Author Interview

The Mahy Questionnaire: Leonie Agnew

Award winning writer Leonie Agnew is next up for our Mahy questionnaire. Her latest book The Memory Thief is out this month but it hasn’t stopped her finding the time to answer our questions! Read on, tricksters… 1. Describe yourself…

Book Awards: Young Adult Finalists

There are some cracking YA reads in the NZCYA finalists this year; there’s realness, drama, history, fantasy and just some downright good storytelling. We love hearing about the process, characters and inspiration, so we have asked our finalists some probing…

Across the Ditch: Rebecca Lim

Rebecca Lim is an Australian writer, illustrator and editor and the author of over twenty books, including The Astrologer’s Daughter (A Kirkus Best Book of 2015 and CBCA Notable Book for Older Readers), Afterlight and Wraith. Her work has been…

Co-interview: Joanna Grochowicz & Cristina Sanders

We thought it was high time for the return of our author co-interview—and look at the pair we managed to bring together! Joanna Grochowicz had quickly become a favourite among readers of non-fiction, with her fascinating (and award-winning) dives into…

Is this the perfect time for a pandemic story?

Discussion of self isolation and social distancing and mask wearing may all feel very 2020s – but for those not in the know, two titles from Aotearoa sitting on shelves with shiny new covers are not, in fact, products of…

Musicians Make Amazing Picture Books

Many of our wonderful picture book writers are both musicians and writers. Diana Neild, writer of Daddy Monster A-B-C and the Piggity-Wiggity series (if you don’t know these, look them up!) and June Pitman-Hayes, writer of Kia ora! You can…

Finishing the furballs: Donovan Bixley

Donovan Bixley lets the cat out of the bag as he completes his Flying Furballs series. Why did you choose war and spies as the basis for your middle-grade series? Most of my books start from doodling things I love…

Talking to the Team Behind Egg & Spoon

It’s October and boy do we have a treat for you! This month, Gecko Press is releasing an absolutely delectable Aotearoa title that will have your mouth watering and tastebuds tingling! Egg & Spoon, by chef and author Alexandra Tylee,…

Co-interview: James Norcliffe & Bernard Beckett

James Norcliffe and Bernard Beckett are both—among other things—heavy hitters in the chapter book space, telling stories that are thought-provoking, engaging and eminently compelling to read. So with both these chaps releasing new junior fiction titles this September, we thought…