Sue McCauley QSM (born 1 December 1941 in Dannevirke)[1] is a New Zealand novelist, short story writer, playwright, journalist and screenwriter.[2]
Her first novel was the semi-autobiographical Other Halves (1982), which won both the Wattie Book of the Year Award and the New Zealand Book Award for Fiction.[1] It was adapted into a film, released in 1984 with McCauley credited as screenwriter.[3]
Her manuscript "Landed" was shortlisted for the 2021 Michael Gifkins Prize[4] and was published in March 2023 by Bateman.[5][6]
Novels
[edit]- Other Halves (1982) (Hodder & Stoughton)
- Then Again (1986) (Hodder & Stoughton)
- Bad Music (1990) (Hodder & Stoughton)
- A Fancy Man (1996) (Vintage)
- Tropic of Guile (2013) (Xlibris) a commissioned/sponsored novel
- Landed (2023) (Bateman Books)
Short story collections
[edit]- It Could be You (1997)
- Life on Earth (2003)
These short stories and others have also appeared in numerous publications and anthologies including:
- The Best of New Zealand Fiction - vol.3 (2006) and vol.4 (2007)
- .. Graminees Review (2020) A French translation.
Drama (Television Drama, Theatre Radio & Television Plays)
[edit]Television Drama
- The Shadow Trader (series) (1989)
- Shark in the Park (1991) Contributing writer
- Marlin Bay (1993) Contributing writer
- Mel’s Amazing Movies (1990s) Contributing writer- children’s series
- Posy Narkers (1990s) Contributing writer - children’s series
- Family Law Series (1990s) Educational dramatised videos.
Stage Plays
- Waiting for Heathcliff (1988) (Court Theatre)
- Hitting Fifty (2002) (Court Theatre)
Radio Plays
- The Obituary (1967)
- The Evening Out (1968)
- ABC (1970)
- Robbie (1972)
- Crutch (1975)
- Minor Adjustment (1975)
- Letters to May (1977)
- The Ordinary Girl (1978)
- When Did He Last Buy You Flowers? (1980)
- The Missionaries (1981)
- Isobel, God and the Cowboy (1981)
- The Ezra File (1982)
- Thank You Buzz Aldrin (1982)
- The Man Who Sleeps With his Mother (1983)
- The Ezra File (1982)
- Family Ties (1986)
- Waiting for Heathcliff (1989) - note: this is an adaption of stage play
- ..The Voice Despised (1989
- Rescue Remedy (1990)
- The Upward Mobility of Gordon Reddy (1998) (shortlisted for the Mobil Radio Awards)
Television Plays
- As Old As The World (1968)
- Friends and Neighbours (1974)
Film Scripts
[edit]Feature Films
- Other Halves (1986) note: this is an adaption of the novel "Other Halves", which was written by Sue McCauley
Short Films
- Married (1993)
- Matrons of Honour (1994)
- "Food for Thought" (2015) Adaption of short story "The Assassin Bug".
Journalism/ Non-Fiction
[edit]Non-Fiction
- Escape from Bosnia; Aza’s Story (1966) (Shoal Bay Press) as told to Sue McCauley by Aza Mehmedovic
Columns
- Hers (late 1960s) (NZ Listener)
- Sue McCauley On... (1970s) (Thursday Magazine)
- Lives (1988-9) (NZ Listener)
Autobiographical Essays (anthologised)
- My Father and Me (1993) (Tandem Press)
- Cherries on a Plate (1996) (Vintage)
Other
- contributor to New Zealand Heritage (1971) (historical periodical)
- contributor and TV reviewer (1970-80) (NZ Listener)
- Book reviewer (1990s) (New Zealand Books - a literary magazine)
- Reporter for - and part owner of - Waiheke Island's Gulf News (1974 -79)
Awards
[edit]- Wattie Book Award (1982)
- Mobil Radio Award (1982)
- New Zealand Book Award (1983)
- Queen’s Service Medal (1986) as published in the Supplement to the New Zealand Gazette of
Thursday, 9 January 1986
Fellowships
[edit]- Auckland University writer-in-residence (1986)
- Canterbury University writer-in-residence (1993)
- Hagley College writer-in-residence (2000)
- The Foxton Fellowship (2005)
Book Editing (anthologies)
[edit]- Erotic Writing - (1992) (Penguin) co-authored by Richard McLachlan
- Mind & Mirror - (1994) (Orca Publishing Service) writing by women imprisoned
- Totally Devoted - (2002) (Harper Collins) true stories by readers of The Women's Weekly.
- A Magpie Stole My Heart (2003) (Whitireia Publishing) writing contributed by Whitireia students.
Journalism Employment
[edit]- Copywriter, New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation (1958 - 1960) note: Sue was based in Napier then Wellington
- Journalist for the New Zealand Listener weekly magazine (1960 - 61 )
- Taranaki Herald (1963-64)
- Christchurch Press (1964 -65)
Education
[edit]Sue attended Waitahora Primary School near Dannevirke; and then Nelson Girls’ College in the South Island
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Contemporary Authors Online". Biography In Context. Gale. 2007. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
- ^ Samdog Design Ltd. "New Zealand Book Council Biography". Bookcouncil.org.nz. Retrieved 13 September 2014.
- ^ Robinson, Roger and Wattie, Nelson, The Oxford Companion to New Zealand Literature, 1998, "Sue McCauley" article
- ^ "Michael Gifkins Prize 2021 shortlist announced". Books+Publishing. 16 June 2021. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
- ^ "Author Sue McCauley on her latest novel Landed". RNZ. 12 April 2023. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
- ^ "Landed". Kete Books. Retrieved 24 April 2023.