From Renée's garden
  • Writers Talk – Robyn Bargh & Huia Publishers

    I first met Robyn when I was seeking a publisher for my novel, The Skeleton Woman and I loved the way Huia worked. I wanted to include publishers in Writers Talk and she was the obvious choice. I admire Huia Publishers and think Robyn is a hero — she had a dream and with the help of her husband, Brian, her whanau and a host of good people, she realised that dream. It is a real privilege for WednesdayBusk to publish this interview. Here's Robyn... Read more… 

  • Writers Talk — Emma Hart

    I came across Emma Hart's UpFront blog when I went to Public Address, a community of blogs organised by Russell Brown. Then I read her book of essays, Not Safe for Work and loved it. Here she is... Read more… 

  • Writers Talk – Tina Makareti

    Kia ora, welcome to Tina Makereti, award-winning short story, novelist and nonfiction writer, who also tutors in Life Writing at Massey University, Wellington. Tina talks about her writing life... Read more… 

  • Writers Talk – Robynanne Milford

    Kia ora, I've known Robynanne since the early 80s in Auckland when she and I were part of Womenspirit, a writer's group that I always think of with great affection — we all wrote some amazing things and published three books which was a huge achievement. As well saw each other through some good and bad times and had great parties ... here's Robynanne... Read more… 

  • Writers Talk — Maggie Rainey-Smith

    Kia ora, I first met Maggie because she was a member of a book club I joined and I love her work, especially About Turns. I was one of the first Marching Girls ever (forgotten the date) and, along with my sister, I marched for the Taradale Marching team. Those were the days. Here's Maggie... Read more… 

  • Writers Talk — Ruth Renner

    I met Ruth Renner in the 80s in Auckland — and then one Saturday morning I was listening to National Radio's country programme and here was this interesting interview that really got me hooked and the best thing was, at the end, there was an invitation and a link to what has turned out to be one of my very favourite online journals (Ruth, I've got to say one of because of course I love WednesdayBusk best). Diggers Valley journal www.diggersvalley.co.nz covers the weekly happenings on Digger Valley Farm which is run by Ruth and her partner, Stephan. I love the life it portrays and Ruth not only conveys that in writing but also in the wonderful photographs she takes. Read more… 

  • Writers Talk — Sarah Delahunty

    Sarah and I are both playwrights but I didn't get to know her till we were both at Playwrights' Conference in Hamilton and she was delegated to drive me to and from the venue each day. We enjoyed talking about plays and when we got back to Wellington began meeting regularly and writing scripts. Sarah and I still meet to talk writing and anything else that crops up. Read more… 

  • Writers Talk — interview with Mandy Hager

    Mandy Hager — award-winning writer, currently finalist in 2013 NZ Post Young Adult Book Award with her novel, The Nature of Ash. See more about Mandy and her other works plus her blogs about writing at http://mandyhager.blogspot.co.nz I first got to know Mandy by reading her book, Run for the Trees, and loved it. Have read all her works since. She writes mainly for the Young Adult reader which means everyone of any age and her soon-to-be-published new novel, is called Dear Vincent. I can hardly wait. Read more… 

  • Writers Talk — Dinah Hawken

    I've know and loved Dinah's work ever since I picked up her first collection, probably at Unity Books, sometime in the 80s in Auckland. Read more… 

  • Writers Talk — Jenny Pattrick

    Like the rest of the country and many overseas readers, I loved Denniston Rose and its sequels — and all the other novels Jenny has written. I visited Denniston Plateau last year and as I stood there, imagined what it must have been like for the women who lived on that plateau — some of whom found the trip up the incline so hideous that they never went down again and I was glad all over again that Jenny had alerted me to theirlives and their stories... Read more… 

  • Writers Talk — Elizabeth Smither

    I've known Elizabeth's novels and poems for a while now and I love them. Then in 2007 when I did the year-long poetry course at Whitireia Polytechnic (Lynn Davidson the tutor), Elizabeth was my mentor and she was brilliant. It was a great and very enjoyable year and I came to the conclusion that every writer, whatever the genre, certainly every writer of plays, should do that course. Here's Elizabeth... Read more… 

  • Writers Talk — Hinemoana Baker

    Idea — which comes first — subject, form, a line? Or other?

    I try to let language lead me into a poem, rather than having an 'idea' to write about. Often the idea comes about anyway, but it usually has more wisdom or surprise if I can let the words lead me rather than bossing them around too much. Read more… 

  • Writers Talk — Renée

    I thought seeing I invited other writers to answer these question I'd better front up and do it myself. Read more… 

  • Writers Talk — Frances Cherry

    Kia ora. I have known Frances for ages — we've been writers forever, we've marched for the same causes, laughed at the same jokes, enjoy a glass of wine. We don't see so much of each other these days because we live on different ends of the Wellington region and because we're both busy — but I know, if I asked Frances for help, she'd be there in flash...come in Frances... Read more… 

  • Writers Talk — Lynn Jenner

    Kia ora, I first met Lynn when I was asked to take a class for a tutor who was sick. This was a first year class in script writing. Then we met again as students in a year 2 poetry class tutored byLynn Davidson. A great year and a great class. One of those special years that whenever I meet one of the seven student who was in that fabulous class we all agree, it was a great year. If you haven't read Lynn's book, Dear Sweet Harry, get it today and read it. Some of her poems in this book began their life in that class. A writer of work in no clear genre is how Lynn describes herself...here's Lynn... Read more… 

  • Writers Talk — Sandi Sartorelli

    I first met Sandi when she came to a class I was teaching for Whitireia Polytechnic on nonfiction and later in a Summer Poetry Workshop run by Hinemoana Baker. That same year Sandi was part of another Whitireia class of mine where she wrote a draft of her poetry collection, Calling Down the Sky. Her poem Medusa was the first poem published on WednesdayBusk. Read more… 

  • Writers Talk – Adrienne Jansen

    Kia ora, I've known Adrienne ever since I began teaching at Whitireia but I knew her books before then so it was a thrill to meet her in person. She's a good friend and colleague and we tend to laugh at the same things which is always a good sign. Here she talks about her writing life and her latest novel The Score... Read more… 

  • Writers talk — Jan Bolwell

    Jan and I have been good friends for a long time. Her production Dancing in the Wake begins its Nation wide tour under the auspices of Arts on Tour NZ (review, tour dates). This is a play about Lucia's troubled journey to be a dancer, daughter of James (Ulysses) and Norah Joyce. Read more… 

  • Writers talk — Mary-Jane Duffy

    Mary-Jane and I met at Whitireia and it was after that I discovered she was a poet and what was great was she was working on a collection set around women in Paris in the 1920s. One of the my two favourite decades of writing - and when I heard her read her poems I loved them. Here's Mary-Jane... Read more…