Tuesday 15 June 2021

COVID-19 Response - new book released soon...

I'm looking forward to finalizing our latest Mana Māngere writers' collective book with local guest writers in the next couple of months with so much happening in our communities.

This particular book is our fourth collection of poetry and short stories that was sponsored by our local Māngere / Otāhuhu community boards and we are again so thankful for their assistance and the support of our local Māngere Town centre library.

The cover is a beautiful piece of art by my lil' sis Maria as when I saw her composition, I knew that I wanted it to be the front cover of our book and she obliged the commission.

What is interesting about this book is that the topic is about our responses to the global COVID-19 Pandemic. The writers have discussed their thoughts and experiences through poetry and short stories and each composition adds layers of our responses to the pandemic both positive and negative.

We have young students who have contributed to book as well as more seasoned writers and our Mana Māngere writers collective who have been a neat source of inspiration, although it does sometimes take a while for their contributions to surface with so much happening in their busy lives as well as writing.

I'm looking forward finalizing the copy to go to print and then to finally printing the book with a book launch to plan for at a local venue for the writers' families and friends to part take in. I'm also looking to send a copy over to the Turnbull library, in Wellington as a contribution to the archiving of material during the COVID-19 Pandemic of 2020 and 2021 for their records.

Never a dull moment but also our thoughts go out to many nations that are still fighting this pandemic globally. It is with confidence that many nations are now rolling out nationwide vaccines and with first world nations currently planning to support third world nations it is heartening to know that hopefully soon this pandemic will be brought to its knees.

I certainly hope and pray that it will be much sooner than later...
 

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