Stephanie Johnson, of Auckland, MNZM, for services to literature
Stephanie Johnson is an award-winning author of novels, short stories and plays. She founded the Auckland Writers Festival and co-directed it through the first ten years of its existence. She has been invited to attend numerous international festivals and has a key role in promoting New Zealand’s literature on the world stage. She has written 20 books, and her works are recognised for their dry irony and humour, as well as strong themes of biculturalism. Ms Johnson is active in the community, has judged literary competitions, and has taught in tertiary institutions, on adult education programmes, and in Auckland Prison.