The winners of our “exciting” new writers residency award will be announced live on air this Friday by Jesse Mulligan.

Famous broadcaster Jesse Mulligan will announce the winners of the inaugural Surrey Hotel Steve Braunias Memorial Writers Residency in Association with The Spinoff Award on his Radio New Zealand show on Friday .

The new and extremely groovesome writers award attracted over 50 entries, and a selection panel has whittled it down to a shortlist of 10 finalists. The grand winner will be named by Jesse Mulligan live on air on Friday – and the winners of two newly created runner-up awards will also be announced.

The producers of the Jesse Mulligan 1-4pm Show have invited Spinoff Review of Books literary editor Steve Braunias to appear as a guest this Friday. Between them they cooked up the idea that the names of the winner of first, second, and third place will be read out by Jesse Mulligan, around about 1.30pm.

First prize is seven nights accommodation at the fabulous Surrey Hotel in Grey Lynn, Auckland, with $500 spending money as well as generous pizza allowances across the road at Domino’s.

Second prize is five nights and four nights, respectively, with lesser pizza allowances.

“I haven’t actually been interviewed or asked to comment so it’s strange to see that words have been put in my mouth in this article,” said Jesse Mulligan.

“But if I was asked to comment I would almost certainly say something along the lines that it’s a very exciting award. We got in touch with Steve Braunias and asked him to come on our show on Friday because we wanted to share in the excitement of finding out who the winners are, and next thing you know the notion occurred that I would reveal the names of the winners live on air in my honeyed tones.

“It’s very exciting.”

The 10 finalists competing for the three residency awards are:

Antony Millen, a short story writer based in Taumaranui

Story teller, poet and performer Callum Gentleman of Auckland

Nelson playwright Laura Irish

Tina Shaw, a novelist who lives in Taupo

The acclaimed Wellington poet Ashleigh Young

John Summers of Featherston, author of the non-fiction stories The Mermaid Boy

Sunday Star-Times crime writer Kelly Dennett

High school musical playwright Naomi and her sister Miriam. We don’t know where they live.

Auckland food writer Delaney Mes

Wellington young adult fiction writer Fifi Colston

All three winners will receive free breakfast and wifi during their stay. The winner pockets a cool $500 in cash from The Spinoff, as well as two free roast dinners at The Surrey. The Spinoff will also provide funding for a single value menu Domino’s pizza every night except on Sundays when there is a roast.

Duncan Greive has confirmed The Spinoff will provide funding to pay for three value range pizzas for second place and a single value range pizza for third.

The winners have until the end of August to take up their residency.

“Good luck to everyone,” Jesse Mulligan “said”.