On Wednesday the 6th of November Unity Books Wellington was proud to host the launch of Wake by Elizabeth Knox. Although intermittent rain contributed a foreboding atmosphere of menace to the night, dozens of eager readers and writers turned out to share this special event. Such weather is surely appropriate to the launch of a novel which blends the habits of classic horror with the texture and depth of literary fiction.
The evening began with a speech by Fergus Barrowman of VUP, who set the scene with stories of Wake’s creation and its place in Elizabeth’s much-loved oeuvre. He was followed by Jonathan King, another master practitioner of horror, who described his experiences as a reader during Wake’s development and the unusual, perhaps unique, place that it holds in the history of New Zealand horror writing.These interesting tensions were further explored by Elizabeth herself, who shed light on the contradictory forces contained within this many-layered work.
The speeches concluded with Elizabeth reading a passage from the books middle act, where survivors of the calamity are engaged in the repetitive and harrowing work of disposing of their neighbours’ bodies. That sombre mood was quickly dispelled by generous applause and excitement as signed copies were eagerly sought. Photos © Matt Bialostocki.
The book arrives
The audience were spellbound
Fergus sets the scene
Jonathan shares his reading experience
Elizabeth tells a tale
Cover artist Dylan Horrocks signs some copies
Elizabeth signs for the eager crowd
Unity Books Wellington would like to thank Elizabeth Knox, Victoria University Press and everyone who came out to celebrate this wonderful novel and to support New Zealand writing.
