Banned book wins US deal
IT MAY be banned in New Zealand, but Ted Dawe’s controversial and award-winning novel Into the River is about to reach a global audience.
Dawe has secured a publishing deal with independent American publishing house Polis Books.
Into the River was the first book to be banned in more than 20 years in New Zealand after the censorship board slapped an interim ban on it while considering whether it should be restricted.
The review was requested by Christian lobby group Family First and the board meets tomorrow to make a decision.
Publisher and novelist Jason Pinter acquired the North American rights to Into the River and Dawe’s earlier novel Thunder Road (the prequel to Into the River) directly from Random House New Zealand. Polis is also interested in the third book in the series, Into the World, which is currently on its ninth draft.
Polis is planning on publishing Into the River, in both hardcover and e-book, in June next year.
However, the deal is bittersweet for Dawe.
‘‘It does annoy me because I wrote this for New Zealand kids, not American kids,’’ he said.
‘‘I wrote this for those boys who don’t enjoy reading and aren’t included in the education system – they are the ones who lose out.’’
The deal is all signed and the publishers will be putting out their own, Americanised, version but Dawe has asked them to keep the cover art, as it was done by his wife.
‘‘Some
of
the changes
include having a words.’’
Extremist groups like Family First are setting a dangerous precedent for New Zealand writers, Dawe said.
‘‘The ultimate goal of writing is to get an audience and give them something to think about.
‘‘When the R14 ban got slapped on the book, not only were my sales nothing, it was taken off the shelves in every library so no one was reading it.’’
Dawe’s ‘‘fingers are crossed’’ the restriction is lifted but if it remains the next step is the New Zealand Court of Appeal.
The restriction even Kindle, he said.
‘‘Amazon has put a block on for all New Zealand buyers. A friend of mine was in Australia and tried to buy it but Amazon recognised their Kindle was from New Zealand so they blocked it.
‘‘It’s kind of freaky. even the government.’’
glossary
for
the Maori
affects
It’s
not