Author Interview: Ali Smith

Hollie spoke to Ali Smith ahead of the publication of her new novel, Gliff.

Your new novel Gliff nods to dystopian fiction - is there something in our current climate that inspired this?

Er ... how could there be? Everything is such sweetness and light nationally, internationally, geopolitically and climate-wise and right now, and the future looks ever rosier! I'm clearly being ornery on purpose for some dark personal reason writing something mildly dystopian... but between you and me, there's very little, in fact nothing, in this book (except for a creaky (literally) metaphor involving red paint) that isn't already happening somewhere in the world. 

Is there anything you can tell us about the connection between Gliff and its companion novel Glyph (coming 2025)?

Forgive me, I can't. If I do, the unwritten book will run off like a creature in the wild that's seen me see it.

The Accidental is one of my favourite books of yours, what do you think is the biggest thing that’s changed about your writing since it was published? 

Thank you. I've no idea. I try not to think about it, because the more conscious you are if you're writing fiction, I find, the less the un- and sub- consciousnesses necessary can find their way through the tough hide of the conscious.

How do you structure the layout of a story? Do you write with an outcome in mind? 

Never. What would be the point of writing something if you already knew what happened?

Favourite bookstore moment? 

When Euan, one of the booksellers in the Portobello Bookshop in Edinburgh, said I could have his spare ticket for one of the Taylor Swift concerts if his brother in law didn't want it or couldn't make it. As it happens, his brother in law did want it and could make it. But even the thought of the offer moved me, which is why the latest book is dedicated to that independent bookshop and its marvellous booksellers (and by extension to all marvellous  booksellers, as a model of their typical generosity).

What author or book is a recent discovery for you? 

Joanna Kavenna. What a writer. Check out her story, The Beautiful Salmon, in a recent Paris Review.

What is your favourite snack to enjoy while writing?

Grapes.  

Author Interview: Ineke Meredith

Hollie spoke to Ineke Meredith about her memoir, On Call.

Author Photo: Rachel Calvo

What does a typical day look like for you? 

Well, I don't quite have a typical day at the moment. I am in this period of transition with my life in Paris now.  A few years ago, I launched our canine dermocosmetic brand in New Zealand and now we are launching in France. I have a new business partner here in Paris, and we are just about to take on a new member of the team. Most days we are working together.

But the typical day starts with coffee and a croissant. We live next to the Eiffel Tower so I try to run in the morning along the river and say hi to her :) I never cease to be absolutely amazed by her beauty. Then I have a day packed full of business meetings or I am writing something! I just finished writing an article for the veterinarians in the UK about the importance of dermocosmetics in dogs. Later this month, we are working with the French veterinary dermatologists in Corsica, so it's really project after project right now.  If I did not run in the morning, I absolutely have to run in the evening. My running route is along the river all the way to the Louvre and back.  I try to have a little break from the desk before I jump back on to time with NZ waking. At the moment, I am on meetings with NZ from 930pm - 2am Paris time. I am involved with some changes happening in Breast Screen Aotearoa so the meetings are a mix between Fur Love and that ;)

What made you decide to write ‘On Call’? 

I never really 'decided' to write On Call. I was writing about patients and their stories which are always far greater than what we appreciate when we see someone in their illness. I was a little hit by this idea that we manage disease, and in particular for trauma or cancer, this journey turns the whole family upside down. I just wanted to write about them so that I would remember them as a person and not just the disease. I initially thought that I would like to write something to the New England Journal of Medicine which is one of the greatest medical journals but they did not want my stories, so when I had over 30,000 words I decided that maybe a publisher would want it.

The importance of your relationship with your mother shines through in your memoir, what was the greatest lesson she taught you?

I have a huge work ethic, I don't stop and this was through watching her. I don't know anyone who worked as much as she did. But if there is one 'lesson' that shines through for me, it is not to look into your neighbour's bowl. I do my best! Anyway, I think I am too busy to worry about what others have and what I don't have...and to be honest, if there is one thing medicine teaches you, it's that every day is a gift.

What is your strongest memory of medical school? 

For some reason, cadaver labs. I suppose because it is so strongly visual, that it pervades my memories of med school. I can remember the hallway outside where we would leave our bags. The smell and the harsh white light in the labs. The cadavers on the table and our small groups huddled around a cadaver...I remember even the cold of the cadaver through my gloved hand and the greasiness... I imagine this memory is quite pervasive for most of us. My husband is also a surgeon and one day he bought a leg of "Pata negra" which is a cured leg of pork. At the time, it was a good idea...we loved to eat it in restaurants. Why not have it at home with friends? After a couple of months of this big leg of meat sitting on our kitchen bench, we started to feel unwell even walking into the kitchen. It really pulled on the memory of cadaver labs for both of us!

What’s one takeaway you hope people will have from your book? 

It's been a pretty amazing month because I never realised how widely the book would resonate for all people from all walks of life. When I was writing the book, I had different thoughts at different moments: First, I hoped it would become this 'book of truth' for people entering medicine. For so long, we were always told to read 'House of God' but I was disappointed by how negative it was about patients, and frankly, our patients are awesome and they go through a lot. I hoped that it would illustrate something closer to the truth for young people who wanted to become surgeons at this moment in time. Second, I hoped that patients and patients' families would read it, and understand how much they impacted us. No matter how many times we have given bad news, it is always hard and heartbreaking even for us. And third, I hoped that the families of my colleagues would read it, and understand what it is like because I don't think there is any way you can understand what it is like unless you live it.  I have had amazing messages from people who have read the book and so many messages have made me cry. People have told me they cried and they laughed. Spouses of colleagues have said that they have insight into what we go through at work. But the most frequent message I have received is that the book made them realise that life is fragile and can be taken at any moment.

What author or book is a recent discovery for you? 

I am terrible. I have 3 books on the go right now. Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar, Nos Frères Inattendus by Amin Maalouf (I always try to read something in French to continue to improve) and I am finishing Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez. One of my favourite books and 'recent' discovery has to be The Spinoza Problem by Irvin D. Yalom. I thought it was extraordinary and I subsequently read his other book When Nietzsche Wept which was also very good. 

What is your favourite snack to enjoy while writing?

I can't snack while writing because if there is something in front of me, I will inhale it. So I am more of a mint tea while writing kinda girl. 

Author Interview: Saraid de Silva

Time Out spoke to writer Saraid de Silva about her debut novel, Amma.

People may not know this, but we had you work for a summer at Time Out. What was working at a bookstore like for you?

Honestly terrible for my wallet, I bought so, so, so many books. I think I became a bit of a magpie about it. People would come in chatting about a book and I'd eavesdrop and get fomo and then I'd have to buy it. But I loved working at Time Out specifically because all my colleagues were so lovely. And it was also just really great to get to talk about books with different people.

What is something new you learned while researching Amma? 

I learned about rojak. I was talking to my Aunty Collette about Singapore and she told me about rojak, which is a dish found in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore and it has like, tofu and veggies as well as some fruit in it, and it's all tossed in this sauce with peanuts on top I think. It just sounds so good and I really want to eat it.

What would your Gran think about Amma? 

I would love to know. Mitzi, my Gran, would certainly have a lot to say about it. But I'm not sure what particular things she would like or dislike about the book. If she truly liked it she might not even tell me, but she would certainly be telling other people.  

What’s your favourite thing about Invercargill?

I've only been there once so I'm not sure I could say. The hotel we stayed in was quite weird and creepy and I am partial to a somewhat haunted old building.

What author or books have you discovered recently?

Oh favourite question. I started reading Kitten by Olive Nuttall in Time Out, bought it, but then had to read other books for work reasons so it's sitting by my bed waiting for me. But two pages in and I was hooked. I'm looking forward to reading A Person is a Prayer by Ammar Kalia and Minor Detail by Adania Shibli. Who I've discovered recently though? I'm reading Homie by Danez Smith. I've read his work online before but holding his actual book feels so different. I know I will read everything he's written now because he's so, so good.

We don’t want to pressure you but are you working on any new writing? 

I'm trying to write my second book but I am finding it almost impossible to do so whilst having a full time job!

What is your favourite snack to enjoy while writing?

Love this question and I take it very seriously because I eat a lot when I'm writing. Probably as procrastination, but also as reward and motivation. I like eating natto (away from desk) and cut up fruit or grapes (at desk). 

Author Interview: Sam Low - Modern Chinese

Hollie spoke to MasterChef winner Sam Low about his amazing new cookbook, Modern Chinese.

What does a typical day look like for you?

The great thing about being a freelancer and a food creative means I have the opportunity to dabble in so many different areas within food media. If i'm not doing my brand ambassador work (which includes recipe development, video shoots or workshops) I am either creating content for social media or working on a creative food project, an example of this was earlier this year I was a part of a team helping to develop a food theater show and hosting Sik Fan Lah a food adventure series on TVNZ. I’m currently brewing a new project so watch this space!

What was the process of getting your cookbook published?

Long, cathartic and thought provoking would be some of the words to describe the process. I looked into so many different aspects of food media exploring things like food masculinity, orientalism in food photography, queer food history, Chinese gastronomy, assimilated Chinese food (survival Chinese food), my relationship to food and family, these were just some of the topics I looked into. I thankfully had the best publishing team that helped me throughout, and because it is the first of its kind in NZ and the only Chinese cookbook to come out in the last decade we were all piecing it together and learning from the process. It starts with writing recipes that utilize a really accessible and approachable pantry which is a section in the book I spent a lot of time on. The recipes needed to be cohesive to a Chinese banquet meaning that there are options for protein or vegetable focused dishes including rice, noodles, broths and cold appetizers. Once the recipes were done, its recipe testing and food photography. From here, essays, stories, illustrations and personal touches. Once everything is designed then we think about the title and final checks before it goes off to print.

Why did you decide to do Modern Chinese as a cookbook?

I felt as though in NZ there aren’t many books focused around diasporic foods or speak to the history of food from ethnic minorities that help make up the beautifully diverse culinary scene here in Aotearoa. Modern Chinese is a documentation of something that is important to the food scene here and speaks to the contemporary audience of today, hoping to debunk any xenophobia people might have on Chinese cuisine. I wanted to create a cookbook that is easy, accessible, approachable and targeting a large audience potentially first time cookbook owners. Modern Chinese is about community and a simple introductory guide into Chinese food and culture, hoping to inspire young cooks, food creatives and other diasporic communities to embrace and celebrate their own cuisine and share their love of food.

Do you have a favourite recipe in the book?

Instead of my favourite recipe, my favourite part of the book is the building of the pantry. I have arranged this section into 3 tiers, tier one being super easy to access even from a western supermarket and with that alone you can create most of the dishes in the book. I wanted the book to be utilised throughout with a simple Chinese pantry so specialty ingredients that are not only used once and sit at the back of the pantry. Outside of ‘the building of the Chinese pantry’ my favourite recipes are the sauces in the book, they help make bland foods super tasty! Like the sweet fragrant soy sauce (make a batch and store in squeezy bottles) and the aromatic chilli oil (also make batches and store in jars). Use these on a simple protein like grilled chicken on rice, add it in a stir fry or dressing your dumplings, these homemade condiments are game changers.

What is one ingredient that you always have on hand?

Besides the homemade condiments, I might say ground white pepper. It's floral, warmingly spicy and can be used in every savoury dish. If this is new to you, start adding a little shake (or pinch) in your savoury foods to add a new level of flavour.

What food writers inspire you?

Fuchsia Dunlop is a big one for me, a Chinese food gastronomist, a wealth of knowledge matched with an infectious love and appreciation for the people, culture and food of China. Soliel Ho, they were the head food critic at San Francisco’s The Chronicle now critic at large. I fell in love with Soleil’s work when they did the podcast Racist Sandwich and Extra Spicy, having different narratives and conversations in food media about class, race and gender. Brandon Jew, owner of Mister Jiu’s in San Francisco's Chinatown, a Michelin star modern Chinese restaurant. Brandon really pushed the boundaries of what it means to be Chinese American where you don’t need to be more or less Chinese to feel enough as a Chinese person in diaspora. Harold McGee, an American author who writes about science and food but his latest work on smell has really changed the way I think about our human senses. His book ‘Nose Dive’ a field guide to the world of smells is so incredible it goes beyond food but more so on how we navigate life.

What author or book is a recent discovery for you?

Emily Contois is an incredible author whom I discovered last year. She’s an associate Professor of Media Studies at The University of Tulsa, author of Diners, Dudes & Diets: How Gender & Power Collide in Food Media & Culture, and co-editor of Food Instagram: Identity, Influence & Negotiation. Her work revolves around food media and how it has come to be in today’s climate. I am especially interested in her exploration of the ways we consume food media and how this reflects on our day to day food behaviors in society.

What was your favourite snack to eat while putting together Modern Chinese?

Soft egg (slightly scrambled and folded) sandwiches with Japanese mayonnaise. The soft white loaf bread and delicate sweet egg is so comforting and has been a favourite of mine growing up since a little kid.

Author Interview: Mona Awad - Rouge

Hollie spoke to best-selling author and store favourite, Mona Awad about her latest novel, Rouge.

Where do you draw inspiration from? 

Usually my own fixations and obsessions. In the case of Rouge, it was skincare and beauty, and an addiction to beauty videos on YouTube. I couldn't help but see the great potential for horror there. I'd also always wanted to work with the fairy tale of Snow White, which is the ultimate fairy tale about beauty and its shadow side. 

So….Tom Cruise?

Or is he? Appearances can be deceiving, Bunny :)  

Has your skincare routine changed since writing Rouge?

It was really byzantine when I first became obsessed with skincare and I experimented quite a bit with different products. I was also very easily enchanted and seduced. Now I have some trusted products I rely on and I'm slightly more dubious of claims. But I'll always love a mist and to be honest, I'm still a bit of a sucker. 

What’s next in skincare?

God knows. But I'll probably be trying it. 

How do you structure the layout of a story? Do you write with an outcome in mind? 

Usually I'll do a kind of rough blueprint of the first part of the book and then I'll start writing. The ending usually comes to me as I'm writing the beginning. I don't hold myself to it, I tend to just follow the story, but in each case it's where the book has wanted to land. 

There are aspects of your novels that read like a dream. Are any parts of your books inspired from a dream you’ve had?

I'm glad to hear that. I think that's often the feel that I'm going for and the subject matter or the character's mental state is what dictates it. Beauty is, after all, a kind of dream. I also really like to immerse the reader in the character's mind, and in our minds we're always dreaming. 

What author or book is a recent discovery for you? 

Not terribly recent, but I really loved Piranesi by Susanna Clarke. I thought the narration was so wonderful--this heady mix of enchantment and dread.

What is your favourite snack to enjoy while writing?

Usually it's just coffee or green tea for me but I have a friend who sends me little knick knacks that are in conversation with whatever book I'm working on, sort of to cheer me on. For Rouge, she bought me these beautiful rose gummies. I did enjoy those during breaks. 

Author Interview: Dominic Hoey - Poor People With Money

Hollie spoke to award-winning poet and playwright Dominic Hoey about his latest novel, Poor People With Money. This is a pacy, heart-twisting, punch-in-the-guts, darkly comic novel that captures life on the poverty line in Aotearoa now.

What does a typical day look like for you?

I normally wake up around 10 or 11, argue with Chilli (my dog), go to work at Atawhai and look after teenagers, come home, more arguing with Chilli. Around 10ish I start writing then when that becomes hopeless I read or watch a film. There's also drinking and talking shit with friends mixed in there. 

Where did the inspiration for Poor People with Money come from?

I wanted to write about the shit people have to do just to get a pinch of dignity when you're broke. Also I used to train Muay Thai before I got sick and I always thought that combat sports in general is such an interesting community.  

What is one thing you would like readers to take away from Poor People With Money?

I don't know if there was a moral I wanted people to get. Just hopefully it inspired people to write. Like if a dyslexic with no education can do it so can you.

How did your writing workshops come about? 

When I was 18 I was in the dole office and they were like "what do you want to do?" and I kept on saying I wanted to be a writer. Which they must have thought was crazy. but I had a case worker who actually tried to find me short courses but there wasn't really anything. So once I learnt some stuff I really wanted to share this knowledge with people. especially people who wouldn't normally have access to it. 

Do you have a different approach when it comes to writing a poem versus a novel?

Yeah its a real different part of the brain. I feel like poetry is squinting and looking at a photo and then describing it, where's a novel is a pile of photos you're trying to arrange into a story. 

What can you tell us about your next novel? 

I'm currently writing two. One is set over a month starting the day after the rainbow warrior bombing in 1985. It's about a thieving fat kid who's really good at video games.  The other one is a paranormal mystery thriller set in Port Chalmers. 

What is your favourite snack to enjoy while writing? 

I don't really eat when I write. I smoke lots of weed when I write poetry. It doesn't help with novels though unfortunately 

What author or book is a recent discovery for you? 

I've recently got into Dan Chaon who writes quite dark kind of mysteries I guess. But they are more about families and breakdown of relationships. Also Night Boat to Tangier by Kevin Barry. One of the best books I've ever read 

Can we expect Prince Chilli’s memoir anytime soon?

Yes, in fact the final draft of "Biting My Way To Happiness" is with Penguin as we speak

Author Interview: Ruin and Other Stories - Emma Hislop

Hollie spoke to Emma Hislop about her debut collection, Ruin and Other Stories. This collection shimmers with a brutal kind of hope, exploring power and its contortions, powerlessness and its depravities, and the ends to which we will go to claim back agency.

Tell us about yourself.

I whakapapa to Kāi Tahu. I love coffee and good books and spending time with my loved ones. I'm trying to write a novel now. I live in Taranaki with my partner and kid and dog. I currently am trying to make a living freelancing and juggling lots of jobs.

What are you currently reading?

Hiwa, the new collection of contemporary Maori short stories. It’s out with AUP and it’s a beautiful thing.

What inspired the collection?

I’ve always been interested in power and the different forms it can take. The way in which it can be upfront and obvious, or more subtle and coercive. That’s Ruin’s main preoccupation, probably.

What was the intention in naming the collection Ruin?

II like how Ruin can be both an end and also hold potential. The stories in this collection can be hard to read at times, but hopefully, by shining a light on them, some of the power is taken out of some of the violence that’s in them.

How did you go about choosing the cover art by Maiangi Waitai?

I’ve admired Maiangi’s work for years, and when I saw this image, which is titled ‘When pushed, pull’, it seemed to encapsulate the ideas I was trying to express in my writing. It’s both chaotic and full of potential. The publishing team at Te Herenga Waka went for it, luckily.

Do you have a favourite story from the collection?

That’s a hard question, but I think I’d choose The Game. I was interested in the power dynamic with the complicated friendship and it challenged me in terms of what each character knew or didn’t know about the situation. Also its set in summertime in Brixton, in South London where I lived for almost a decade.

How did you feel when you heard Ruin and Other Stories was going to be published?

I was happy! I’d hoped Te Herenga Waka would want it. I sent it there first as I’ve built up a bit of a relationship over the years.

What writing projects do you have in the pipeline?

I was fortunate to receive some CNZ funding last year to draft a novel, so I’ve been working hard on that. It’s set in Ōtepoti and I'm hoping to get back down there soon.

What is your favourite snack to enjoy while writing?

Honestly, as long as I have coffee and fizzy water, I’m good. I don’t really snack. Roasted almonds, if I can afford them.

Author Interview: Melinda Szymanik - Lucy and the Dark

Hollie spoke to Melinda Szymanik about her latest children’s book, Lucy and the Dark. When Lucy makes friends with the Dark she discovers a new and exciting world - but the world is about to discover what it's like without the Dark! A funny and enjoyable bedtime story with a glow-in-the dark cover to encourage lights out!

Tell us about yourself. 

People say we are made up of atoms, or cells, or flesh and blood, but personally I believe I am made up of words. When I first learned to read, I was filling up pretty fast on new words and I expanded exponentially till I became an adult. I have slowed down quite a bit now because I come across fewer previously unmet words, but I’ll keep growing till I die like a tortoise or nose hairs.

What inspired Lucy and the Dark?

I can’t remember, but whatever it was I’m really grateful because it turned out really well. However, as it is a bit rubbish to say, ‘I can’t remember,’ here is a snippet from an earlier draft, which ended up getting replaced as it didn’t fit so well with the rest of the story but is still rather lovely, I think.

‘It’s time to go home,’ I said.

I don’t want to go back to where everyone is afraid of me,’ Dark cried.

‘But I will be there,’ I said. ‘And we are the best of friends.’

‘But what do you see in me?’ Dark asked.

And I said, ‘The stars.’

What is something you are scared of?

Being buried alive. Not really a great central idea for a picture book though so I went with the dark instead which I’m only just a little bit afraid of.

How did you team up with illustrator Vasanti Unka?

When Penguin decided to publish my picture book My Elephant is Blue, they had the genius idea of inviting Vasanti to illustrate. She did an incredible job so when they suggested her for Lucy and the Dark, I could not have been happier. Dark is just so cute and charming children will be won over instantly.

Can you describe your writing space for us?

I have the terrible habit of writing in bed. I hear Meg Rosoff does the same so I feel like I’m in good company, but it really isn’t good for your back or neck. I can see Maungawhau/Mt Eden from my bedroom window plus our front garden, and the cat hangs out with me, and it is lovely and peaceful, and I am surrounded by all my own detritus which seems to support my creative process.

What are some of your favourite childhood books? 

I will never get over Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak and The Lion in the Meadow by Margaret Mahy. They are magic and no matter how many times I read them I can’t quite see how the trick is done and I am delighted all over again. We should never stop reading picture books – they are the biggest source of wonder in literature.

What is your favourite snack to enjoy while writing?

I’m not much of a snacker when I write (do I even qualify as a real writer?).

Author Interview: Ruby Solly - The Artist

Hollie spoke to Ruby Solly ahead of the release of her latest collection, The Artist. The Artist brings to life the histories of our great Southern iwi through the whakapapa of its characters and the rich world they and their ancestors call their tūrakawaewae—their place to stand, their place to sing.

Tell us about yourself. 

Kia ora! Ko Ruby Solly tōku ikoa. Ko Waitaha ratou ko Kāti Māmoe, Ko Kāi Tahu ōku iwi. Ko Waihao tōku marae. My name is Ruby and I’m a proud daughter of our Southern iwi, hailing from Waihao marae. I’m a writer, taonga pūoro practitioner, music therapist, and general kaitoi living in Pōneke, Wellington. My second book ‘The Artist’ is out now from Te Herenga Waka University Press.

What first sparked your interest in Tarot?

Honestly, I’m not really a tarot reader! Huge interest, but I more read oracle cards and create similar sets to help me with randomizing content to generate inspiration. I’ve been interested in tarot since I was a kid when my parents gave me a book on magic and divination that had a paired down set in it which I would use. There’s a whakapapa connection with Judaism and tarok and other Jewish forms of divination and spirituality that come from our culture that we have taken with us across the world. I think the reading of tohu within my Māori whakapapa weaves in with this as well, and I see that reading of signs within our cave tohu, our cave art. When I make cards it’s often a way to represent options or trial things that I already have as strong themes within my mind, and it gives me a physical representation of my mental space. The character cards for the book were a big part of this; so I could randomize different relationships and think about dynamics and voices. It’s something that I’ve continued to use since this book, bringing it into my other work in music too! 

What are the things that connect art, spirituality and whakapapa for you?

In a kind of weird and possibly narcissistic way, I think those things often combine within me, and within doing the work to create things from the whakapapa and connections to spirituality that it has. I also think just the idea of ceremony, and knowing that we can use our tikanga and kawa to create significant moments for ourselves spiritually, is crucial for me to create works like this and to ensure that it’s more than just me working. And to ensure I’ve got the strength to do it! I also think that art, spirituality, and whakapapa are truly in harmony for me when I’m on our whenua and working with our people with taonga pūoro. I truly believe that we can all create and being able to encourage that in other branches of my whakapapa is deeply meaningful for me.

There’s a mixture of prose, poetry and visual artistry in your poems and you’re also a songwriter! Do your creative processes inform one another? 

I’m a firm believer that toi was and is something that weaves through all things and mediums. In secondary and tertiary spaces I was often ‘told off’ for ‘dabbling’ outside of whatever it was I was doing, and it took me a long time to decolonise this part of my thinking after having to partially adopt it in order to get through those places. Now, I use a wide range of creative mediums to bring out works. Sometimes I might create words, music, or art for a project, that doesn’t get used as part of the final piece and is just part of how I learn what I need to in order to create the work. The cards for this book were a bit like that, I didn’t initially think they would be in the book, but I’m so glad they are. 

How did you approach writing The Artist? 

With a lot of things I make, I get a very clear image of something within the work, and then I just can’t let it rest until I’m working towards that. For me it was one of the main characters, Te Heikiki, standing in a nightgown, bare foot on a dirt road, on a flat plain with wind stirring up her hair, which is how she appears on her character card too. After this, I did a lot of researching and having conversations with whanaunga and mentors about all the different aspects that went into the book; cave art, pūrākau, pounmu, whakapapa…. And then I planned out the plot in about 40 bullet points, and wrote to that! The first section took me a year because it covers the history of te Wai Pounamu up till settlement. Even though it’s only 12 or so poems, it really took a lot of research and thinking about wording. After getting that whakapapa sorted, it flowed so much easier from there.

What are some of your favourite writers or books?

Oh man, how many can I have? In Aotearoa, essa mae ranapiri, Tayi Tibble, Michelle Rahurahu ( who has an amazing novel coming out with THWUP), Whiti Hereaka, Becky Manawatu, Keri Hulme, Robert Sullivan, Albert Wendt, Kōtuku Titihuia Nuttal, Anne Kennedy, and you should definitely get my cousin’s book, ‘Bird Speak’ by Arihia Latham! Outside of Aotearoa, Joy Harjo, Anne Carson, ‘Deep Wheel Orcadia’ by Harry Josephine Giles, Faylita Hicks, Danez Smith, Bernadine Evaristo (check out ‘The Emperor’s Babe’), Leslie Marmon Silko, ‘The Golem’ by Gustav Meyrink, Alison Bechdel, Isabel Greenberg and Henry Dumas… amongst many others!

What is your favorite snack to enjoy while writing? 

Currently a bit of cut fruit and some nuts as I’m on a diet for PCOS which affects the health and fertility of 10% of women, which isn’t something that we talk about a lot in society. But, this book was definitely written on date scones from Aro café. With the occasional eggs on toast, and always a mocha.

Author Interview: Joy Holley - Dream Girl

Hollie spoke to Joy Holley about her latest release, Dream Girl. Bittersweet and intimate, comic and gothic, Dream Girl is a collection of stories about young women navigating desire in all its manifestations.

Tell us about yourself

I’m 25 and a lifelong Wellingtonian. I did my Masters at the IIML in 2020, and wrote most of the stories in Dream Girl that year. This is my first book.

What traits of a Virgo Sun, Sagittarius Moon, Taurus rising do you most possess?

Virgo Sun: I’m detail oriented (in writing and in life) and have a good memory for the specifics.

Sagittarius Moon: I love to party and I love to talk! Definitely an extrovert.

Taurus Rising: I feel very connected to all five senses. I’m obsessed with food and cooking, perfume and candles, pretty things, and soft clothing.

What inspired your short story collection, Dream Girl?

My friends, my crushes, and the queer community. I also wanted the book to reflect my aesthetic world, and contain lots of femme imagery. The stories are very much based in Wellington, and some were inspired by the history of specific places, such as Erskine College and Mount Victoria tunnel.

What was the intention behind the order of the stories in the collection?

The collection starts off pretty grounded in the real world, but most of the protagonists are living in a crush-related fantasy… they’re often a bit deluded. As the stories go on, the characters no longer get to live comfortably in their fantasies: love goes wrong, and the love-interests become less idealised. Meanwhile, the stories become more magical, and the supernatural creeps in. By the end of the book, there’s a broader sense of reality.

What author is a recent discovery for you?

I read Casey Plett’s short story collection A Dream of a Woman last year, and have read both of her other books since. Her work focuses on the lives of trans women, friendship, addiction, sex, and love. Highly recommend!

What is your favorite snack to enjoy while writing?

Bread and butter, always. My fave bread in Wellington is the jalapeño cheddar loaf from Myrtle, and in Auckland I love the smoked rye from Daily Bread. Fave butter: Lurpak.

What makes you happiest?

Being at a party or a concert with my girlfriend and all my friends, wearing an outfit that I love.

Author Interview: Leah Dodd - Past Lives

Hollie spoke to poet Leah Dodd about her collection, Past Lives. Grounded in the urgency of the moment - motherhood, housing precarity, politics - Past Lives also surges along on the nervous and joyful electricity of Leah Dodd's voice, taking us from buses to poetry readings, rental bathrooms to Runescape, sometimes through the power of astral projection.

What does a typical day look like for you?

An 8am rush to the bus with my three-year-old first of all. Then after kindy drop-off, a coffee on the walk to work. Pretty soon after I get home it’s dinner and bed, and after that is when ideally I would write but usually end up stewing in front of Netflix or Mubi for a good few hours and regretting not spending that time writing (sponsor me @Mubi).

What can you tell us about the cover art of Past Lives?

The art itself is called ’The Goldfish Bowl’ and was painted in 1870 by Charles Edward Perugini. I designed the cover myself, and ultimately realised that graphic design is not, in fact, my passion. I wrote an essay about this process on The Spinoff here.

What is your favourite snack to enjoy while writing?

Ooh! A good ol’ flat white probably. Or an earl grey. I think I’m a more beverage-based poet, but don’t get me wrong, I’m a lover of all snacks. Especially… little cakes. 

Where do you draw inspiration from?

Mostly other poems and books, if I had to chalk it up to one thing. But more generally, I get inspired by things I see and hear and touch. Memes, the moon. A gig, a baby goat in the wildlife reserve. Funny things that friends say. I have a page on notes app that’s full of stuff like “clotted cream” and “leave us alone, fancy feast!” lol

What’s your experience been like submitting for different literary journals?

I’ve been really lucky with having poems accepted into journals, and feel so grateful for this, especially for journals like Starling that have published my work many times over the past seven (!!!) years. These days I usually only submit work when I feel it’s ready to be published, rather than sending something in to a deadline for the sake of it. Lately that has looked like barely sending anything in anywhere, and for now that’s okay!

What are some of your favourite writers or books?

Some of my favourite poets are Mary Ruefle, Richard Siken, Mark Leidner and Kim Addonizio. Eimear McBride and Lauren Groff are two all-time fav writers as well (Fates and Furies and The Lesser Bohemians have my heart forever). I’ve been loving reading Mag Gabbert and Ama Codjoe lately. At the moment some of my favourite books are by friends, which is the coolest thing ever. Like Dream Girl by Joy Holley, and The Artist by Ruby Solly. Buy them!! (And buy Past Lives ofc)

Author Interview: Josie Shapiro - Everything is Beautiful and Everything Hurts

Hollie spoke to Josie Shapiro about her stunning debut novel. An unforgettable debut about change, family and grit, and what it takes to achieve your dreams.

Tell us about yourself. 

I’m married and a mum of two daughters, and we live on the North Shore with our little dog, Tess.

What author is a recent discovery for you?

I am late to the party, but that doesn’t spoil how much I’ve enjoyed discovering Annie Ernaux and Taylor Jenkins-Reid. Two writers with different styles that have given me food for thought about how books are created and enjoyed. 

What are you currently reading? 

I have three books on the go – I’m A Fan by Sheena Patel, The Riders by Tim Winton, and I was lucky to get an early reading copy of The Bone Tree by Airana Ngarewa (out in Aug).  

What drew you to write about running opposed to another sport?

There seemed like a space to write about a female runner – I’d only read books about males. Then I read a quote by Alexi Pappas, ‘the marathon, like a good story, lures you in, takes you along if you are willing; all is nearly lost and then! The hero emerges victorious!’, and the narrative potential of running was clear.

Describe the feeling of when you found out that you were the winner of the A&U fiction prize.

I honestly couldn’t believe it. I have a habit of laughing when I should really be crying – I laughed and laughed and laughed. It was such an incredible feeling to win and to know that I would be published. 

What is your relationship with running? 

I stopped running about ten years ago, and even then I was a very average amateur. I wished I had run a marathon. This novel was a way of experiencing that without having to actually put on my sneakers and run. I am fully cured of any desire to run now, the book was true catharsis.

What is your writing routine? 

When I am into something, I try to write as often as possible – at least every day. That way I’m immersed into the story and it ticks over in my head when I’m busy doing other things and good ideas float to mind. 

What is your favorite snack to enjoy while writing?

Coffee and chocolate covered almonds

Author Interview: Shaneel Lal - One of Them

Hollie spoke to Shaneel Lal about their memoir One Of Them. This is a story of one person's fight for the right to live their life as they deserved - and their extraordinary work to protect other young New Zealanders.

Tell us about yourself.

I am Shaneel Lal. I am your Young New Zealander of the Year and the author of One of Them.  I am young and queer and have a hunger for disrupting the status quo. I sometimes say I came out of my mother with a pride flag in one hand, yelling 'Freedom!'

What are you currently reading?

I am rereading The Seven Necessary Sins for Women and Girls by Mona Eltahawy. The book is a feminist manifesto discussing the importance of anger, attention, profanity, ambition, power, violence and lust.

What was the process of getting your memoir published? 

I sat down for coffee with my manager and Allen & Unwin, during which I shared my experience of surviving conversion therapy and how I led the movement to ban conversion therapy, and the next thing I knew, I had a book deal. 

How do you feel now that the book is out and people are reading it? 

It is frightening and exciting. Frightening because I have written about my conversion therapy, something I have never spoken to anyone before. Exciting because I think the book shows people there is a human behind the media façade. 

What was your writing routine? 

I wrote my memoir while doing law school full-time, writing for the Herald and working in hospitality. I had little capacity. I wrote for 8 hours every Saturday. Somehow, it did not feel laborious, and I could keep going. 

What author or book is a recent discovery for you? 

The Savage Coloniser Book by Tusiata Avia. 

What is your favourite snack to enjoy while writing? 

Grapes and carrots.  I am trying to minimise my dairy and sugar intake. I wouldn’t recommend it. 

What can we expect to see from you in the future?

If you’d like another memoir, you’ll have to give me at least a decade. If all goes as planned, I'll soon be working on something gayer than One of Them. 

Author Interview: Susan Wardell - The Lighthouse Princess

Hollie spoke to Susan Wardell about their gorgeous children’s book, The Lighthouse Princess. A delightful contemporary fairytale about an independent princess, who looks after a very special lighthouse lamp, fishes off the balcony and goes swimming with seals.

Tell us about yourself.
I have an academic job, a big garden, and a restless mind. I like to hop between genres and mediums, and see how they cross-pollinate. 

What inspired The Lighthouse Princess?
A walk on a wild Southern beach, the story of Rapunzel, my own introverted heart, and raising a daughter.

How did you team up with illustrator Rose Northey? 
My manuscript was selected for use in the Gavin Bishop Award for first-time illustrators... and Rose entered and won!

How does it feel being a finalist in two categories at the NZ Book Awards for Children and Young Adults?
Startling and delightful. I feel encouraged to dig even deeper into the space of Children's writing.

What are some of your favourite childhood books? 
Enid Blyton's Faraway Tree series. Debbie's Dream (Gilbert Delahaye). Books full of animals and adventures.

What is in the pipeline for you?  
A couple of projects connecting my academic interests (in emotion and mental health) with children's writing, and also trying my hand at longer (junior fiction) texts. 

What is your favourite snack to enjoy while writing?
Salt and vinegar chips, all the way!

Author Interview: Airana Ngarewa - The Bone Tree

Hollie spoke to Airana Ngarewa (Ngati Ruanui, Ngarauru, Ngaruahine) about his debut novel The Bone Tree. The Bone Tree is a gritty coming of age novel, where the unforgettable young protagonist faces immense challenges, and the stakes are life or death - yet it also has a lyrical beauty, and a powerful message of love at its heart.

What does a typical day look like for you? 
Wake up, read, write, work, read, write, train. I find my R & R in variety. As long as I am reading widely and mixing up my training I am quite content. I also tend to do this all with podcasts and YouTube blaring in the background which keeps it interesting and makes me very hard to live laugh. 

What are you currently reading? 
Dissemination by Jacques Derrida; Te Koroua me te Moana (a translation of The Old Man and the Sea into te reo) and Ngāti Ruanui, a short history of my iwi. 

Where did the idea for The Bone Tree come from? 
The story runs adjacent to so many of our stories in Pātea after the closing of the freezing works and the economic collapse of South Taranaki. You could say the idea came from every conversation I had growing up. 

What was your thought about setting the book in Taranaki?
We claim direct descent from Taranaki Maunga so the story had to be set here, under his shadow. The next book will be set here too!

How important was it for you to include te reo Māori in the story?
We call te reo Māori te reo rangatira: the chiefly language or the language of chiefs. So many concepts and ideas are beyond translation. To capture the thoughts and experiences of Māori across time, the book had to be sprinkled with the language. 

How did you feel when you heard The Bone Tree was going to be published? 
I am pretty stoic. Publication felt like the next natural step of writing a novel. What has got me excited is the love and care of Moa Press. I am incredibly grateful for their guidance and wisdom. 

What is your desert island book? 
Tangata Whenua: An Illustrated History by Atholl Anderson, Judith Binney and Aroha Harris.

What is your favourite snack to enjoy while writing?
Toast. 

Author Interview: Michaela Keeble - Paku Manu Ariki Whakatakapōkai

Hollie spoke to Michaela Keeble about creating her book Paku Manu Ariki Whakatakapōkai alongside her son, Kerehi.

What does a typical day look like for you? 

Wake up too late, stumble around looking for my socks then my kid’s socks, slug coffee, get kids to school. Work werk wurk, mainly from home, very little writing. Walk Boss the Dog. Hang out with the kids. Talk politics or history or bad jokes with their dad. Eat. Sleep. Lovely.

What was the process of creating this book with your son, Kerehi?

When he was little, he talked, all the time, as some kids do. I remembered a lot of it and wrote it down. He zoned in and out of the long process of publishing (he loved riffing with Tokerau the most). He’s stoked with our pukapuka.

How did you team up with illustrator Tokerau Brown?

I just asked! And Tokerau said yes. How lucky is that.

What is one thing you would like readers to take away from Paku Manu Ariki Whakatakapōkai? 

Every single person, no matter how small, has intrinsic power. The trick is in learning to wield it gently and for the right reasons (like, standing up for, alongside and behind any being with less political power).

How would you compare writing poetry to writing a children’s book?

It’s really similar. Light on words, heavy on meaning. And it doesn’t take as long as a novel!

What are some of your favourite childhood books? 

Tokerau and I share a love of the What-a-mess books. I remember a book called Creatures in the Beard, and a hit kids book of the 80s, The Jolly Postman. A bit later, I loved everything by Isobelle Carmody.

What is your favourite snack to enjoy while writing?

Not a snack, but when I do find time to write (often with friends), they’ll set superlux hand creams and light natural candles. When you stop to think (or because you can’t think), you can give yourself a lil relaxing hand massage instead.

Author Interview: Giselle Clarkson - The Observologist: A Handbook for Mounting Very Small Scientific Expeditions

Hollie spoke to Giselle Clarkson about her gorgeous book The Observologist. A highly illustrated and creative scientific guide to the small creatures and natural wonders we find when we take time to open our eyes to the world around us—and ode to the power of quiet observation.

Tell us about yourself.

Hello! I’m an author and an illustrator and a cartoonist. Some of the things I like are gardening, sea swims, hot chips after a long walk, and crosswords. The best flavour of ice cream is a tie between chocolate and boysenberry.

Where did the idea for The Observologist come from? 

I’ve been fascinated by tiny things in nature all my life and I really love invertebrates. I like getting really close and watching them go about their lives so it seemed like a logical thing for me to make a book about. Once I started making a list of all the interesting things I knew about worms and flies and spiders and lichen I couldn’t stop!

What is one thing all young observologists need to pack for expeditions? 

Nothing! That’s the very best thing about observology: all you need is curiosity and your senses. Sometimes it’s fun to have a pencil and paper with you though, because drawing is a good way to practise focussing on tiny details and you end up with a neat record of what you’ve seen too.

What are some of your favourite tiny creatures? 

Praying mantises always feel special to me, and it’s pretty exciting to watch one hunting. I love having them in the garden because during their wingless nymph stages they don’t move around very much and it’s possible to visit the same individual day after day and watch it develop. I also have a real soft spot for jumping spiders. They’re so fluffy! With such big eyes!

What was one of the best scientific adventures you’ve been on? 

A favourite moment was when I was helping with some tawaki penguin field work in Piopiotahi/Milford Sound. We had to stay up into the wee hours of the morning, silently watching and waiting for the tawaki we were monitoring to return to their burrows. The Sound was moonlit and completely still and one of the most magical places I have ever been.

If you could be half human and half bug, what bug and what half

would you be? 

There are very few ways to blend humans and bugs without creating something horrifying! Perhaps I could be selectively 50% dragonfly. I’ll take their eyesight, their incredible wings, and a couple of extra legs would definitely come in handy.

What is your desert island book? 

I really like remote islands, even better if I’m alone to fossick in the undergrowth or comb the shoreline. A guide to all the flora and fauna of that particular island would keep me entertained for years, and maybe provide me with something to eat too. I mean in terms of foraging, not eating the pages of the book (unless the foraging prospects really are that bad).

What is your favourite snack to enjoy while writing or drawing?

I don’t tend to snack while I’m focussed, but every so often I’ll emerge from my room to breathe some fresh air, straighten out my hunched back and eat a piece of toast. It must be very dry and crispy, with a savoury topping.

Author Interview: Margaret Meyer - The Witching Tide

Hollie spoke to Margaret Meyer about her debut novel The Witching Tide. An immersive literary debut inspired by historical events—a deadly witch hunt in 17th-century England—that claimed many innocent lives.

Where did the idea for The Witching Tide come from? 

The idea grew from a visit to a local museum in Aldeburgh, a picturesque seaside town in Suffolk. I already knew of the 1645‒7 East Anglian witch-hunt, but in the museum, I discovered that self-styled witch-hunter Matthew Hopkins had visited the town in winter 1646 to purge it of its witches. As a result, seven innocent women were hanged. Later, when I started my research, I was deeply saddened to find that only two of the seven accused women were named in the historical record. The loss of their lives was bad enough, but it seemed to me that their namelessness effectively obliterated them from history. So, I resolved to write something to commemorate them.

What research was involved in the writing of the book? 

A lot! I started by reading around UK witch-hunting and of course this particular hunt, which was England’s deadliest, in some detail. I did some primary research, looking at 17th -century records, although lockdown brought this to a halt. The rest of my research I had to do through secondary sources and online. Because the landscape is important in the book – almost a character in its own right – I read widely about the history of the Suffolk and Norfolk coast, as well as its flora and fauna. My main character, Martha, is a midwife and ‘herb woman’, so it was necessary, and also a great pleasure, to read about the different plants in Martha’s physick garden and how they would have been used. For this part of the research, I turned to wonderful source, The Midwives Book, published in 1671 by a midwife, Jane Sharp. Her book gives such an insight into women’s lives at that time. Its pages contain a wealth of information about plants and humoral medicine. I grew to absolutely love this book and eventually bought my own copy. 

Why do you think people are so fascinated by witches? 

Over the last few years there’s been noticeable momentum towards writing women back into ‘the narrative’, whether historical or mythological. I’m thinking, for example, of Pat Barker’s The Silence of the Girls or Naomi Wood’s Mrs Hemingway. Both books are engaged with rounding out the record by prioritising women’s experiences and perspectives. Witches and the hunting of them are rich seams to mine. The witch is one of those archetypes that simply won’t lie down. In our psyches and our cultures she occupies a unique position: on the one hand relegated to the margin, yet still able to exert influence. In past times the figure of the witch has been an affront to patriarchal norms, an epitome of subversion. In more recent depictions it’s her attributes that are explored ‒ her disruptive capacities, her different kinds of power.

Do you have a favourite witch in pop culture and why? 

I don’t have a favourite, but a fantasy project of mine would be to somehow interview famous witches from history and mythology. I’d love to talk to the Witch of Endor, Circe, some of the African witch-deities and Macbeth’s three witch sisters, to find out their back stories as well as what they’re like as people.

What is your writing routine?

I aim to write for up to 4 hours each day, preferably in the morning, but I don’t really mind the time of day. Then I’ll do another 1‒2 hours of research (my next novel is also historical fiction), admin or responding to publicity enquiries. Around this I fit in walking my dog, Polly the standard poodle, as well as workouts in the gym.

What’s a book you always recommended to people? 

Hilary Mantel’s Beyond Black, about a touring psychic medium and her assistant. It’s less well known than some of Mantel’s other novels but is arguably her wittiest. I read it every year.

What is your favourite snack to enjoy while writing? 

Great question! I do like a good muffin and most weeks will make a batch. The family favourite is courgette and banana. I now double the recipe because – unless I manage to hide some of them in the freezer – they disappear very fast.

Author Interview: Catherine Chidgey - Pet

Hollie spoke to award winning author Catherine Chidgey about her latest novel ‘Pet’. When a charismatic new teacher arrives, everyone longs to be her pet. A gripping story of deception and guilt, set in a Catholic school during the 1980s.

How did you celebrate your recent win at the 2023 Ockham Book Awards? 

I was quite preoccupied with trying to stop my 7-year-old daughter from barging into frame on the TV interviews! After that I had a lovely conversation with Acorn Foundation people about Jann Medlicott and her incredible legacy. Then I tucked my two Acorns up in bed for the night at Sky City.

What are some of your favorite writers or books?

Kate Atkinson, Maggie O’Farrell, Bernardine Evaristo, Kevin Barry, Patricia Grace, Peter Carey, Janet Frame, Edna O’Brien.

Where did the idea for Pet come from? 

There was a very glamorous, charismatic teacher at my primary school, briefly, who played favourites. She invited select children to do errands for her, or to come to her house to make fudge and listen to records…and she ostracised those she deemed unworthy. She’s stayed with me for decades.

Were you a teacher’s pet?

I was! I still have the framed prayer my Primer One teacher gave me for helping after school.

Why is morning the best time for you to write? 

Because I’m still in a half-dream state, when I can access my unconscious more easily – and that seems to be where the writing comes from. (Also because I have a full-time day job!)

What is your favorite snack to enjoy while writing? 

I have an outrageously restricted diet due to extreme allergies, so I’ll have to go with the bad reviews of the books of my enemies.

What is one thing you would like readers to take away from Pet?

Never, ever take your Smurf collection to school.

Author Interview: Emily Perkins - Lioness

Hollie spoke to author Emily Perkins about her latest novel Lioness.

What are you currently reading?

Ephemeron, poetry by Fiona Benson – her precision and heat give me goosebumps. And The Inseparables, a posthumously published novel by Simone de Beauvoir. I love her mind, and I love a short book.

Tell us the process of choosing the cover, as it relates closely to a scene in the book. 

Greg Heinimann, the brilliant designer at Bloomsbury, came up with the image – it felt instantly right, for the sense it conveys of a woman who seems poised but is on fire from the inside.

What was your thought about setting the book in New Zealand, as opposed to somewhere else? 

I wanted to look at class privilege in New Zealand, and to write about rich people without getting into the limitless level of wealth that might be found in a bigger country. And I really loved writing the different locations.

Have you ever thought about DJing a Lioness themed party? 

Excellent idea! I did have a vibes playlist as I was drafting, but not all of it is danceable – I’d have to do a new one to properly create a Zone.

You’ve said there were many drafts of Lioness and that you started writing it in 2015. What was it that made you want to keep returning to the story? 

It kept feeling relevant, and I never got tired of thinking about it, or thinking through it: the novel is partly about change, and I wanted to see if writing it would change me too.

What author or book is a recent discovery for you? 

I was gripped by the sombre, ominous mood conjured up by Katie Kitamura in her novel Intimacies, and can’t wait to read her other work.

What is your favorite snack to enjoy while writing?

 Almonds and apples and black coffee – if work’s going well the food disappears from the plate without my noticing. If it’s not I can be found in front of the open fridge door, staring blankly.