (Huia, 2006) appeared on The 2007 Commonwealth Writers' Prize Shortlist as one of the Best Books in the South East Asia and South Pacific region. Ocean Roads was also shortlisted in the fiction category of the Montana New Zealand Book Awards 2007.

In 2007, George was the Buddle Findlay Sargeson Fellow.

George was interviewed by David Eggleton in the anthology, Words Chosen Carefully, edited by Siobhan Harvey (Cape Catley Ltd, 2010). James George lives in Auckland.

He teaches creative writing at AUT in Auckland, on both the BA and MCW programmes. He is currently working on his fifth novel, Two Rivers.

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