Wellington, NEW ZEALAND — The accolades keep coming for Samoan author Lani Wendt Young whose book 'Fire's Caress' has won the 2022 Sir Julius Vogel Award for Best Youth Novel.

Announced at a ceremony in Wellington, NZ on Saturday night, the SJV awards are administered by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Association of New Zealand (SFFANZ), and recognize excellence in science fiction, fantasy and horror over a variety of creative fields. 

There were four other shortlisted finalists up for Best Youth Novel this year - 'Welcome to the Inbetween' by Kate Haley, 'A Lair of Bones' by Helen Scheuerer, 'Spark Hunter' by Sonja Wilson and 'The Thaumagician's Revenge' by Gareth Ward. 

Young's novel, set in contemporary Samoa, is the 6th in her Telesa World Series, and published in New Zealand by One Tree House Press. It was also shortlisted for the 2021 NZ Youth and Childrens Book Awards, where judges called it "a novel of brilliant collision as the roiling, arcane powers of Sāmoa’s mythological past confront modern-day corporate hegemony. Global themes of environmentalism, neocolonial resistance, and the vitality of traditional stories are embodied in deftly written characters, who crackle with intensity and life.”

Lani and husband Darren self-published her first 'Telesa' novel in 2011 after it was rejected by multiple publishers in NZ, Australia and the USA. She is now the author of 16 books, and recipient of multiple writing awards. 

 Young, who is living in Samoa, called the award "a lovely surprise" and the cause of much "shouting and choo-hoo's here at our place at Lotopa." She thanked SFFANZ for the honor, and her publisher who nominated 'Fire's Caress' for the award. 

Young then paid tribute to her readers, "You embraced my stories from the start, and have been amazing about celebrating the Telesa World books - long before traditional publishers, critics, and award panels ever even heard of them. Faafetai lava." 

All Lani's books are for purchase online in both digital and paperback format. In Samoa, you can buy her books from Samoa Stationery and Books (SSAB).