Publishing through the lockdown ...

The Level 4 lockdown in place in Auckland till at least mid-September is playing havoc with book publishing and distribution. 

Restrictions on despatching goods from Auckland mean that supply of books even via online ordering, or bookstores south of Auckland where Level 3 is in place, is very limited. 

This is gutting after industry consultation over the past 18 months secured assurances from central government about the importance of access to books for wellbeing in Kiwi households.

New Zealand remains one of very few countries to have restricted book sales so severely due to Covid-19.

At Oratia Books we carry on undeterred — working from home, publishing our next two titles as scheduled and hoping that our bookstore partners and their customers will understand if books aren't always available. 

So next Tuesday we will publish as best we can the wonderful picture book Blimmin' Koro/Kātahi rā, e Koro e!, a bilingual story of family aroha (love) amidst adversity. 

As soon as we can get books to author Jill Bevan-Brown in Palmerston North, she'll record a reading on video so that whānau stuck at home can enjoy the book until they're able to get hold of an actual copy. 

On 16 September comes Voices of Aotearoa: 25 Years of Going West Oratory, a beautifully designed work with a host of provocative writing from the leading New Zealand authors who have addressed the Going West Writers Festival since its inception.

Going West has rescheduled the launch of Voices of Aotearoa to 9 October, ahead of its Fabricated Reality event at Lopdell House and Te Uru, in Titirangi.

Some delay is unavoidable for our third September release, though — Seven Lives on Salt River was to be printed in Auckland in late August, but now awaits a lowering of alert levels before the printer can reopen.

We look forward to getting books into readers' hands as soon as possible, and wish everyone safe and healthy times till we're through the Delta crisis.