Winning the Storylines Tessa Duder Award

Leonie Agnew won the 2022  Storylines Tessa Duder Award. She shares what winning this award means to her.

Leonie writes: “Winning the Storylines Tessa Duder was a fantastic moment for me. I’d never written a YA novel before and felt a little unsure. The award was the validation of all my efforts, plus it meant I had a contract that would take my books into Australia.

 “On another level, it was also amazing to win an award named after Tessa Duder. Like so many teens in the nineties, I had been a fan of her Alex books. Moments like this are special for a writer because they directly connect our childhood dreams with our adult reality. I would like to thank both Tessa and the Storylines judges for this fantastic award.” 

Entries for the 2023 Storylines Tessa Duder Award for an original young adult fiction manuscript close on 31 October. Find out more on the Storylines Awards page.

Leonie Agnew Storylines Tessa Duder Award winner 2022

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We are a national organisation working year-round to promote New Zealand children’s and young adult literature through activities that include a major national Story Tour to schools, early childhood centres and communities, and awards for writers, illustrators and those who work in the area of New Zealand children’s literature

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