Name: Faith Wilson
Role: Founder / Pacific Arts Legacy Intern
Company: Saufo`i Press / Penguin Random House New Zealand

My first job in publishing was: One I created! I started up my own press last year, Saufo`i Press, that publishes Pacific poetry in Aotearoa. But I don’t know if that counts as a job cos I don’t get paid lol, in which case my first official job in publishing is as the Pacific Arts Legacy Intern at PRH, where I started at the beginning of this year. And I’m loving it.

I’m currently reading: Son of Sin by Omar Sakr, published by Affirm Press in Melbourne. Next up is Noelle McCarthy’s Grand, published at PRH.

My biggest career highlight in publishing has been: Being so new to the industry, kinda everything so far. Receiving the internship at PRH – gotta thank the ancestors/Atua/universe (and CNZ and PRH of course) for that one. But also the support and alofa that Saufo`i Press has received. It started out as an idea from someone with zero publishing experience, and with the love and props from my community, it’s now a real thing and that’s feels cool and scary and electric in equal measures.

S & L Publishing’s Louise Dempsey (left) and Sheena Cameron

Our authors – via educational publishers – have practically taught the world to read. Now Sheena Cameron and Louise Dempsey of newly established S & L Publishing are teaching children the skills of writing to communicate clearly. Their first publication is The Writing Book, which is a book full of practical advice, strategies and support material for writers. Sheena and Louise see it as a useful resource for both teachers and students.

Currently the two women work from their home offices and are developing a new book titled The Oral Language Book. But with current sales of over 24,500 of The Writing Book plus their busy schedule of seminars for teachers, locally and in Australia and Asia over the next year involving much travel, establishing business premises is on hold for now.

The move to publishing has been a learning curve, but they have already chalked up a major success with The Writing Book.

Sheena Cameron is an experienced teacher who has taught here, the UK and the United States. She has taught at primary, intermediate and tertiary levels. Sheena currently facilitates literacy workshops both in New Zealand and internationally. Prior to establishing the new business, she is the author of The Reading Activity Handbook, The Display and Publishing Handbook and Teaching Reading Comprehension Strategies, all published by Pearson.

Louise Dempsey is an experienced teacher, consultant and trainer who has worked in both New Zealand and the UK. In her 15 years experience as a trainer she has presented to audiences ranging from whole school teams, to Principal groups and school management teams. She has developed specialised knowledge in the areas of literacy and effective teaching and learning. Louise has created a range of writing projects for New Zealand and English publishers and the UK’s Department of Education and written sections of the Access English Series and Rigby Navigator teaching guides.

Both Sheena and Louise are committed to spending time in schools, working with teachers and students to ensure the material they develop is relevant and useful.

Of The Writing Book, Louise says
“We are delighted with the response we have had to the book. While there are academic texts and lots of resource books with worksheets about teaching writing, we wanted to create a user-friendly resource with lots of generic ideas that can be used at different levels and in different contexts.”

New release due in 2016
S & L Publishing’s next teaching text is The Oral Language Book. They describe it as a practical teaching resource, which aims to support teachers to include more learning talk in their classroom and to embed oral language across the curriculum. It includes information and ideas for developing group work and paired talk in the classroom, including supports to encourage quality discussion.

The main body of the book offers practical activities that can be used across the curriculum with the class, a group or independently. They include drama, listening, presentation and vocabulary activities.

Teachers can expect to see The Oral Language Book available for classrooms next July.

Following their second book, S&L Publishing are planning further development of user-friendly on-line resources and apps, and increasing sales in the Asian market.

As the newest educational publisher member of PANZ, we wish the company every success in the future.